Tuesday, March 19, 2024 | Ramadan 8, 1445 H
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EDITOR IN CHIEF- ABDULLAH BIN SALIM AL SHUEILI

Losing track of time in Wakan

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It was a Saturday and a sunny day as well when we decided to scale the heights of the mountain near Wakan and explore the surrounding area of this popular destination located 2,000 feet above sea level. There were about 25 of us guided by the Adventure Oman team — a group of outdoor enthusiasts who loves camping, trekking, hiking, snorkeling, photography, off-road driving, rock climbing and other nature related activities. A voluntary, not-for-profit group, most of its members are hobbyist and they wanted like-minded individuals to come together for adventure.


A lot of planning went into this trip. We made sure that we started early, to beat the summer heat and designed the trip to be finished at 2pm.


Right on schedule, we were in the general Wakan area looking at the challenging hike ahead. We spotted the mountain we want to climb. The hike, to be honest, was a bit tough for me because I stopped doing physical activities like hiking a long time ago.


The trail, running several thousand steps in my estimate, is a hard one. But we were eager to see what’s at the end of our destination. It took almost 3 hours of non-stop walking before we reached the mountain top. And it was a trip worth taking.


From the top, the sky was a fantastic blue. The air was fresh and it feels great to take it in. The temperature at such a great height wasn’t so hot and it was the perfect condition to take landscape photos.


I kept losing track of time and got carried away with taking pictures. I din’t realize that I was creating a commotion with my friends waiting impatiently for me to finish.


We moved further in. Took a break. And hiked a few kilometres more until we begin seeing houses far away. It was then that we realized that we were looking at the popular Wakan village.

Much has been said about this agricultural wonder on top of the mountain. It’s gained a reputation for its lush foliage and its own version of cherry blossom. Located about 150 kilometres from Muscat and can be reached from Nakhal by taking the turn to Wadi Mistal, it is a thing of beauty one that allows you to see the grandeur of Wadi Mistal and the Wilayat of Nakhal down below. It was definitely worth checking out.


AHMED AL JAABRI


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