Day 01
Taqah, Sumahuram, and Mirbat Heritage Tour
- Connect with your tour guide to start the program.
- Begin by visiting Taqah Castle, built in the 19th century and used as the office and residence of the Wali of Taqah until 1970. The castle's ground floor includes a prison, a reception hall, a guards' room, and several storage rooms. The upper floor has the watchtowers and the family quarters of the Wali. Taqah Castle is nice and compact and showcases many exhibits illustrating the old Omani way of life.
- Then, head to the Sumahuram Ruins. Sumharam is an old port city located on a small hill on the bank of the creek waters in the Khor Rori area. This creek lies on the eastern side of Salalah City, beyond Taqah village. The ruins date from the 4th century BC to the 4th century AD, making them one of the oldest settlements in Oman.
- Next, proceed to the Old City of Mirbat, about 74 kilometres from Salalah. It is one of the important historic cities in the Governorate of Dhofar, located on the plain of Jabal Samhan overlooking the Arabian Sea coast. It was famous in the ninth century AD for breeding horses and exporting them to many Arab and Islamic ports and cities, in addition to the trade of frankincense and various craft products.
- Explore Mirbat's natural tourist sites, historical monuments, and buildings of ancient architecture, most notably Mirbat Castle, one of the most important historical and archaeological sites in the wilayat. It overlooks the coast of the old port of Mirbat and dates back to the ninth century AD.
- Walk towards Bin Ali Tomb, which houses the remains of Mohammed Bin Ali, a descendant of the Prophet Muhammad. With its two distinctive onion domes, this tiny tomb marks the old entrance to town. The whitewashed building makes a striking contrast against the russet-coloured rock of the headland, making it impossible to miss when driving along the old road to Mirbat. A cemetery surrounds the site.
- Lastly, move to the Anti-Gravity Area, located on the route between Mirbat and Salalah. This desolate road appears to defy gravity, as a car put in neutral gear will start moving uphill at a speed of up to 35 km/hr. This bizarre experience has many scientific explanations, the most common being that it is an anti-gravity hill.
Tour ends.
