Wadi Bani Kharus is one of the best known Oman wadis.The wadi attracts visitors with its fabulous landscapes, fascinating flora and fauna, and gentle breeze.
Bearing witness to the ancient Omani history, the wadi is characterized by the cultivation of many fruit trees and many agricultural crops. It has lots of plants, flowers, medicinal herbs, along with wildlife.
The wadi has been a major agricultural spot in Oman for more than hundreds of years. High mountains on both sides consist of limestone formations, ranging from 90 million years old at the entrance of the Wadi to 600 million years in the distant parts of the Wadi.
Wadi Bani Kharus is located in Wilayat AlAwabi, Al Batinah South Governorate.
Wadi Bani Kharus is a long and winding waterway that snakes its way over 30km, all the way from Jebel Akhdar to the village of Al Awabi.
From Capital, Muscat, take Route 1, exiting left onto Route 13 when you get to Barka. Stay on this road all the way to Al Awabi. The wadi can be reached via a track behind the old fort.
The entrance of Wadi Bani Kharus is marked by a small, restored fort, named Al Awabi Castle, from where the road leads towards the village of Al Aliya, about 24 km into the heart of the mountains.
The wadi is surrounded by plenty of pretty mountain settlements such as Stal village with its terraced fields; Sana village with its market gardens, and Ain Karfas, that features an ancient aqueduct.
At Al Markh, there is also a pair of old houses that have towered over the plantations at the Markh. Being photographed much today, for visitors to see them, they have to park and walk down into the wadi bottom.