Things to see and do Al-Wusta Region

Sculpted by wind and water over millions of years, this curious ensemble of limestone and sandstone rocks with astonishing shapes covers an area of about 3 km² and has been identified as one of the 25 most important sites in the Sultanate in terms of geology. A tourist development project is under way and a car park has been set up. It is a creative fantasy as only nature can produce with rocks in the shape of horses, mushrooms, etc. Don't make the trip on purpose, pass through if you are in the area.

Jiddat al Harasis is the ecosystem and section of the Sultanate that in 1962 was chosen to reintroduce the Arabian white oryx. Covering about 27,000 km², the equivalent of Brittany, it is a plateau 100 to 150 metres high, bounded to the east by an escarpment. The adjoining Huquf depression is separated from the sea coast by the 300-metre-high Janaba Hills. The soil is mainly karstic limestone. It is an important region in the context of Arabia, as it combines a coastal area with cold waters with - unusually - a desert landscape of acacia trees that cuts south into the dunes of the Central Arabian Sea of Sand. All this is in close proximity and functions as a diverse and productive ecosystem.

In 1962, the World Wildlife Fund, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and the Society for the Protection of Animals joined forces to prevent the extinction of the Arabian white oryx. An Indiana Jones Horn Mission was dispatched to Yemen to capture the last remaining free-ranging animals. Two females and a male are caught, soon joined by six other animals donated by the sheikhs of the Gulf, and entrusted to the good care of the veterinarians of the Phoenix Zoo in this Arizona with its adapted climate. In 1980, back on their feet and in a copulatory trance, the oryx were transported by the Omani air force to Jiddah Al Harasis, where the last of their free-ranging congeners had been hunted in 1972. The sultan sanctuaries the huge area, creates a wildlife control and management centre, has electronic collars placed on the oryx and is proud to see the site become a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994. This recognition does not last, however. In 2007, UNESCO, a rare event in its history, decided to remove the oryx sanctuary from its list. The reason was the drastic shrinking of the protected area, reduced by 90% for a hydrocarbon exploration project, and the poor overall maintenance of the reserve. Victims of poaching and habitat degradation, the oryx population has fallen from 450 individuals to 65, including only four breeding pairs.

At present, even though the Sultanian reserve occupies an extremely small territory compared to its initial size (2,824 km² of varied terrain - sandy plains, rocky slopes, dunes, etc.), its habitat is much less degraded than it was at one time. Its shrinking, wanted by the authorities and carried out without informing the UN authorities, has, beyond Unesco, triggered a rather lively polemic between friends of nature and the Omani State. No local publication will tell you more. Some visitors are still surprised, in the forums, to find no more details on the famous "Reserve protected by Unesco", to find even less information on how to access it. Many get lost along the way, in this immense desert, or miss the last bend to the right and end up falling on, yes! oil wells. The situation is changing since the State decided, in December 2017, as part of a planned and increased development of ecotourism, to open the site to the public. Long off the tourist routes, the reserve could therefore become, in the coming years, one of the major attractions in this part of the country where few vehicles still venture out. In addition, the sanctuary is not only home to oryx, but also, if one is lucky, to observe other native species such as the endangered Arabian gazelle, Rüppell's fox, Ethiopian hedgehog, gerbil, desert lizard, sand viper, as well as numerous birds - yellow-throated warbler, desert sirli, isabelle courting bird, white-fronted monk, etc. - which can be seen in the sanctuary.

Pending further development, the question is: do you have to travel 500 kilometres to see this? Until recently, access was only permitted to those holding a permit issued by the diwan's nature protection adviser. This paper was the signal to open the fenced gate, beyond which, after another ten kilometres or so, one reached a small control centre and prefabricated buildings manned by sworn personnel who spoke little English. There, a guard, usually a Harasis, would accompany you to the enclosures where the oryx walked. The sun was just overwhelming, the news minimal, the natural spectacle disturbed by the fences... At the last news, it seems that the access is easy and that some guides speak English... At the time of closing, however, we hadn't managed to get any phone number, let alone a website and no practical information worthy of the name. We know that the reserve can be visited in 4x4 under the strict supervision of the site guards, who are a priori omnipresent. No reason, therefore, if you decide to go there, that you can't enter. The simplest way is probably to go there with a local receptive, within the framework of an "à la carte" tour for example. Oryx have gone from about 10 to 750.

Khawr Ghawi is separated from the sea by a 6 km long sandbank that can be walked up to its end. At this point, the beach is not as attractive as the one in Dhiris, but the lagoon presents a wild landscape and allows to observe many birds (spoonbills, flamingos, ospreys, coconut sandpipers, etc.). In winter, these come by thousands to populate the sanctuary which then becomes very photogenic, especially as the palette of colours - ivory sand and turquoise lagoon against a hard blue sky - is very beautiful.

As you approach the village of Juwayrah (Al Jawarah), a sign indicates (if it is still there!) "Wadi Banaf"; at the height of it, you can see palm trees on the left, turn towards the sea and continue the track that leads to the lagoon. Going around the lagoon on the left, the track leads to the beach. This corner, often called the lagoon with three palm trees, is probably the most popular area for campers. The sand here is a little less fine and soft than elsewhere, but it stretches for miles. Presence of flamingos and other birds