The Hajar Mountains run several hundred miles from north to south along the eastern half of Oman. Over hundreds of thousands or even millions of years, dozens of streams and rivers have cut canyons into the mountains. These rivers have carried gravel and sand from the mountains and to the coast, creating the coastal plain on which many of the villages and cities of Oman are now situated. Due to the desert climate, the water flow in most of these streams and rivers is intermittent and only occurs when there is heavy rainfall. As a result, the stream and river channels are mostly dry. The Arabic word for a dry river valley is "wadi."
A popular activity in this region is to drive into a wadi on the poorly sorted rocks and sands of its dry river bed. Locally, this is known as "wadi-bashing." In most wadis, this is only possible with a 4-wheel drive vehicle. Recently, we had our first wadi-bashing experience in Wadi Abayad, which is about an hour and a half from Muscat. Our Jeep did well and we made it pretty far into the valley. It was especially exciting because the river bed wasn't dry. For the most of the ride we could skirt around the river, but at one point we did make a splash. The following video and pictures show us enjoying a picnic and "bashing" the wadi.
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| These guys got stuck in the river. Another vehicle came and pulled them out by cable. |
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| In many wadis there are villages situated on higher ground. The inhabitants take advantage of the water flow to grow food. |
