Meet the rest of the team and a Charity Challenge representative at the airport for the long-awaited departure to Oman. We have an overnight flight direct to Dubai landing early the following morning and then have a 2 hour bus transfer to the town of Dibba in Oman.
After our overnight flight and bus transfer we will arrive in the coastal town of Dibba at lunchtime. We will have time to freshen up and relax in the plantation camp, surrounded by green date palm trees. In the afternoon we may have the opportunity to visit the local fishermans market and to watch todays catch being brought in on the small boats before local people bid on the catch that has just come ashore.
In the evening our leaders will go through a full safety briefing regarding the trek ahead. It will then be early to bed to prepare for the challenge ahead.
Tonights accommodation is in a 'permanent camp', which means we will be staying in large canvas tents with same-sex dormitory style accommodation.
Our first day sees us leave the town of Dibba and ascend a small wadi to begin our traverse of the spectacular coastline. Below us we pass several small bays as we get our first taste of the difficult, rocky terrain. As we ascend ever upwards we get our first view of smugglers bay, our campsite for tonight, and so called becasue of the illegal immigrants who used to be smuggled abroad here.
We take lunch at an abandoned village with incredible views along the coast before the long and difficult descent down to smugglers bay. This descent follows the river bed of a wadi, and as such there are numerous large boulders to negotiate.
Upon reaching smugglers bay we will have time to make camp before having the opportunity to snorkel in the clear blue waters.
Dinner and overnight in camp.
Today we begin with a short boat transfer to the remote fishing village of Haffa, only accessible by boat.
We trek uphill out of the village. Behind us our spectacular views of the fjord from where we just travelled. We then reach the large abandoned village of He'el. This is our first real insight into what life used to be like in this part of Oman. Old stone houses are dotted around between immense walled form wheat fields.
Leaving the village behind we begin the toughest part of the trek so far. Traversing along an old footpath we soon need to branch off and make our way steeply uphill to join the ridgeline above us. The ascent takes us over the roughest terrain of the entire trek and will be a real challenge for everyone. However, the views when we reach the ridge make all our efforts worthwhile. Our vista will stretch inland across the mountains of the Musandam, and behind us we can linger at the incredible coastline.
Our ascent for today has not finished, however the path to the village of Salhamdam is good and soon we will find ourselves camped amongst the majestic mountains watching the sunset behind the peaks that surround us.
Dinner and overnight at camp.
Our third day of trekking sees us venture further inland amongst the mountains. We begin by ascending away from the settlement of Salhamdam towards another old, abandoned village. The path becomes more broken as we descend into the main Wadi Shamsi that cuts through the Musamdam.
Our main challenge for this day is to negotiate the steeper, gorge like, wadi that lies in our path. The old path takes us safely down to the bottom of the gorge before we scramble up the other side and into possibly the most picturesque village yet. In this village we will see an old water channel system and a hauntingly beautiful old cemetery.
One more ascent over broken ground waits for us before we wind our way back down into the main wadi to reach our camp.
Dinner and overnight at camp.
This day is all uphill as we make our way to our base camp at the foot of gebel Qihwi. Fortunately the terrain here is far less loose and this makes our ascent along a ridgeline much more bearable. Our total ascent for today is 650m, and there is very little let up in the ascent. Fortunately the views will help fuel us to the village of Aquabat from where we wind our way along a jeep track to arguably the most spectacular part of the trek as we ascend to the summit of Gebel Qihwi (1,800m).
As we turn off the track the ascent gets progressively steeper and rockier until we reach the summit plateau.
After taking in the view, and contemplating our achievement we will take 4x4's back to Dibba in time to relax and celebrate in the Golden Tulip Hotel in Dibba.
Overnight in Golden Tulip Hotel with celebration meal.
Please Note: On the summit of Gebel Qihwi there is an optional scramble onto a small peak next to the summit plateau. This will require the use of a rope and is an optional choice for those who wish. It is not a compulsory part of the route.
Our coach transfer will depart from Dibba and return us to Dubai for the flight home.
BELIEVE >> ACHIEVE >> INSPIRE
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