Just east of Al Ayn, there's a small roundabout (beyond which lies Wadi Damm); a right turn here leads up a winding paved road to a broad fertile plateau on top of Jebel Al Kawr. At 2700m, this limestone massif offers spectacular views of neighbouring mountains, Jebel Misht and Shams, but attracts nothing like the same number of visitors. Several date-palm villages dot the plateau, including Sint and Sant, watered by spring water and supported by tiny market gardens.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
17.92 MILES
Rising without competition from the surrounding plain, Jabreen Castle is an impressive sight. Even if you have had a surfeit of fortifications, it's worth…
16.89 MILES
Embellished with stalactites and stalagmites, this is the only cave in Oman developed for tourism and it's something of a gem. Sensitively lit, this…
17.58 MILES
After many years of restoration, Bahla Fort, one of the largest in Oman, makes a grand sight looming over the sprawling modern settlement of Bahla. Built…
12.15 MILES
This quirky museum is more open house than historical display. Three ladies accompany guests around their traditional house in the aged and crumbling…
28.27 MILES
Tucked into the unlit and crumbling old quarter of Rustaq, behind the fort, this unique museum is the personal project of the owner, Zakia Al Lamki. Left…
9.2 MILES
The term 'Grand Canyon of Arabia' is wholly deserved for this quintessential feature of Oman's spectacular mountain scenery. A short path leads to the…
27.91 MILES
Two cannons mark the interior courtyard of this enormous fort – the entrance alone signals its former importance. Built on top of pre-Islamic foundations,…
28.02 MILES
This spectacular wadi is a major artery through the mountains and often flows year-round with spring water. It looks particularly gorgeous when mountain…
Nearby Hajar Mountains attractions
7.22 MILES
This steep-sided wadi channels the water that runs off Jebel Kawr and Jebel Shams and makes a pretty place for an easy stroll or a picnic. The walls at…
7.29 MILES
Affording one of the most lovely vistas in the Hajar Mountains, the abandoned village of Ghul dusts the shoulder of a cliff at the foot of Wadi Ghul, the…
9.2 MILES
The term 'Grand Canyon of Arabia' is wholly deserved for this quintessential feature of Oman's spectacular mountain scenery. A short path leads to the…
10.11 MILES
Beside the village of Al Ayn, and arranged along a low, russet-coloured ridge, this string of tombs make a dramatic silhouette against Jebel Misht that…
10.42 MILES
With its serrated teeth, Jebel Misht (meaning 'Comb Mountain') is well named. This striking lump of rock is one of Oman's so-called ‘exotics’ – a…
11.91 MILES
Bathed by the golden light of sunset, with the limestone 'dip slope' of Jebel Shams as backdrop and a thick plantation of date palms in the foreground,…
12.15 MILES
This quirky museum is more open house than historical display. Three ladies accompany guests around their traditional house in the aged and crumbling…
14.03 MILES
For the best view of Misfat, turn right by the campground before entering the village. The ancient stone buildings, half buried in a thick date plantation…