Muscat – Jabal Al-Akhdar – Muscat

Length:	165 km / 103 miles
Blacktop only:	Yes – but plenty of optional, light off-road choices once at the top.
Offroad:	Easy off-road in many locations at the top with “the Sand Bowl” being the main one. Spectacular views from above 2000 meters above the sea level.
Open Map:	https://goo.gl/maps/vDwvQA2cMKdCHezMA

Description: This is one of my favourites routes, especially in the summer as the temperature gets 10-15C less than in Muscat – a perfect place to escape from the 40C heat in town. The first part to get to the mountain can be a little boring and can be exhausting especially in the summer when the temperature gets above 34-35C – this is tricky and important threshold – if the outside temperature is above your body temperature you are being heated as you go by the hotter than your body air and when it below you get cooling. It is important to watch this the forecasts – does it say 33 or 35 – it can be make or break I’ve found.

Beware that there is a police checkpoint just before you start the ascent – they don’t allow saloon cars and motorbikes with less than 800cc are forbidden. The cars are being checked by the “gate” no need to come out of your car just lowering your window. For bikers however you have to park on a side and then visit a little police booth where they take all the details from your bike and driving licenses.

Once you pass the checkpoint there is about 25 km steep incline to get you from about 300 to 2000 meters above the sea level. Nothing more to add just enjoy.

Once at the top there are countless options with plenty of views and access to hiking tracks and old small villages.

This time I went to all the possible roads there had one night sleep in one of the hotels and returned back to Muscat first thing in the morning.

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