Al Jabal al Akhdar Holidays

Drive just two hours out of Muscat – or 30 minutes from Nizwa Fort – and you’ll reach one of the most heart-stopping panoramas you’re ever likely to set eyes on: Al Jabal Al Akhdar.

More often known as Jebel Akhdar, or Green Mountain, it’s the name given to the highest and wildest section of the Hajar Mountains in Oman. Hop in a 4x4, follow the snaking roads into the clouds and watch as the plains below gradually disappear.

The higher you climb, the more otherworldly the scenery becomes. Craggy mountain peaks pierce the sky then plummet downwards into vast, gloomy canyons. At just over 3000 metres, nearby Jebel Shams takes the crown as Oman’s highest mountain, and from the top you can peer straight down into the gaping mouth of Wadi Ghul – better known as Oman’s Grand Canyon.

Nestled between the zig-zagging landscapes, you’ll find oasis-like wadis, cliffside farms and uninhabited villages basking in the silent sun. Al Jabal Al Akhdar is known as the fruit bowl of Oman thanks to the supersized pomegranates, apricots, and other fruits you’ll find here. And from March to May its hillsides blossom with pink damask roses, which are harvested to make delicate Omani rose water.