Wadi Shab

Oman


Aptly named in Arabic as the ‘Gorge Between Cliffs’, Wadi Shab is one of the most lovely destinations in Oman, despite Hwy 17 slung across the entrance. The wadi rewards even the most reluctant walker with turquoise pools, a busy falaj (irrigation channel), waterfalls and terraced plantations; kingfishers add glorious splashes of colour and year-round trusses of pink oleander bloom by the water’s edge. A five-minute boat ride (OR1 return) is required to cross the mouth of the wadi to the trail head.

While swimming in the lower pools is forbidden (they are a source of drinking water), there is an opportunity for discreet swimming in the upper reaches of the wadi, where you can duck into a partially submerged cave (skinny dipping is strictly taboo though). Guided hikes though the wadi (OR25 per person) can be arranged from Wadi Shab Resort, with discounts offered for groups. As with all wadis in Oman, flash flooding can make them impassable for a time. Check with recommended tour companies for up-to-date information on accessibility, especially after rains.

Toilets, open from 7am to 7pm in the car park, are intended to dissuade visitors from relieving themselves in the wadi. Lighting a barbecue and camping are not permitted. Wadi Shab is signposted off the Muscat–Sur Hwy. You can’t miss it: the vista of mountains opening onto a pea-green lake is sublime after the barren plain. Vehicles, thankfully, cannot navigate the wadi beyond a small parking area.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Oman attractions

1. Wadi Tiwi

1.42 MILES

With its string of emerald pools and thick plantations, Wadi Tiwi almost rivals its neighbour, Wadi Shab, in beauty, especially in spring when the…

2. Jaylah Tombs

8.19 MILES

The 90 or so meticulously crafted stone towers scattered across the Selma Plateau are tombs dating back to the Umm An Nar culture of 2000 to 2700 BC…

3. Bibi Miriam's Tomb

12.52 MILES

The ruined tomb of Bibi Miriam is about all that remains of the 2nd-century settlement of Qalhat, one of the most ancient sites in Oman. There’s not much…

4. Sinkhole Park

17.49 MILES

The blue-green, brackish water at the bottom of this peculiar 40m-by-20m limestone hole invites a swim and a snorkel. The intrepid can inch round the…

5. Moqal Cave

17.79 MILES

If you want to beat the crowds at Wadi Bani Khalid, then Moqal Cave in the upper reaches of the wadi is a curiosity to head towards. There's not much to…

6. Wadi Bani Khalid Pools

17.98 MILES

Most people visiting Wadi Bani Khalid head for the springs that collect in a series of deep pools in the narrow end of the wadi. The pools have been…

7. Wadi Bani Khalid

18.93 MILES

Justly famed for its natural beauty, this wadi just north of the town of Al Kamil makes a rewarding (and well-signposted) diversion off the Muscat–Sur…

8. Tourist Service Centre

19.15 MILES

For a panoramic view of the wadi plantations, stop at the Tourist Service Centre on the approach road to Moqal Cave. The centre has been closed for years,…

  • placement: superzone
  • path: Destinations/POIs/superzone
  • possible size: [970, 250], [970, 90], [728, 90], [1, 1],
  • targeting:
    {
      "url": "oman/tiwi/attractions/wadi-shab/a/poi-sig/1609530/1331760",
      "destination": "Oman",
      "continent": "Middle-East",
      "country": "Oman",
      "position": "superzone"
    }