Mountain hiking event in Wadi Bani Khalid concluddes

Muscat: A mountain hiking event, organised by the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism, concluded on Saturday in Wadi Bani Khalid, located in the North Al Sharqiyah Governorate of Oman.

Organised as part of the executive programme for Sur, the Arab Tourism Capital 2024, the two-day event drew over 150 hikers from various governorates and regions across the country.

The event focused on the most important aspects related to security and safety in mountain walking activities, introducing participants to the important aspects followed in mountain walking and camping activities, and informing them of this unique experience that the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism has given to introducing this type of activity.

The event started from the water ponds area near the village of "Maqal" in the Wilayat of Wadi Bani Khalid at an altitude of 640 metres. After that, the path continued gradually ascending until reaching the highest peak overlooking Wadi Bani Khalid for a distance of 4 to 5 kilometres, then continuing on to mountain paths with a moderate ascent until reaching the camping point in the village of Hloot after the participants covered a distance of 20 kilometres.

The height of the area is about 2050 metres above sea level.

The next day, the participants set off from the camping area in the village of Hloot until they reached the Niyabat of Tiwi in the Wilayat of Sur, covering a distance of 30 kilometres.

Organising this event comes within the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism’s interest in adventure activities and reviving the old mountain trails approved by the Ministry, ensuring the application of security and safety standards in adventure activities.

 Organising the mountain trail also contributes to enhancing the tourism experience, as the Sultanate of Oman is rich in diverse geographical nature, geological, cultural and heritage aspects, in addition to encouraging specialised tourism companies licensed by the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism to organise adventure trips for this type of mountain trails, as well as promoting adventure tourism in the Sultanate of Oman.