Wadi Shab

I love love love Oman. From going up to Jebel Shams (mountain of the sun), the highest point in Oman which overlooks what is also known as the Arabian Grand Canyon to the wadis (the valleys with water pools in them) to the coast. This amazing country has so much to offer and is an adventurer’s paradise. Wadi Shab is one of Oman’s must do attractions

Wadi Shab

Wadi Shab is a beautiful must-do hike in Oman. This is a local and a tourist hot spot. It’s peak season is from November to March which is the region’s winter season which simply means it is not sweltering hot and temperatures are cooler. This hike is a 45  minute intermediate hike that meanders alongside the canyon and then is followed by three pools of water and a waterfall within a cave. Note that this hike can be done alone and you do not necessarily need a guide for this hike unless it is a personal preference. As you go further into the pools, the water does become deeper so please make sure you are a confident swimmer. The waterfall area within the cave requires you to tread water for the entire team so prior to entering the cave, do ensure that you can do that confidently.

What to bring

Bring some sandwiches/food/drink with you as this is a hike on its own and not close to any eateries or such. Bring the right training shoes, this is not just an easy walk but can also require climbing over boulders. Bring swimming shoes – if you’re planning to swim through all three pools and get to the waterfalls, there’s a passageway between the two pools that is rife with small pebbles that hurt. Wearing swimming shoes will have you avoiding that pain.

How to get there

Wadi Shab is about an hour and a half away from Muscat. Simply plug in Wadi Shab parking into your GPS and you it will take you straight to the Wadi’s entrance. Note that parking here is free. After you’ve parked, you take a one minute boat ride across to the beginning of the hike. The boat ride costs OMR 1. Boats generally operate between 8 am and 5 pm but make sure to ask when the last boat operates.