Jebel Shams W4 Summit - Al Ahyl / Oman
Trail photos
Author
Trail stats
- Distance
- 14.7 mi
- Elevation gain
- 5,883 ft
- Technical difficulty
- Moderate
- Elevation loss
- 5,883 ft
- Max elevation
- 9,595 ft
- TrailRank
-
66
5
- Min elevation
- 6,148 ft
- Trail type
- Loop
- Moving time
- 7 hours 5 minutes
- Time
- 9 hours 42 minutes
- Coordinates
- 4007
- Uploaded
- March 2, 2023
- Recorded
- March 2023
near Al Ahyl, Muscat (Sultanate of Oman)
Viewed 560 times, downloaded 33 times
Trail photos
Itinerary description
Sometimes gps was blocked that's why real distance is 25 K according to my Garmin Fenix 3HR
Weather: 18- 28 centigrade degree, 40% cloudy and 60% sunny,
Terrain: nearly all rocky, no comfortable path,
Shoes: Salomon Hypulse ultra trail shoes, I don't recommend heavy boots,
Backpack: 8 kg.
Consumed food: 4 little banana, 2 orange, 2 cucumber, 1 tomato, 2 eggs, 4 piedina, 2 little piece of cake, 2.5 lt water
Breaks: 9th km 10 min, 12th km 20min, 19th km 10min, 22nd km 10 min.
Hiker: 66 years old, marathon runner in 4hrs 15min. Lonely Planet "Oman's highest mountain, Jebel Shams (Mountain of the Sun; 3009m), is best known not for its peak but for the view into the spectacularly deep Wadi Ghul lying alongside it."
Weather: 18- 28 centigrade degree, 40% cloudy and 60% sunny,
Terrain: nearly all rocky, no comfortable path,
Shoes: Salomon Hypulse ultra trail shoes, I don't recommend heavy boots,
Backpack: 8 kg.
Consumed food: 4 little banana, 2 orange, 2 cucumber, 1 tomato, 2 eggs, 4 piedina, 2 little piece of cake, 2.5 lt water
Breaks: 9th km 10 min, 12th km 20min, 19th km 10min, 22nd km 10 min.
Hiker: 66 years old, marathon runner in 4hrs 15min. Lonely Planet "Oman's highest mountain, Jebel Shams (Mountain of the Sun; 3009m), is best known not for its peak but for the view into the spectacularly deep Wadi Ghul lying alongside it."
Waypoints
Panorama
6,325 ft
Mountain pass
Fauna
Waypoint
Flora
Summit
Cave
Information point
Comments (45)
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Hi Faik. I would like to ask you some questions about the trail.
1st: Do you need a guide to hike here or wikiloc will be enough to use to navigate the trail?
2nd: Where do you suggest to stay for the night if planning to do this hike?
Cheers!
Hi Ann! Let me reply your questions:
1st: DEFINITELY you DON'T NEED a guide to hike this route. First of all the flags/signs (yellow - white - red) are more than enough. Exaggerated! Pollution! Destroyed the nature! Sometimes in one picture you can see 5-6 signs. I mean to be lost or go out of the way is impossible! You must be blind. Naturally Wikiloc gonna be helpful. But on my rout at the end last 2 km turn back to start point on the same way!
2nd. I slept in my tent at start point and got excellent buffet dinner nearby hotel!
Cheers and good luck! As you have an excellent shape it's an easy hike for you 😋
Thanks a lot Faik. Your reply definitely helps me lot. I’ll let you know how it goes. 😀
You're welcome Ann! Let me know if my info was helpful and get pictures. I'll follow you. 😜😀
I’ll be the one following you here 😂
😋😀👌
How many L of water you suggest ? I’m thinking of 4~5
Planning on doing this hike on Monday
Hi, bassamoreo. I did not bring water more than 2 lt and half. It was enough for me. I don't recommend you more than 3 lt and half. Check the forecast! It depends on the temperature.
Bassamoreo, Maximum 4 lt. water gonna be sufficient! If you start early - I mean with sunrise- will be much better for consuming water!
Thanks Faik - looks like Monday going to be mostly cloudy, however, chances of rain on Sunday noon - the day I’m driving up the mountain - so I’m not sure if I should go or postpone it
Hi, Bassamoreo, good luck! If it's rainy I do not recommend you to hike. First terrain could be slippery because route is all rocky. Second, nothing to stay
...any place like cave or tree...
Thank you Faik 😊
I’m most likely postponing
I’ll let you know what happens
You're welcome bassamoreo. Let me know when you hike. I'll follow you. 🙏👌😊
Starting the trail now :)
Good morning, bassamoreo, have a safe hike! 🧿 Returning to the start point I walked last 2 km different way! Pay attention: there is no path or flags. Go on the same route to return following the flags. Good luck!
Made it to the summit - it’s 12:42PM
The hike is brutal 🤣😂
Taking a rest before heading back
Well done @Bassamoreo 👏 at what time you started? Unfortunately mine has to cancel 😪 my friend canceled his plan to hike with me and I can’t hike alone 😢
Bassamoreo, you're great! You did not hike. Did you do it running? 😀 You are on excellent time! Congratulations! 👏👌👍🏆🏅
Hi Ann, I'm so sorry that you can not hike it! 🙁😕But I think however you can do it also alone...
Faik - I’m dead 🤣😂 the hike is brutal - call me Ann - checkout the weather forecast - it rained for me last 2 hours which slowed us down a lot -
It’s a nice in a lifetime hike - totally recommend it but not for the novice hiker - needs endurance and good knees 😊
I was attempting to do the hike solo. However, a couple camped next to me last night and we tagged along, i think it was a really good decision.
@call me Ann we started at 6:20am
Make sure your gear is ready the night before so you don’t scramble for it when it’s dark in the morning -
Took us 12 hours exactly - with breaks and all
@faik I will be coming from Dubai and I don’t think it will be wise for me to hike alone. Considering the distance knowing it will be a long hike. Better be safe 😬 but thank you for your encouragement just not brave enough 🫣
@bassamoreo you’ve done a great job! 👏
Thank you Ann 😄
Recovering in my car at the moment. I will camp for the 2nd night since I am not fit to drive 😅
I drove from Abu Dhabi.
I’m in oman for couple more
Days - and might checkout more if faiks’s trails 😄
I wish i come earlier might have the chance to hike with you 😪 but I’ll be coming only on 25th-28th. I think I’ll end up doing wadis only 😂. Anyway enjoy hiking Bassamoreo
Bassamoreo well done! 🏆 Once again congratulations! 🎉🎊👏👏👏It was an excellent time to start early morning with sunrise! So you arrived to summit around at noon! Yes, you're right, who wanna hike this route must be fit and has a little experience!
Bassamoreo, waoooowww you arrived from Abu Dhabi by car to hike this route! 👏👏👏 I'm happy that you're crazy like me 😜🤪😋 Tonight's gonna be most comfortable forever after this brutal route! 😀😅 Have a nice sleep!
Hi Ann, yes you're right! You should feel safe when you hike! 👌Because it's a fun! If you have some anxiety you'll not enjoy it! As bassamoreo recommended it's very important to check the forecast! This route could be very dangerous if it's rainy! First the trail will be extremely slippery! Second as there are very few trees lightening could be a high risk!
Ann, I think W6 and W6a also two very beautiful routes. I didn't hike them but you can enjoy one of those. Good night and enjoy all the hikes that you can! 🌹🙏
Hi, thanks for the detailed instructions. I'm planning hike for this weekend. Thanks once again. Any suggestion would be great. Thanks.
Hi Mokha, thank you for your comment. You do not need havy hiking boots. Do not follow my last 2 km returning to the end, it's off route. You do not need a lot of food but 1,5 lt water yes! Enjoy the summit! Excellent view!
Thank you so much for your help. Truly appreciate it.
Hi Faik. Do we need a 4x4 to reach the starting point?
Hi Davide, definetly you do not need 4X4 to reach the start point. I arrived with a sedan rent a car and dropped it Jabel Shams Height Resort. Enjoy the hike!
Davide, I arrived there from Nizwa.
Thanks so much. We will be in Oman two weeks on Christmas
Excellent! Enjoy also other trails like Wadi Ash Shab, Wadi Tiwi...
Hi. Is it OK for people who is scared of heights? Do you walk close to drop offs cliff?
Also, the elevation shown is correct? It says you start at 1800 and finish 2900 so the difference of 1700 seems a lot
Hi, it's ok also for hikers have vertigo! Because if they do not want to close to the edge of the canyon there is no problem. I've done it to get excellent pictures. I walked close to drop but there is safe path far from the cliff and ravine.
Elevation gain is 1.793 m. It's definetly correct because I checked it with my Garmin Fenix 3hr. Distance is 25 K. It's a lot but incline is soft enough! For me it was not difficult because probably I'm very trained. I finished it in 9hrs 42min.
👏👏👏👏👏