Oman Photowalk Series is a new series of posts I am start at OmanTripper in order to share some of the many many photos I take during my trips around Oman, and which I never get a chance to post. It will also give me a chance to provide some basic information on the places I post on my social media channels instead of having the draft posts languishing on my ‘to do list’ for ages.. today’s post is on Wadi Al Mayh (وادي الميح) – a wadi with some amazing geological features found just a stone-throw’s away from Muscat’s heart!
Wadi Al Mayh (وادي الميح) is a wadi in Wilayat Al Amerat of Muscat. Al Amerat is one of the suburbs of Muscat, and the turn to Wadi Al Mayh is not far away from Al Amerat that I was really surprised at how amazing the drive, landscape and the mountain at such close proximity to Muscat. The drive through Wadi Al Mayh is just over 20 kms, and you pass some pretty stunning landscapes and rocks – and some really unique geological features that may be easy to drive through unless you play close attention.
I somehow missed the first two formations (read on to understand how I knew I missed exactly two!), but was lucky to spot a sign-board for the third: the Schist Bedding (صخور الشيست), a 300 million year old limestone that have been folded up into layers due to the intense pressure and heat exerted on them. The second sign-board on the drive through Wadi Al Mayh was for the Eye Fold, which is this amazing 250 million year old limestone rock that has been deformed and folded into a concentric shape resembling an eye – right within the mountain overlooking one of the villages in the Wadi. Immediately after the Eye Fold is the Mega Fold, an even more impressive series of folds on an adjacent mountain!
Do you like Oman’s Geology?
I am no geologist I am afraid (unfortunately), so you might be wondering where I got this information or how I know that I missed the two earlier geological features in the start of my drive through Wadi Al Mayh (The ‘Mega Syncline’ and the ‘Concentric Fold’), well this is because there is an app that provides not only provides information on some 30 of Muscat’s geological wonders, but also provides their exact GPS location! This app is the ‘Oman Geoheritage Guide‘, which is fantastic and available on both Apple Store and Google Playstore. I have no affiliation whatsoever with the app, nor am I gaining anything by mentioning them – but I think it is a really useful tool if you have an interest in Oman’s geology and want to find out more – I certainly will be using it before going again to do the Muttrah GeoTrek or visiting Bandar Khayran, as both are covered in the app too! I can also recommend the book ‘Oman’s Geological Heritage’ by M.H.Clarke and commissioning by Petroleum Development Oman (PDO) which has lots of details and stunning photos of some of the many amazing geological wonders of Oman (including an amazing aerial photo of Bimmah Sinkhole before there was anything else around it!).
Wadi Al Mayh Gallery:
How to Reach Wadi Al Mayh:
Wadi Al Mayh is in Al Amerat, and can be easily reached either by taking the exit to Al Hajar (الحاجر) on the Al Amerat-Qurayat highway, or just off the road leading to Yiti and then Sifah (a relatively close distance to Shangri-la Barr Al Jissah Resorts) – check the google maps below for details:
2 replies on “Muscat’s Geological Wonders: Wadi Al Mayh”
Ali, you have taken amazing photos of Oman at its best. I do much enjoyed browsing that I decided to follow you on Instagram.
Some of the photos brought so many memories when we lived in Oman for 5 years from 1979 till 1985. Those days we travelled to interior but had no maps or proper roads but that’s what made it adventurous and fun.
Bandar Khayran, you could only get there by boat.
Tiwi, we would sit on a tyre and a person would pull you with a rope to get on on the other side.
Ras Al Hadd, one would drive from Muscat until you came to a rock that had hole in the middle and then turn right. and suddenly you had turtles in front of you. And many more but I don’t want to bore you.
Keep up the good work… absolutely enjoyed.
Thanks Mahbuba for the kind words! You must have explored some amazing places, I suspect that rock in Ras Al Hadd is the famous rocks we now see often in photos from there (I haven’t been there yet myself!). I hope you manage to visit Oman again soon, and relive some of those wonderful memories.