Driving through the mountains of Oman
BAHLA Fort
Bahla Fort is one of four historic fortresses situated at the foot of the Djebel Akhdar highlands in Oman and the country's only UNESCO-listed fort added in 1987. The fort underwent massive restoration efforts and reopened in 2012.
The fort is believed to have been built between the 12th and 15th century by the Banu Nebhan tribe who inhabited the area at the time and were known for controlling the trade of frankincense at the time.
There are three main parts inside the fort. The oldest part of the fort is Al-Qasabah. Bait al-Hadith, or new house, was built by the Ya’riba dynasty (1624-1743). Bait Al-Jabal was erected in the 18th century.
As the fort was built with bricks made of mud and straw, erosion damaged the structure until rehabilitation efforts were launched. There are a lot of legends surrounding the castle.
Beehive tombs at Al Ayn
The Archaeological Sites of Bat, Al-Khutm and Al-Ayn are a group of necropolises from the 3rd Millennium BC, located near a palm grove. They were declared World Heritage by UNESCO in 1988.
A beehive tomb (domed tomb), is a burial structure characterized by its false dome created by corbelling, the superposition of successively smaller rings of mudbricks or, more often, stones. The resulting structure resembles a beehive, hence the traditional English name.
Djebel Misht is in the background
Jebel Shams
Jebel Shams (mountain of sun) is a mountain located in northeastern Oman. It is the highest mountain of the country and part of Al Hajar Mountains range. It is a popular sightseeing area located 240 km (149 mi) from Muscat. In the summer, temperature is around 20 °C and in the winter it drops to less than 0 °C.
Into the Ash Sharqiyah desert
Sleepy village of Al Raka (at entrance of desert) being overun by sand dunes...
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