Majlis Al Jinn - Finns Beach - Tiwi Beach - Wadi Arbayeen - Wadi Shab ( 2 days )

World's 2nd largest cave - The Majlis Al Jinn

 What you need to et there:

A top-notch 4 WD with spare tyre. Filling station on Route 17 towards Sur must be your last full-tank stop. You need a skilled-driver who can manage steady climbs and descends with gears and not just breaks. The heating up of break pads is lethal in this route, for they may NOT work if badly heated. 

Supply of food and water and energy bars. Ropes, helmets and protective gear with strong trainers in case you are find of trekking in the wild karst areas. The demo video links are only for entertainment purposes and not a suggestion to venture without proper guidance and an official permission from the Ministry of Tourism.

Compass, GPS tracking device, Torches (mini, LED, Headlamps, Glow sticks, Lantern, rechargeable-torch lights)

DAY1:

Start from Muscat. 8am in the morning with camping gear and cool box with meals.

Route: Muscat - Al Amerat - Quriyat - Wadi Arbayeen (GPS co-ordinates: 23.029167,58.982166)

  

 

 

 

 

  Pit-stop: In Al Amerat, turn towards Quriyat route and have a picnic breakfast and next stop at the Oman Oil to fill the tank. (Toyota LandCruiser - 70 Lt + 50 Lt twin tanks)

After Daghmar - Right turn to Wadi Arbayeen (the right turn next to the turn which has a sigh-board for Wadi Arbayeen) - If you take the right route it loops under the highway fly-over bridge onto to off-road. Have a quick swim and lunch. Leave by 1.30pm

Pit-stop: Bimma Sink Hole (Turn at Hawiyat Najm Park ) for tea.

Turn right at Finns exit. Also has a board under the bridge pointing to Selmah / Salmah Plateau. Start driving off-road trail while spotting the upward track over the hills. 

Before you begin your ascend upward, stop at a small mosque on the valley and refill water cans. 

Steady climb for about 1.30hrs with scenic stops at lay-by. CAUTION at turns as the steep  track is quite challenging and often the rains. 

While trekking the only shade is from rocky ledges and the thorny SUMRA trees. 

 Pit-stop: Tea-time at the Air-Strip clearing marked with stone piles starting in an arrow. 

Drive past a mini-mosque building to view the ancient beehive burial chambers. 

CAMP1 - head towards the Qurran village route and stop at a high-point clearing nearing an electricity pole overlooking the hamlets, the majlis al jinn and the Air-strip plots. 

DAY 2

Breakfast at camp and backpack lunch. Drive toward the Majlis Al Jinn cave entrance and inspect all 3 entrances. If you carry lots of gear while trekking then u may engage a donkey from a local. 

Start driving towards Qurran village and you may have lunch in any scenic spot (lucky if u get a telephone tower for now you get signals to connect). 

Scenic spots all-along the ridge facing the Finns beach coastline. Spot a few eagles in flight and use your binoculars to admire them at rest and in flight. (We got lucky with a few Greater spotted eagles and the Imperial eagle) 

Reaching the base at the highway before 3pm is recommended. Turn right at the high-way and head to Tiwi beach, pick your pebbles. Drive back to Finns beach to pick your shells and watch the blow-holes. 

Drive to Wadi Shab for a meal and evening sunset at the beach with tea,

Drive back to Muscat takes 2 hours. So dinner can be en-route or at the beach if you chose to have an early-dinner. 

DAY 3 stay at the white-sand or pebble beach is recommended as you may take your 4WD all the way down and park so that you don't have to carry your gear over long distances. A sun-shade or tent is highly recommended. 

READ about Majlis Al Jinn (REF: 1)

Majlis al-Jinn was formed in limestone of the Dammam Formation, laid down in a warm shallow sea 40 to 50 million years ago, during the Middle Eocene geologic epoch. Many millions of years later, compressional forces associated with continental drift folded, faulted, fractured and gradually forced the bedrock above sea level, when the chamber started to form. 

Dimensions of Majlis al-Jinn are 340 meters (1115 feet) long and 228 meters (738 feet) wide, with a ceiling height of 120 meters (389 feet), and is roomy enough to hold more than a dozen new Boeing 747's, parked wingtip to wingtip.

Majlis al-Jinn has a floor area of 58,000 square meters (more than 14 acres) and a volume of more than four million cubic meters (5.2 million yards). 3 free-fall drops through the roof: First Drop of 118 meters (382 feet), The Asterisk drop of 140 meters (454 feet) and Cheryl's Drop of 158 meters (512 feet), the longest free-fall drop in Arabia.) 

 References

1. Saudi Aramco publishing Don and Cheryl's descent : http://www.saudiaramcoworld.com/issue/199005/meeting.place.of.the.spirits.htm

2. Oman Tripper's Record of the 7th Hole (Not Majlis Al Jinn) : http://www.omantripper.com/caving-trip-at-salma-http://outdooruae.com/simon-cahill-2/  

3. Birds of Oman - Wiki List http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_birds_of_Oman 

4. Karst formation and Limestone properties http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/limestone-country/page-2

5. Al Tahry Cave trek http://www.treks.org/oman02cave.htm 


6. Abseiling with simple ropes http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LBGOd8psA5I

7. Rappel -seat with ropes http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bb7ZSQBn_MU 

8. Setting up rappel anchors at 2 points http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jfduZ5_bbok

9. Rope Climbing Knots Demo http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEC56CB039ABC07AC