Country with beautiful mountains

You might think of Oman as just desert sands, but its northern terrain is dominated by the majestic Hajar mountain range, the largest of which is the famed Jebel Shams at little over 3,000 meters. With soaring birds of prey surfing on high-altitude thermals, acacias growing little, fragrant flowers in the stony hillside, and large, dramatic drops that will send your heart pounding, these mountains feature some of the Gulf's wildest environments.

Jebel Shams is around three to four hours' drive from Muscat, Oman's port capital and location to the Jumeirah Muscat Bay. The scenery is spectacular as the road winds over rocky mountain passes overlooking beautiful gorges and old hamlets. Visitors can either rush up for an immersed day excursion or, if feeling adventurous, pitch a tent and admire Oman's incredible starscapes from the cozy warmth of a burning campfire.

Have you ever imagined what Manhattan would have looked like in the early modern Middle East? Perhaps the partially-eroded, four-story mud and stone ruins of Al Hamra's high-rises would pique your interest. Al Hamra, located just south of Jebel Shams on the main road up the mountain, is a 400-year-old testament to the region's heritage that is well worth exploring. Despite being partially inhabited, many of its buildings are abandoned, lending an eerie if not fascinating atmosphere to the already surreal land of which it is a part.