It’s time to smell the roses of Al Jabal Al Akhdar

Today is officially the start of a long holiday. Wondering what fun things to do and where to go to get the full advantage of the holiday? “The drive to Al Jabal Al Akhdar is about only couple of hours from Muscat using the Nizwa road and exiting about 20 km heading towards the mountain road. Only 4x4 cars are allowed going up so either you take yours or rent one,” is how a Canadian traveller described his trip to Al Jabal Al Akhdar in 2015. Sharing his adventure on a blog site, he went on to share that when in Al Jabal Al Akhdar “You can make your own barbeque, eat at the hotel or just have some snacks with you. Typically, a one-day trip is good enough unless you want to relax away from the city for more time. If you have a snack, there is a nice spot, right after the hotel,” he shared. But he recommended that despite the hiking adventure, it is also important to “smell the roses.” As a resident of Manah, a stone’s throw away from the Green Mountain, Al Mutasim al Mahmoodi shared that for his friends and family, the rose season is an exciting time to explore Al Jabal Al Akhdar. “My friend’s family has been one of the families who had been making rose water for generations. The rose water making process is usually a tedious process but even if people go there just to see the harvest season, it’s a different experience altogether,” he said. “I usually recommend for anyone asking to make it part of their experience and for sure, this year, there will be droves of tourists going to experience the harvest season,” he said. “The Rose Season in Al Jabal Al Akhdar is a much-awaited period in Oman, providing visitors with an unmissable opportunity to connect with nature and enjoy a relaxing and rejuvenating holiday in the breath-taking surroundings of the fabled Green Mountain,” shared Firas Rashid, Director of Sales and Marketing at Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar Resort. “Whether it is celebrating moments of togetherness with their loved ones, learning more about the local culture and heritage or simply soaking in the beauty of the beautiful rose harvest, we look forward to ensuring that our guests make the most of this season and take back unforgettable memories of their stay with us,” he added. The annual damask rose season in Jabal Akhdar is visited by thousands of tourists every year. Also the best time for photographers, the blooms not only allow people to have Instagramable photos but to have an opportunity to get in touch with a revered tradition and culture. Firas said that a vacation to Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar Resort promises to be a bed of roses as the resort celebrates the return of the highly anticipated season. With the indigenous Damask rose in full bloom, a multi-sensory treat awaits guests to the resort where the fragrant flowers are perfuming the air and colouring the landscape of Al Jabal Al Akhdar in softer shades of red and pink, turning the entire mountain range into a visual spectacle. Firas shared that guests should take full advantage of the period recommending for them to try the Rose Season Special offer that includes a minimum two-night luxury accommodation in a Premier Canyon View Room, along with the popular ‘Rose Water of Al Jabal Al Akhdar Tour’, a ‘Rose Rescue Ritual’ at Anantara Spa and complimentary breakfast for two. During the tour, visitors will have the opportunity to watch the local rose-pickers in action as they work their way through the different stages of rose water production — from plucking the blossoms from the stems to placing them inside traditional mud ovens, known as ‘Al-duhjan’, for distillation. Firas also said that travellers can also look forward to a luxurious spa treatment at the Anantara Spa, where the essence of the fragrant roses will see them leaving in the pink of health. Firas and his team said that the holiday is perfect for that moment of relaxation and spending it at the Middle East’s highest resort in the middle of a highly-anticipated rose season is the perfect way to do it. For information and details, visit: https://mhg.to/s1tsk