Wadi Tiwi has been described as one in all Oman’s most difficult however beautiful canyons to discover. It’s common however it’s best to go realizing what to anticipate, particularly for those who’re enthusiastic 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 youngsters, aged beneath 10, and our canine.
*This submit accommodates affiliate hyperlinks*
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 attempt Tiwi’s swimming pools and waterfall relatively than its extra well-known neighbour Wadi Shab as a result of we thought it is perhaps a bit simpler. There’s a made up street all the way in which into the wadi, which made it sound simple to entry.
Had we accomplished extra analysis we’d 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 advocate 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 just a few bushy moments getting there.
We’ll check out Wadi Shab one other time so we will correctly assess which wadi is the most effective 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 street by the wadi are slender villages, both nestled beside the water or clinging to the cliff aspect.
There are some extraordinarily picturesque spots all alongside the wadi and fairly just a few locations to tug over and admire the view. However the primary points of interest for guests – its swimming pools and waterfall – are accessible from Mabim Village.
The right way to get to Wadi Tiwi
Wadi Tiwi is nicely 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 street joins the coast at Quriyat. Right here we took a detour off Route 17 to the seashore by Flamingo Lake for our packed breakfast.
We didn’t see as many flamingos as we’d hoped – there have been just a few – however there was an excellent sized flock of herons and different wading birds.
Quriyat itself is an effective place to fill up on meals and drinks with loads of road-side outlets, a mall and souk.
Again on the street 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 common seashores for wild tenting simply off Route 17 together with Fin Seaside and White Sand Seaside.
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 street loops again down beneath this. The views of the seashore at Tiwi are stunning. We have been very tempted to cease and have promised our ladies we’ll return one other time.
Amenities at Wadi Tiwi
We’d advocate 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 bogs, that are a useful place to alter into swim fits to put on beneath your climbing gear.
There’s squat and Western fashion bogs 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 purple pin reveals the situation of the bogs on the entrance to the wadi:
The drive into Wadi Tiwi
From right here there’s one street 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 street is cement and turns into single monitor the additional you go. There are passing locations however count on 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 move many individuals on the street. It might have taken longer if we had been going in opposition to the site visitors due to the numerous single monitor sections. However that’s the advantage of arriving earlier within the day.
I’d not need to attempt navigating the later sections of this street at night time! You might be in the course of nowhere so there aren’t any road lights.
Parking for Wadi Tiwi
The Wadi Tiwi parking place at Mabim Village is nicely marked on Google maps and there’s a cell sign on the street so you may hold monitor of the place you’re.
The purple pin is what to goal for:
There’s one other parking spot 7km from the viaduct. You’ll be able to 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 an excellent 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 have been quickly being waved at by a man insisting we go up a aspect street to park. Waze was telling us we had not but reached the parking space so we determined to proceed.
The parking place was only a few 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 change 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 couple of potential rip-off right here – not nice studying once we have been already dedicated to our vacation spot.
You’ll be able to 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.
Once they reached Mabim – already flustered – an area information provided 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 dangerous would possibly occur.
They determined to show again and later wrote about it on their weblog, giving a really destructive impression of Wadi Tiwi. This didn’t mirror our expertise so I wished to share this.
What we skilled
Once we parked we have been additionally approached by villagers who provided 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 need to have an excellent have a look at you.
They do provide to carry your issues on the climb down – you want each fingers 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 have been pleasant and sincere, and their information 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 info for different households thinking 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 beneath Mabim with out our guides, Ali and Alem.
They approached us once we arrived and requested if we wished to go right down to the wadi. We stated ‘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 case you discover yourselves in an analogous scenario you would possibly need to ask the worth prematurely, simply so there’s no awkwardness whenever you half methods.
From the parking area we adopted them by what appeared like a backyard entrance beside a home after which down by irrigation channels the place they identified banana, lemon and mango bushes.
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 after I grew to become somewhat frightened about whether or not we’d make it down with the youngsters and canine. It was a problem.
Had the youngsters not been in a position to stroll on their very own we’d not have gone any additional.
We have been all relieved and elated once we lastly noticed the underside of the canyon rising from between the bushes.
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 beneath. My coronary heart was in my mouth however I used to be making an attempt to not present the ladies I used to be panicking.
Canine was effective. Mr Tin Field rapidly stripped off and scrambled right down to information her to a degree at which she might be hauled out of the water.
Once we reached the underside by the correct route, which concerned one more chain alongside a sloping rock, we have 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 accomplished this again on the bogs 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 rapidly needed to put her again on.
She’s by no means been a fan of being in water with us. She’s an incredible swimmer however I don’t suppose she believes people are. She both tries to rescue us or runs off, not in a position to bear to look at us.
This time the latter occurred whereas we have 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 an excellent swimmer, however was nervous about what is perhaps lurking beneath, 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 folks 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.
Nevertheless, 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 way in which 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 might have paused on the waterfall for one more swim as our guides have been pleased to attend for us once more. However we have been all fairly drained by this level, so we requested Ali to take a fast image after which began the climb all the way in which again up the steps to the village.
In case you come to Mabim Village and simply need to see and swim on the waterfall you may 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 potential to do a round route from right here, climbing down the wadi and again out the way in which we had are available in. 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 except equally kitted out. For this reason the village guides take you to the underside pool first – they don’t need you to get caught with out realizing the way in which out.
In whole we spent two hours with our guides and paid them 5 OMR (simply over £10). We don’t know what the going charge is however they didn’t look disillusioned. On reflection Mr Tin Field thought he ought to have given them extra.
We had a tiring however unimaginable day and may extremely advocate visiting Wadi Tiwi. I hope this submit provides you an thought of what to anticipate so you may tailor your journey to your group.
In case you’d prefer to comply with our different adventures in Oman I’m sharing them in actual time on Instagram utilizing #TinBoxOman. You can even comply with @tinboxtraveller to see all of our travels and ideas.
Ideas for visiting Wadi Tiwi and Mabim Village
Right here’s some extra last ideas that will help you plan:
- Ensure you cease on the public bogs beneath the viaduct to alter 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 overlaying 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 street could be very steep and slender in locations so a 4×4 car is greatest for visiting Wadi Tiwi and plenty of different wadis.
- Until you’re a assured driver contemplate reserving a guided tour with a driver. Mr Tin Field was loving it however some folks 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 case you don’t need to pay an area information to see the wadi swimming pools merely politely decline and stroll out the opposite aspect 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 tough to entry. You must contemplate airing on the aspect of warning or mitigating threat 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 gadgets to take to Wadi Tiwi, together with some we want we’d packed:
- Loads of water – it was scorching work even in January. We acquired very thirsty climbing the waterfall steps.
- A dry bag to your valuables and telephone. One with a strap* is a good suggestion.
- A microfibre towel*.
- Water footwear* to alter into for those who put on climbing footwear.
- Buoyancy aids for youths not assured in deep water. We’ve used just a few over there years for paddle boarding with our children.
- Lunch as we didn’t spot wherever to purchase meals.
- A primary assist equipment.
Attempt to pack gentle for the climb right down to the swimming pools as it’s laborious to do with heavy baggage (and canine).
Lodging close to Wadi Tiwi
Wadi Tiwi isn’t a great spot to attempt wild tenting as there are many villages and you’re on a street. Nevertheless, you may wild camp on the seashores close by.
In case you want to not attempt 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, dwelling. Right here’s some extra posts I’ve written about Oman and expat life:
Disclosure: this submit accommodates affiliate hyperlinks marked with *. In case you click on on one in all these and make a purchase order I’ll earn some fee. This doesn’t have an effect on the worth you pay.