Wadi Shab (Omán). Un oasis entre cañones (trekking and swim)

This is what I have always thought was an oasis 🌴 Easy route in itself, although I am going to put it as moderate. Keep reading and you will know why.

The route consists of three parts: boat, trekking and swimming.

1️⃣ Parking and boat 🅿️🚣🏽 The route begins under the highway 17 bridge. There is free parking, like almost all of them in Oman. Getting there is no problem, you can get there via the same highway.

There you must take a boat that will take you to the beginning of the route (there is no other way). You pay 1 rial (round trip) and in less than 2 minutes you will be on the other side of the shore. The boats operate from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Don't rush if you do it in the afternoon, or you may end up looking like Robinson Crusoe. 🧔🏽

2️⃣ Start the route on foot 🚶🏽🚶🏽. Simple route that follows the path of a spectacular canyon. It barely has any unevenness. There is a path that is well followed, even so you will find black arrows that will help you orient yourself. Halfway along the route you will begin to pass rocks and streams. ⚠️ Be careful here, the stone is very trodden and when passing through streams and the passage of people, the stone slips more than the floor of an oil change shop. I saw at least three people getting some nice piñatas as they passed by. I have marked a waypoint with the section that I consider the most slippery.

The walking route is very beautiful, with the canyon always present, the vegetation that makes its way, a waterfall, curious rocks...

3️⃣ Now the last part. We will arrive at some pools where we will no longer continue on foot, we will have to swim 🏊🏽🏊🏽 to a beautiful cave that contains an interior waterfall. In this part you have two options:
- Take a dip (mandatory 😜) and turn around. From here you can't get to the cave if you don't get into the water.
- Continue to the cave swimming little by little.

If you choose the latter option, you will have to leave your belongings somewhere on the shore (it is safe, there are rarely thefts in Oman) or take a dry bag (or aquatic bag) to take your things with you while you swim.

There are 4 pools. It will be an amphibious route 🐸 You swim a little, you pass some rocks on foot, you swim a little more... Like this until you reach the last pool where the entrance to the cave that I told you before is located.

The entrance to the cave is through a narrow cavity that looks bad, but is really not difficult 😄 It is easy to pass. You'll have to swim through it, but out of the water your head just comes in (but no problem). Unless your body mass is that of the Hulk you will enter without a problem.

Once inside the cave, enjoy the spectacle, the waterfall, the light that enters between the cracks and the turquoise color of the water.

This entire stretch of water, in many parts can be done by walking standing in the water and some parts (not long) can only be done by swimming. The final part to the cave will be the longest, approximately 80 meters (3 pool lengths) passing the 10 meter crack. If you know how to swim minimally and you don't get too overwhelmed by the closed space, there is no difficulty.

🔙Then it will be time to unswim what has been swam, retrace what has been done and catch the boat back.

✅ TIPS

- Take only the essentials and leave the rest in the car. The essential thing could be:
💧 Water
📞 Mobile phone + Water case if you want to put it in the water (if not, you must leave it at the beginning of part 3)
🎒 Water backpack (dry bag) if you want to take your things to the cave, if you don't leave it at the beginning of part 3)
👟 Water shoes will be a great idea, so you don't slip between pools.

- On the walking route, be careful with slipping, don't get overconfident.

- Avoid Friday-Saturday (Arab weekend): it will be crowded. It is a popular place for Omanis. If you can visit early in the morning, even better. Although I went at 12 on a Sunday ("Omani Monday") and there weren't too many people. I was alone in the cave.

- The route is not suitable for people with mobility problems.

It is a beautiful route. If you are in Oman you cannot miss it. 💚💚💚