Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
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Despite some interesting old
architecture
, including a
fort
and
watchtowers
, this small town is
more commonly known as an important junction with Al-Ashkarah Rd and the Mus-
cat-Sur Hwy, punctuated by local-style
cafes
. It is something of a rarity in Oman,
however, for being one of the few towns in the country surrounded by trees. The low-ly-
ing
acacia and ghaf woodland
is a special feature of the area, much prized by the Bedouin who
use the wood for shade, shelter (as props for their tents) and firewood. Their camels nibble
the nutritious new shoots and livestock lick the moisture from the small leaves in the early
morning.
Al-Kamil, an important staging post between Muscat, Ibra and the Sharqiya Sands, and
Wadi Bani Khalid, Sur, Al-Ashkarah and Ras al-Jinz, is a good place to break a long jour-
ney. There are no hotels in the town of Al-Kamil but the
Oriental Nights Rest House
( 99
006215; info@onrh-oman.com; r from s/d OR20/25; )
, on the Muscat-Sur Hwy opposite the junc-
tion for Wadi Bani Khalid, offers very friendly, simple accommodation in clean rooms.
There are better grades of rooms at slightly higher costs. If you're looking for a sands ex-
perience but don't fancy the big desert camps, ask about the hotel's overnight camping
with the Bedu (OR55 per person); the price includes a barbecue, bedding and breakfast.
The hotel's dining room offers a choice of home-cooked Indian curries, dhal and spicy
soups.
There is a bus to Al-Kamil from Sur (OR1, 45 minutes) and Muscat (OR3.500, three
hours and 40 minutes), but note that there is no reliable public transport to Ras al-Jinz
from Al-Kamil, nor to Wadi Bani Khalid.
TOP OF CHAPTER
Wadi Bani
Khalid
Justly famed for its natural beauty, this wadi just north of the town of Al-Kamil makes a
rewarding diversion off the Muscat-Sur Hwy or as a destination in its own right. The ap-
proach road, which climbs high into the Eastern Hajar Mountains, zigzags through some
spectacularly colourful rock formations, green with copper oxide and rust-red with iron
ore, and passes by an
ayn
(natural spring), which is signposted by the side of the road.
Wadi Bani Khalid comprises a long series of plantations and villages that lie in or close
to the wadi floor. All year round, water flows from a natural spring in the upper reaches of
the wadi, supporting the abundant vegetation that makes it such a beautiful spot. Most
people visiting Wadi Bani Khalid head for the source of this water, which collects in a
