The real name of the canyon may not be Jebel Shams. It may be Jabal Shams, or it may have nothing to do with the peak of the same name, which rises very close and is the highest point of Oman. You will also find it as Wadi Guhl and Wadi Nakhar. Google will not help you because it claims that two places I have photographed on the road together with their signs, stand on opposite sides of the peak. I myself think that every name starting with “Wadi” is more likely than anything else, because this is how the names of all valleys and canyons in the country begin. Until the Omanians decide on the matter, I will call the site Jebel Shams.
We had the pleasure of seeing the Grand Canyon from two perspectives – from the so-called Balcony Walk, let’s call it a panoramic path, and from the bottom of it, i.e. the lowest part. The panoramic path goes along the edge of one of the slopes is not very secure. I think the railing you see in the photo above and appears briefly at the beginning, should not count at all. But all this doesn’t matter because the views compensate for any discomfort.
Rock moldings and draperies, large and small niches, and rocks with whimsical shapes appear along the route. You have to be very careful when meeting with the opposite tourist flow as the path is rather narrow. If you accidentally decide to step aside to make space for a very decisive pair of German retirees, make sure you step on the inside, because the stones from the outside can suddenly roll down beneath your feet, you with them. If this happens, though, you will need to make the crucial decision of whether to drop the phone or hang on a cliff. Tricky…
There are almost no other living beings in Jebel Shams other than the persistent tourists. I say “almost” because there are exceptions. You saw the feeble representatives of the flora, hanging by their roots and whatever other tools they have in the inhospitable rocks. I can also mention the vultures I couldn’t identify by exact species because they were too far for my gaze, but they were floating patiently in the sky in anticipation of the next idiot who would rather cling to their phone. The other roommates were the local goats, for which there are apparently no barriers.
When our guides informed us upon leaving that we would get to an abandoned village and organize a picnic there, I imagined the path somewhere coming out of Jebel Shams and so providing for the actions described. Nothing of the kind! At first, a huge rock niche appeared in the distance along the track, descending into the depths, and above it – something like an amphitheater. “Ah!” said one of our guides, “Here’s the village!” Do you see something village-like?
It wasn’t until we approached the so-called amphitheater that we discovered these were artificial terraces cut into the slope to shape small gardens. The gardens were no longer maintained due to the depopulation of the village, but the terraces were still standing. An almost unrealistic view. And only when we got into the place did we see the village itself. The houses were small enclosures in the rock niches, which almost completely merged with the landscape. There was also a small spring in the cliffs, which somewhat explained the desire to settle. But only to some extent.
The next day we attacked Jebel Shams by land, i.e. at the bottom of the canyon. I dare say that the views were no less impressive, though the perspective of vision was different. The river that formed this miracle of nature probably looks different during the rainy season, but at the end of November it appeared only for a short time under the stones, only to offer us some small fish, frog babies and even a thin water snake.
Along the river, vegetation was more prolific, even banana palm trees and gardens with unknown crops appeared. The whirlpools were not deep enough to bathe in this season, but they served perfectly to relax one’s feet after a long walk on uneven terrain. At least occasionally, the walls of Jebel Shams provided a merciful shade, and the panorama offered some variety. If you can’t imagine the scale on the photos, look more closely at the little man below:
After a 7-kilometer walk in one direction, we got to … another abandoned village. The surprise came from the announcement that three years ago, people still lived here. The canyon, which was now completely barren, could have been reached by 4×4 car, and even there was something like a guest house where one of our drivers had spent the night. We cast an eye on the house, which did not seem bad at all, even only from the outside; we ate our sandwiches on the porch in the company of angry red wasps and wished everyone better times.
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