advice on footwear in the wadis

Hi all.

Please advice on footwear when going in the wadis.

Normally when abroad we just wear wslking sandels but I have read some suggestimg full walking boots. Another thing is about getting wet? My walking boots are not the most comfortable when wet.

We want to be prepared so please advice what or which footwear we should take with us.

We will be visiting wadi shab and wadi bani khalid.

Any other advice about how to keep contents of rucksack dry etc will be appreciated.

Many thanks!

At least in Wadi Shab, most of the walk is on a rocky path with lots of small stones. If you're accustomed to walking on such paths in sandals, then sandals (i.e. sturdy sports sandals, not flip-flops) would be fine. When people get to the watery part, they generally take off their footwear, but if your sandals are waterproof (like most Tevas, for example) and you're comfortable swimming with the them you could leave them on. A better plan might be to do the hike in boots and put on water-shoes when you enter the water.

Also in Wadi Shab, everybody leaves their rucksacks on the dry land before getting in the water since the water comes towards the very end of the hike. Don't know about Wadi Bani Khalid, as I haven't been there.

Thank you so much for your reply, I really appreciate it. I think better to be prepared and we will wear walking boots and take them off later.

Just a bit worried about 'leaving' the boots rucksacks etc...is it safe???

Just a bit worried about 'leaving' the boots rucksacks etc...is it safe???

No less safe than leaving possessions and clothing on a beach while you go for a dip. They would be out of sight, but not for terribly long, as the wet part of the Wadi Shab trek only amounts to a couple hundred yards of wading and/or swimming. Oman is not crime-free, but like the other Gulf countries, it is very low-crime, and nobody's going to risk jail just for a pair of old boots.

If, for some reason, you'll be carrying things that are genuinely valuable on the hike, then you might want to invest in a small dry sack (of the sort used in kayaking) and take the stuff along with you.