Off-road: Wadi Madhah, Hajar Bani Hamid & Wadi Shis

Date: 17 Oct 2009

After visiting Wadi Sidr/Sana, Wadi Hayl & Wadi Tabiyyah
The next day we visited another wadi nearby again

Madhah, Oman
Date Palms, Madhah
The Oasis at Hajar Bani Hamid from far
Thinking of which way to go first
- right to Wadi Shis
- left to Wadi Madhah
- straight to the Oasis at Hajar Bani Hamid
Hut at Hajar Bani Hamid
Palms at Hajar Bani Hamid
Hajar Bani Hamid
Wadi Shis
A 3km drive that lead to the pool at the end of Wadi Shis
(Used to have abundant pools and a waterfall)
But according to the Off-road explorer book, due to a new
paved road cutting through the area it has now taken away
some of the charm and cut back the water flow. There are
still some smaller pools remaining, but not these are no
longer sizeable enough for swimming
stopping for some "kodak" moment
Watermelon
a small pool beside the road
Water tank truck pumping water from the pool
A modern-looking village perched on high
No entry to Wadi Shis pools due to the road work
Returning to Madhah

Wadi Madhah
A winding , enclosed wadi bed.
Old Omani Fort on top of the mountain
Out of Wadi after around 7km drive and over the
undulating, rocky plains to the top of a plateau
Peaceful & remote sites for camping
The top of a plateau
Hiking/mountain bike trail that connect
with the Masafi-Fujairah Road
Back to Madhah
And bought some plants on the way home

2D1N Off-road RAK: Stairway to Heaven

Part1:Jabel as Sayh(1)
Part2:Jabel as Sayh(2)
Part3:Acacia Forest
Part4:Khor A'Najd

Date: 23 May 2009

Back to Khasab town
we stopped at the beach again & took some photo

Fishermen and thier fish

Put the fish for drying under the hot sun
We proceed to the checkpoint,
winding down the last few miles of the coast road.

From the checkpoint we drove till we reached
the Ras Al Khaimah cement factory roundabout
Make a U-turn from the roundabout past
the RAK cement factory we turned right onto
the tarmac road, through Wadi Galilah
passed the dam and turned left
and drove for another 3 km
I think we reached the place where the hike and
the pain begins according to our explorer guide book
We didn't climb the mountain for this this was a very long
and extremely dangerous hike that you can imagine

We parked our car just before a couple of
inhabited houses and took some photos of the mountain
The real hike began at a two-storey house
Panoramic view (click to enlarge)

Wadi Bih (Part 2)

Part1: Wadi Wurrayah
Part2: Dibba Al Hisn
Part3: Wadi Bih (1)

Date: 16 May 2009

After the 'Kodak' moment,
we slowly drive on the zigzag pass that
will finally levels off on the summit ,
950m above sea level
Small settlements at the summit
Baby goat
Some green at the summit
After another 3km drive, we reach at the highest point.
We stop for 'Kodak' moment again
The road to the highest point
from where I am taking this photo
Breathtaking view of at over 1000m above sea level
"Majestic but forbidding Shihuh Mountains" with the
terrace villages and farmlands dotted on the mountainsides
Back to the road and crossed the highest points
of the route, the track starts a downhill descent
in a steep and windy section to Wadi Bih
View of Wadi Bih from far
Mountain wall
Old stone houses
Village on the mountain
Road to Wadi Bih
Almost reach Wadi Bih
Wadi Bih
Finally we reached Oman checkpoint, there is a barrier
across the road, J told the guard that we are going to
Ras Al Khaimah and the barrier lifted so that we could
turn left onto the road to RAK
At Wadi Bih
"A monk facing the stone"
Scenic impression 1
Scenic impression 2
The road to RAK from Wadi Bih has been closed
to everyone other than UAE & Oman nationals.
So we retraced our steps back to Dibbah
and from there we drove back home.

We started our journey about 9 in the morning
and returned about 8 in the evening, so we were quite
tired and the next day I felt my muscles...... haha