NIZWA TOURISM CARTS
This electric cart tour of Nizwa takes you around the city's main tourist attractions, comfortably seated in what looks like a long golf cart open on the sides but protected by a roof. Quiet and very elegant with their vintage look, the little vehicles thread their way everywhere, particularly through the narrow streets of the old town. Reservations are made via WhatsApp directly with the company, which picks up customers from all over the city. The 2 main departure points are at the large parking lot at the entrance to the souk and in front of the Al Bustan Inn guesthouse.
Two types of guided tour are generally on offer: the 30-40 minute "short tour" or "classic tour", confined to the old city walls, but already offering a good overview of Nizwa's history and the organization of life in the former capital of Oman; the 2-hour "long tour", which follows the same historical route and continues a little outside the city to a Halwa factory, then to a nearby farm where you can learn about traditional date-picking.
We learn that the ancient town was once surrounded by ramparts, and was entered through 4 main gates that are still visible today. The ramparts, currently being restored, consisted of walls 4 to 5 metres high and 1.5 metres thick. They stretched for 2 kilometers and had 17 watchtowers set up every 150 to 200 meters to keep an eye on the surrounding area and sound the alarm in case of danger. At the foot of the ramparts ran the famous aflaj, which can still be seen today. These irrigation canals enabled Nizwa's inhabitants to cook or wash, and often passed inside the houses themselves, where they also served as natural air-conditioners. The water came from three different sources: the nearby Hajar mountains, rain and groundwater. Another interesting feature revealed by the visit was the narrowness of the alleyways, which kept the houses cool by preventing the sun from penetrating them. A closer look at the old stone buildings reveals that no door was ever located at the same level as the window of the house opposite. This construction principle preserved the privacy of each individual. Each house was also built almost identically, and each had 2 storeys to ensure fairness for all residents. Another important "building" was the community shuwa oven, or tanoor in Arabic. 3 meters deep, it was used by the inhabitants to cook meat for ceremonies and important days. The meat was first marinated in spices, then wrapped in banana leaves and placed in cooking bags. Each family brought its own bag and let the meat cook for 2 full days before eating it.
Among the many explanatory stops, which the guide is happy to illustrate with photos from the period, one of the most memorable is the old mosque, the second to be built in the Sultanate over 1,000 years ago. Its Mihrab, built at a later date, is a true splendor and was entirely hand-crafted. The tour also takes in the various buildings of the souk, providing a mental geography of the old town.
