Tawi Atayr Sinkhole

Tawi Atayr, the well of birds, is a karst collapse in the limestone of the Dhofar hills, roughly 150 metres across and over 200 metres deep with a water body at the bottom, and it takes its name from the birds that nest on the walls and circle inside the shaft, whose calls echo off the rock. A viewing platform on the rim gives the view down; descending is a technical caving undertaking and not for visitors. The lake at the base holds an endemic fish. The surrounding hills are grazed by camels and cattle and turn green during the khareef, when the sinkhole often fills with mist. The road up from the coast is sealed.

What you actually see

• The shaft - the wide, deep karst collapse in the limestone.
• Circling birds - the species nesting on the walls of the sinkhole.
• The viewing platform - the built overlook on the rim.
• The Dhofar hills - the grazed uplands around the site.

When to go

October to April for clear conditions; during khareef from late June to September the hole is often filled with mist and invisible, though the surrounding hills are green. Mornings and evenings are best for bird activity.

Honest expectations

The rim beyond the platform is unfenced and dangerous. Descent is a technical caving route, not open to visitors. Mist frequently hides the shaft completely in the monsoon season. Litter thrown into the hole is a visible problem.

Nearby

Wadi Darbat lies west; Jebel Samhan is east.