Wadi Ghul Viewpoint

Top choice in Jebel Shams

The term 'Grand Canyon of Arabia' is wholly deserved for this quintessential feature of Oman's spectacular mountain scenery. A short path leads to the edge of the limestone cliffs with a vertiginous 1000m drop into Wadi Ghul below. There are no safety barriers, but the cliff edge is stepped at the top allowing visitors to sit in safety while contemplating the view. There are other viewpoints along the Jebel Shams road, but this is the most expansive.

There's a colourful carpet stall opposite selling key fobs and small rugs.

Suggest an edit to this attraction

Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Jabreen Castle
20.73 MILES
Rising without competition from the surrounding plain, Jabreen Castle is an impressive sight. Even if you have had a surfeit of fortifications, it's worth…
Rustaq Fort
18.71 MILES
Two cannons mark the interior courtyard of this enormous fort – the entrance alone signals its former importance. Built on top of pre-Islamic foundations,…
Al Hoota Cave
13.03 MILES
Embellished with stalactites and stalagmites, this is the only cave in Oman developed for tourism and it's something of a gem. Sensitively lit, this…
Bahla Fort
18.2 MILES
After many years of restoration, Bahla Fort, one of the largest in Oman, makes a grand sight looming over the sprawling modern settlement of Bahla. Built…
Bait Al Safah
8.07 MILES
This quirky museum is more open house than historical display. Three ladies accompany guests around their traditional house in the aged and crumbling…
Qasra Museum
19.07 MILES
Tucked into the unlit and crumbling old quarter of Rustaq, behind the fort, this unique museum is the personal project of the owner, Zakia Al Lamki. Left…
Nizwa Fort
28.34 MILES
Built over 12 years in the 17th century by Sultan Bin Saif Al Yaruba, the first imam of the Yaruba dynasty, Nizwa Fort is famed for its distinctive 40m…
Nizwa Souq
28.48 MILES
The site of one of the oldest souqs in the country, this extensive marketplace is dedicated mostly to fruit and vegetables, meat and fish, all of which…

View more attractions

Nearby Jebel Shams attractions

1. Ghul Village

4.39 MILES

Affording one of the most lovely vistas in the Hajar Mountains, the abandoned village of Ghul dusts the shoulder of a cliff at the foot of Wadi Ghul, the…

2. Bait Al Safah

8.07 MILES

This quirky museum is more open house than historical display. Three ladies accompany guests around their traditional house in the aged and crumbling…

3. Al Hamra Viewpoint

8.1 MILES

Bathed by the golden light of sunset, with the limestone 'dip slope' of Jebel Shams as backdrop and a thick plantation of date palms in the foreground,…

4. Wadi Damm

8.41 MILES

This steep-sided wadi channels the water that runs off Jebel Kawr and Jebel Shams and makes a pretty place for an easy stroll or a picnic. The walls at…

5. Misfat Viewpoint

8.64 MILES

For the best view of Misfat, turn right by the campground before entering the village. The ancient stone buildings, half buried in a thick date plantation…

6. Jebel Al Kawr

9.2 MILES

Just east of Al Ayn, there's a small roundabout (beyond which lies Wadi Damm); a right turn here leads up a winding paved road to a broad fertile plateau…

7. Wadi Sahten

10.19 MILES

The exciting route through Wadi Sahten begins near Rustaq and winds through a narrow corridor that is often flowing with water. A paved road opens out…

8. Snake Gorge

11.64 MILES

Slithering through the heart of the Hajar Mountains, this narrow slot canyon doesn't give up its secrets easily: in fact, it is hard to get a sense of its…

View more attractions