Surveying the surrounding mountains and ravines from Jebel Akhdar’s Saiq Plateau is a must-do for Oman visitors. You can gaze over jagged peaks ascending 9,840 feet (3,000 meters), peer into the Wadi Al Ayn canyon, spot hill villages, and see the rose, fruit, and nut plantations that thrive in the region’s cooler altitudes and give it its “Green” name.
Jebel Akhdar is frequently visited on private day trips from Muscat, with 4WDs sweeping travelers up the serpentine road to the Saiq Plateau, where stellar views, footpaths, villages, and terraced plantations await. Most tours include stops at nearby attractions like Oman’s former capital, Nizwa, and other mountain settlements. Jebel Akhdar also appears on most multi-day Oman tours, lining up with sights like its pool-filled wadis to provide a seamless overview of the country.
Jebel Akhdar is a 2-hour drive from Muscat, with a last stage involving a steep tarmac road accessible only to 4WDs (a checkpoint turns back other vehicles). It’s possible to visit independently by self-drive 4WD, but signposting and car parks are limited, so it’s easier to book a private 4WD tour with a driver-guide to navigate and ensure you don’t miss any highlights.
If you’re visiting other sights together with Jebel Akhdar, arrive after midday to take advantage of its lower temperatures—it’s cooler here in the afternoon than on the plains. March and April are ideal for forays to the Saiq Plateau: the early-spring temperatures are comfortable and the air is filled with the fragrance of the damask roses grown here.
Be sure to visit the Saiq Plateau’s southern rim: its views over the vertiginous Wadi Al Ayn make you feel like you’re on the roof of the world. Other must-dos include following trails to abandoned villages, roaming the plateau’s rose, pomegranate, and walnut plantations; and viewing the mud-built water channels (falaj) that have irrigated the orchards for centuries.
