Wadi Tiwi has been described as one in all Oman’s most difficult however beautiful canyons to discover. It’s widespread however you must go figuring out what to anticipate, particularly when you’re fascinated about visiting with kids. On this submit I’m sharing our expertise of reaching Wadi Tiwi’s turquoise swimming pools and waterfall with our two children, aged beneath 10, and our canine.
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Our go to to Wadi Tiwi in Oman
I’m going to begin by sharing an embarrassing confession about our go to to Wadi Tiwi.
We had determined to strive Tiwi’s swimming pools and waterfall somewhat than its extra well-known neighbour Wadi Shab as a result of we thought it may be a bit simpler. There’s a made up highway all the best way into the wadi, which made it sound straightforward to entry.
Had we carried out extra analysis we would have tried Wadi Shab, with its boat crossing and canyon trek, first.
Wadi Tiwi turned out to be fairly an journey. And we’d completely suggest it. It’s such a thrill to swim within the clear, crisp water within the shade of the canyon partitions. Even when there have been a number of bushy moments getting there.
We’ll check out Wadi Shab one other time so we will correctly assess which wadi is one of the best for households.
About Wadi Tiwi
Wadi Tiwi is a 36km canyon that stretches out to the Gulf of Oman. It’s peppered with inexperienced plantations that break up the rocky panorama and towering cliffs.
Dotted alongside the cement highway by the wadi are slender villages, both nestled beside the water or clinging to the cliff facet.
There are some extraordinarily picturesque spots all alongside the wadi and fairly a number of locations to tug over and admire the view. However the principle sights for guests – its swimming pools and waterfall – are accessible from Mabim Village.
Methods to get to Wadi Tiwi
Wadi Tiwi is effectively signposted off Oman’s Route 17, 180km/two hours south of Muscat and 54km/an hour north of Sur.
We drove from Muscat, travelling by the southern finish of the Al Hajar Mountains towards the ocean the place the highway joins the coast at Quriyat. Right here we took a detour off Route 17 to the seaside by Flamingo Lake for our packed breakfast.
We didn’t see as many flamingos as we’d hoped – there have been a number of – however there was a superb sized flock of herons and different wading birds.
Quriyat itself is an efficient place to refill on meals and drinks with loads of road-side outlets, a mall and souk.
Again on the highway to Tiwi the views of the ocean between the cliffs grew to become extra frequent. We handed the seashores at Dibab and the Bimmah Sinkhole – one other good place for a pit cease. There are many widespread seashores for wild tenting simply off Route 17 together with Fin Seashore and White Sand Seashore.
Simply earlier than you attain the flip off for Wadi Tiwi you’ll cross over the Wadi Shab viaduct.
The turning for Wadi Tiwi is simply after the following viaduct. The highway loops again down beneath this. The views of the seaside at Tiwi are lovely. We had been very tempted to cease and have promised our women we’ll return one other time.
Amenities at Wadi Tiwi
We’d suggest stopping on the automobile park beneath the viaduct earlier than you drive into the wadi itself.
That is the place you’ll discover the final public bathrooms, that are a useful place to vary into swim fits to put on beneath your mountaineering gear.
There’s squat and Western fashion bathrooms right here, and there have been face tissues by the sink (though I all the time convey a stash of my very own).
Right here’s the pink pin reveals the situation of the bathrooms on the entrance to the wadi:
The drive into Wadi Tiwi
From right here there may be one highway out and in of the wadi and that begins beneath the viaduct. It’s an extra 10km to the wadi parking place at Mabim Village.
The highway is cement and turns into single monitor the additional you go. There are passing locations however anticipate steep elements and sheer drops. Having a 4×4 helps for the later sections.
It took us about 20 minutes to drive each to and from Mabim Village. We didn’t cross many individuals on the highway. It might have taken longer if we had been going in opposition to the visitors due to the numerous single monitor sections. However that’s the good thing about arriving earlier within the day.
I’d not wish to strive navigating the later sections of this highway at evening! You might be in the midst of nowhere so there aren’t any avenue lights.
Parking for Wadi Tiwi
The Wadi Tiwi parking place at Mabim Village is effectively marked on Google maps and there’s a cell sign on the highway so you possibly can hold monitor of the place you’re.
The pink pin is what to purpose for:
There’s one other parking spot 7km from the viaduct. You may hike from right here to Mabim. This isn’t for the faint hearted because the route could be very uncovered.
We determined to not go for this as we had the youngsters and canine (all the time a superb excuse) and headed straight for Mabim Village 10km into the wadi.
Mabim Village and native guides
As soon as we had pushed into the village we had been quickly being waved at by a man insisting we go up a facet highway to park. Waze was telling us we had not but reached the parking space so we determined to proceed.
The parking place was just some extra meters across the nook. We took the final spot – in all probability why the man had been discouraging us from going additional. There are solely about 10 parking areas.
I had develop into a bit weary about arriving in Mabim as on the drive to Wadi Tiwi I’d come throughout a pair’s weblog submit a few potential rip-off right here – not nice studying after we had been already dedicated to our vacation spot.
You may learn the lengthy model right here. However in abstract…
The couple had arrived late within the day after a horrendous drive into the wadi in opposition to all of the departing guests.
After they reached Mabim – already flustered – a neighborhood information supplied to take them right down to the wadi swimming pools and waterfall by the plantation. Quickly after they began the descent with him they felt uneasy and suspected one thing unhealthy would possibly occur.
They determined to show again and later wrote about it on their weblog, giving a really detrimental impression of Wadi Tiwi. This didn’t replicate our expertise so I needed to share this.
What we skilled
After we parked we had been additionally approached by villagers who supplied to take us to the wadi swimming pools.
The route isn’t signal posted by the plantation.
There are many villagers on the parking place prepared to fulfill vacationers – and others who simply wish to have a superb take a look at you.
They do provide to carry your issues on the climb down – you want each palms free.
However I’m assured there isn’t a rip-off right here.
The villagers act as guides for vacationers to make some more money. Those we met had been pleasant and trustworthy, and their data of the terrain is superb.
How they navigate it in naked ft or flip flops I’ll by no means know! We additionally wouldn’t have had as full an expertise with out our guides.
Right here’s our expertise of visiting Wadi Tiwi from the parking space at Mabim with a number of non-sugar coated data for different households desirous about seeing this extraordinary place for themselves.
The climb right down to Wadi Tiwi swimming pools
We’d not have discovered or braved the path to the swimming pools under Mabim with out our guides, Ali and Alem.
They approached us after we arrived and requested if we needed to go right down to the wadi. We mentioned ‘sure’, clearly, and away we went.
Our mistake right here was that we didn’t ask how a lot they charged.
We’d not been in Oman lengthy and hadn’t but used a information we’d informally met at a vacation spot. In the event you discover yourselves in an identical scenario you would possibly wish to ask the value prematurely, simply so there’s no awkwardness whenever you half methods.
From the parking area we adopted them by what regarded like a backyard entrance beside a home after which down by irrigation channels the place they identified banana, lemon and mango timber.
After a couple of minutes the stroll grew to become a climb with chains hooked up to rock faces with uneven and slippy surfaces.
That is once I grew to become a bit apprehensive about whether or not we’d make it down with the youngsters and canine. It was a problem.
Had the youngsters not been capable of stroll on their very own we’d not have gone any additional.
We had been all relieved and elated after we lastly noticed the underside of the canyon rising from between the timber.
As we approached the water on the backside Tin Field Canine slipped off a rock and plunged a number of meters down into the wadi pool under. My coronary heart was in my mouth however I used to be attempting to not present the ladies I used to be panicking.
Canine was fantastic. Mr Tin Field shortly stripped off and scrambled right down to information her to some extent at which she may very well be hauled out of the water.
After we reached the underside by the correct route, which concerned one more chain alongside a sloping rock, we had been rewarded with views down the canyon and of the primary in a sequence of turquoise swimming pools resulting in the waterfall beneath Mabim village.
Our guides sat out of sight whereas the ladies and I modified – we actually ought to have carried out this again on the bathrooms beneath the viaduct. They then taken care of our ruck sack whereas we explored up stream.
We let Tin Field Canine off her lead however shortly needed to put her again on.
She’s by no means been a fan of being in water with us. She’s an excellent swimmer however I don’t suppose she believes people are. She both tries to rescue us or runs off, not capable of bear to observe us.
This time the latter occurred whereas we had been climbing as much as the second pool.
That is when Alem got here to the rescue, holding Canine’s lead and bringing her with us. He’d taken a little bit of a shine to our four-legged member of the family.
Whereas we waded clumsily by the wadi Alem appeared to drift alongside a tiny ledge beside us till it ran out.
That is the place he sat with Canine whereas Mr Tin Field and I took turns to swim to the opening of the third pool.
The second pool had grew to become very deep after about 10 meters. The women stopped right here as a result of we’d not purchased any floatation gadgets for them.
Our 10-year-old was a superb swimmer, however was nervous about what may be lurking under, and our seven-year-old was not but assured sufficient to make the swim to pool three.
It was a disgrace we couldn’t attain the waterfall by the wadi. We met different individuals coming again who had. If the ladies had been a bit older and we’d not had the canine with us we might have tried it.
Nonetheless, we nonetheless felt like we did the swimming pools justice. And there was one other solution to see the waterfall.
The Mabim waterfall
We climbed again out of the wadi the best way we got here; chains and all.
Earlier than the highest our guides took us left by the plantation and alongside extra irrigation channels till we reached a set of steps right down to the waterfall.
We may have paused on the waterfall for an additional swim as our guides had been pleased to attend for us once more. However we had been all fairly drained by this level, so we requested Ali to take a fast image after which began the climb all the best way again up the steps to the village.
In the event you come to Mabim Village and simply wish to see and swim on the waterfall you will get to it by strolling straight by the parking space.
Proceed strolling for 200m and take a left down the white steps. These are cement and pretty even, so it’s a neater route than the climb to the swimming pools. However there are many them!
It might even be attainable to do a round route from right here, climbing down the wadi and again out the best way we had are available. There have been a quantity official guided excursions kitted out with climbing helmets and buoyancy aids doing precisely that.
I wouldn’t try it with smaller kids until equally kitted out. This is the reason the village guides take you to the underside pool first – they don’t need you to get caught with out figuring out the best way out.
In complete we spent two hours with our guides and paid them 5 OMR (simply over £10). We don’t know what the going fee is however they didn’t look upset. On reflection Mr Tin Field thought he ought to have given them extra.
We had a tiring however unbelievable day and may extremely suggest visiting Wadi Tiwi. I hope this submit provides you an concept of what to anticipate so you possibly can tailor your journey to your group.
In the event you’d prefer to comply with our different adventures in Oman I’m sharing them in actual time on Instagram utilizing #TinBoxOman. You may as well comply with @tinboxtraveller to see all of our travels and ideas.
Ideas for visiting Wadi Tiwi and Mabim Village
Right here’s some extra remaining ideas that can assist you plan:
- Ensure you cease on the public bathrooms beneath the viaduct to vary into your swimming wear earlier than driving into the wadi.
- You might be visiting a extra rural a part of Oman so gown respectfully by masking shoulders and knees whereas within the village.
- Rash vests and shorts are a good suggestion for swimming in.
- Put on sturdy sandals that may get moist. You will want them within the water in addition to for the stroll/climb. Now we have KEEN sandals.
- The highway could be very steep and slender in locations so a 4×4 car is greatest for visiting Wadi Tiwi and plenty of different wadis.
- Except you’re a assured driver take into account reserving a guided tour with a driver. Mr Tin Field was loving it however some individuals would possibly discover the change backs, blind hill crests and steep drops disconcerting.
- We arrived at 11am on a Saturday and there was just one parking area left. To ensure yourselves a parking spot arrive early.
- In the event you don’t wish to pay a neighborhood information to see the wadi swimming pools merely politely decline and stroll out the opposite facet of the parking place. You’ll see the steps for the waterfall in your left after a few minutes strolling.
- As with a lot of Oman the situation is distant and troublesome to entry. It’s best to take into account airing on the facet of warning or mitigating danger with issues like buoyancy aids. Don’t simply press on as ‘others have made it’ and switch again in case you are not sure your group is succesful.
Issues to convey with you
Listed below are the important objects to take to Wadi Tiwi, together with some we want we’d packed:
- Loads of water – it was scorching work even in January. We bought very thirsty climbing the waterfall steps.
- A dry bag to your valuables and cellphone. One with a strap* is a good suggestion.
- A microfibre towel*.
- Water sneakers* to vary into when you put on mountaineering sneakers.
- Buoyancy aids for youths not assured in deep water. We’ve used a number of over there years for paddle boarding with our children.
- Lunch as we didn’t spot wherever to purchase meals.
- A primary help equipment.
Attempt to pack mild for the climb right down to the swimming pools as it’s onerous to do with heavy luggage (and canines).
Lodging close to Wadi Tiwi
Wadi Tiwi will not be a great place to strive wild tenting as there are many villages and you’re on a highway. Nonetheless, you possibly can wild camp on the seashores close by.
In the event you choose to not strive wild tenting in Oman, listed here are some lodging choices:
Extra studying about Oman
We moved to Oman in 2022 and are loving attending to know our new, residence. Right here’s some extra posts I’ve written about Oman and expat life:
Disclosure: this submit comprises affiliate hyperlinks marked with *. In the event you click on on one in all these and make a purchase order I could earn some fee. This doesn’t have an effect on the value you pay.
