Wakan Village

Located 2,000 meters above sea level and in the Western Hajar Mountains is Wakan, a tiny mountain village with beautiful terraced gardens overlooking the surrounding mountains above and Wadi Mistal below. Wakan village is officially part of Wilayt Nakhal in the South Batinah Governorate, although its located right in the boarder with Al Dakhiliyah Governorate through Al Hajar mountain range.

Looking at Wadi Mistal from the Viewing Platform

A viewing platform is the first sight that greets you as soon as you enter the village. It offers spectacular views of Wadi Mistal and the surrounding mountains. There is also a visitors information center building which is still not opened. From there you can exploring this beautiful village by foot. There are a couple of hiking tracks that start at the village, and they are marked by the familiar yellow, green and red flag that mark most hiking tracks in Oman.

The track that goes through the village is the easiest and most accessible, compromising 700 steps across the terraced gardens and along a falaj stream ending at the watch tower at the top of the village. The walk takes less than 30 minutes in one direction with several observation points and rest stops. There is also a track that connects Wakan to Al Jabal Al Akhdar in Al Dakhiliyah Governorate that is a several hours hike in one direction, which we didn’t get the chance to try!

The inhabitants of Wakan rely on farming and agriculture for their livelihood and the first thing you will notice once you reach Wakan is the beautiful terraced gardens which are used to cultivate pomegranates, apricots, grapes and other produce. Depending on the season, you may have the experience of seeing beautiful apricot flowers in full bloom and the butterflies feeding on them. However, please should remember not to pick any fruits and vegetables as the villagers depend on them for their livelihood.

  

Please also note that you should stick with the designated path when exploring the village and its surroundings, as the tracks pass through villagers homes and their privacy should be respected.

Places To Stay

Only villagers live up in Wakan and we doubt there are any guesthouses/hostels in the tiny village! Best to go there on a day trip while also exploring Nakhal/Al Rustaq area!

How To Get There

Wakan is about 150 kms from Muscat, and can be reached from Nakhal by taking the turn to Wadi Mistal on the Nakhal-Awabi road. The paved road continues for a few kilometers before turning to graded road, although an extension of the paved road is almost complete and should be opened soon. The graded road leads up to Al Ghubrah Bowl, which also contains signs to the various villages in the area. From here Wakan village can be seen high up in the mountains. The path to Wakan is on a narrow and steep mountainous road and should only be attempted in a 4WD car.