The Grand Canyon of Arabia. Ah, Wilderness

JEBEL SHAMS IN OMAN OFFERS EYE-POPPING VIEWS OF A RARE GEOLOGICAL FORMATION STARK, BARREN, BARE AND BREATHTAKINGLY BEAUTIFUL DARK HILLS -

-  Vissa Venkata Sundar

WHAT IF YOU had an aweinspiring mountain range nearly entirely to yourself ? With some epic views thrown in and a few tender young bleating goats for a company. Not to mention, with no trace of milling tourist miles away and a landscape that changes colour in the day from chalky grey and greens to sandstone oranges and reds. A remote place that rewards you with abundant stargazing experience with stars that are unusually big and brighter than usual. You may even spot a clear sight of Milky Way if you are lucky. An enticing idea, isn’t it?

Welcome to the Grand Canyon of Arabia, located at Jebel Shams in Oman. It is one of the well-kept secrets, a premier attraction that offers eye-popping views of a rare geological formation that are stark, barren, bare and breathtakingly beautiful dark hills. Jebel shams "Mountain of the Sun" is 9872 ft high and extends hundreds of miles away in the Western Hajar Mountains. After driving 200km on impeccable roads from the capital city Muscat via Fanjah, Izki and Nizwa, our land cruiser driver takes a detour and enters the craggy and jagged mountains with inclining flat mud roads. Imposing landscapes in dark and grey hues start to unfold and dominate the views. In a rare display of defiance, I see a speck of green here and a shrub there growing on otherwise bone-dry rocky mountains.

Mostly thorny acacia is all that grows here. As we zig-zag the mud roads, I see slender native goats playfully gather to feast on these patches with great relish and fanfare and a few playfully chasing our vehicle with excitement till we sped and receded from the view.