Standing on top of Jebel Shams (Oman's highest mountain) feels unreal. A massive canyon drops straight down into the Wadi Nakhr below, nicknamed the “Grand Canyon of Arabia.” The views are straight out of a dream. After camping up there at almost 2200 m for a night (and nearly getting blown away because it was so windy and definitely not warm either), we set off the next morning one level lower to hike the Balcony Walk. The trail runs for several kilometers along a steep cliff, with views hundreds of meters down into Wadi Nakhr. And then suddenly… there’s a car lying next to the hiking trail. How the hell do you manage to throw your car down here? Of course I googled it: The car actually fell down in 2023. Someone had parked it at a viewpoint above – apparently without properly setting the handbrake. Just imagine walking there peacefully… and suddenly a car falls down the canyon. At the end of the track there's a gigantic dry waterfall. Completely bone-dry but absolutely massive and one can imagine how impressive it must be with running water.

From Jebel Shams we rode through Wadi Ghul into Wadi Nakhr – an absolutely awesome offroad trail. Gravel, riverbeds, wet sections, small river crossings… always deeper into the valley. The cliffs rise up to 1,000 meters – simply breathtaking. In the end, we were rewarded for our efforts with an amazing pool, where everyone went for a swim. It was such an amazing day.

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Rainbow at Letchworth, "the grand canyon of the east"