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Take a trip through Oman’s interior – so very different to other Middle Eastern countries – for a stay in the mountains and you’re guaranteed to experience breathtaking, ever-changing landscapes, historical treasures and lovely local customs.


With your base at Alila Jabal Akhdar, in the central section of the Al Hajar Mountains, surrounded by small hamlets, old, uninhabited villages, caves and canyons, you’d be hard-pushed to find yourself better placed for exploring one of the most fascinating regions in the world.

You’re basically at the gateway to the area’s incredible history, culture and nature, with stunning landscapes that include Jebel Shams, Oman’s highest mountain, and Jebel Akhdar, translated from Arabic as ‘The Green Mountain’ – the emerald jewel of the Al Hajar Mountain Range and known locally as the fruit bowl of Oman.


And it’s no wonder as Al Jebel Al Akhdar is famed for its orchards of pomegranate, peaches, apricot, fig, grapes, apple, pears, plums, almonds, walnuts, cardamom, saffron and dates – all typically laid-out terrace style along the slopes of mountains, which are endowed with natural springs and aflaj.

This area is particularly magical in the spring too, as the Damascus Roses grow in abundance on special terraces cut out of the mountain, their petals harvested daily in the local villages and made into fantastic rose water products – a must to buy and bring home.


It’s also a great location for mountain walks or hiking with a local guide – many of the remote villages are now uninhabited since the Sultan built much more accessible accommodation; so this makes for a really interesting experience where you can explore and see how traditional Omani families lived until very recently.

It’s also worth paying a visit to the many heritage sites in the cities of Nizwa, Bahla, Ebri and more. Nizwa, principal city of the interior is steeped in tradition and is home to the famous Round Tower Fort, built in the 17th century with hypnotically-dark tales of ‘murder holes’ involving hot date oil, scorpions and snakes!

Nizwa’s souk is fascinating too, renowned for its Friday cattle auction, intricately hand-curved "khanjars"(daggers) and ornamental silver jewellery. And if you have time, visit the Al Hoota Caves too for their intriguing stalactites, stalagmites and underground lake.


Images courtesy of Oman Ministry of Tourism



Alila Jabal Akhdar
Oman



Carved into the Jabal Akhdar’s rugged landscape in Oman and nicknamed the diamond in the rough, Alila’s first hotel in Arabia is a real mix of tradition, nature and contemporary design.


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