Jebel Shams

Jebel Shams reaches 3,009 metres, the highest point in Oman, though the summit itself is a military area and closed; what visitors come for is the rim of Wadi Ghul below it, where the plateau breaks away in a wall dropping more than a kilometre to the wadi floor. The Balcony Walk, route W6, follows a ledge cut along that wall for about two hours each way to As Sab, an abandoned village of stone houses and terraces on a shelf in the cliff with a water source and a small fall. Camps and a hotel sit near the rim, and it is markedly cooler up here, with frost in winter. Goat-hair rugs are woven and sold along the road.

What you actually see

• The Wadi Ghul rim - the kilometre drop from the plateau edge.
• The Balcony Walk - the ledge path along the cliff to As Sab.
• As Sab village - the abandoned terraces and houses on the cliff shelf.
• Rim camps - the accommodation along the plateau edge.

When to go

October to April; nights near the rim are cold and frost is common in winter, while the valleys below are hot. The Balcony Walk should be started early. Weekends fill the camps.

Honest expectations

The Balcony Walk runs along an unfenced ledge with a lethal drop and is not suitable for anyone uneasy with exposure or for young children. The summit is closed. The road up is steep and needs four-wheel drive for the last section. Camps are basic for the price.

Nearby

Al Hamra and Misfat lie below; Nizwa is east.