QURAYAT: The village of Omq Al Rabakh located in the Wilayat of Qurayat in the Governorate of Muscat, is known for its varied terrain with mountains, seas, plateaus and valleys that make it a destination for tourists, both from inside and outside the Sultanate.
A mountainous village, Omq Al Rabakh is located about 66 kms away from Qurayat.
It is located on the western side of Sea of Oman, in the eastern Al Hajar Mountain range.
With a difficult terrain surrounded by mountains at high altitudes, the village is bordered on the west by villages of Wassal and Souka, to the east by the Jinn Cave, which can be reached by foot through a mountain trail or by vehicles.
Omq Al Rabakh village is so called because of its depth and Al Rabakh is a name of a tribe that lives in the village.
Omq Al Rabakh village is a beautiful coastal village that attracts lovers of mountain nature. It is one of the most important villages with a tourist attraction in the wilayat because it possesses natural beauty surrounded by mountains from all sides, and abound by big rocks, in addition to neighbourhoods, including Masjoola, Mazra, Al Burj, Al Dar, Khub and Araf.
The villagers usually work in date palm fronds industry, raising cattle, date-palm growing, locally known as Al Barni, Al Naghal, Al Khenaizi, Al Khasab, and depend heavily on the Aflaj resources ‘ancient irrigation system or water channels’.
The villagers also grow various trees like mangoes, lemons and bananas and also number of wild trees like Sidr, Acacia. The village is famous for mountain honey, which is considered one of the best natural honey.
Omq Al Rabakh village is rich in tourist attractions, such as caves, ancient mosques and used as a tourist passageway to the Jinn Cave through a mountain trail used by visitors to reach the cave.
The village has Al Ais Cave that was used by the villagers as a refuge for them when it rains or in rough winds and climatic conditions.
The village has many migratory birds, and there are resident birds that reflect the beauty of the mountainous sites and green spaces, such as Sand Partridge and few other types of falcons, as well as pigeons and various sparrows. The village is a haven for many rare animals, for its closeness to Ras Al Shajar Reserve that contributes to the presence and reproduction of these animals.
Shaikh Khamis bin Mohammed al Rabakhi, Shaikh of the village, says: “The village of Omq Al Rabakh is a populated village, one of the mountain villages located in the eastern mountain range, and administratively is affiliated to Wilayat of Qurayat.
“The area of the village rises above the sea level by more than 5 metres. The villagers preserve authentic Omani customs and traditions related to costumes, housing, lifestyle, hospitality and the practise of folklore arts, such as ‘Al Razha’ and ‘Al A’zi’.
He added, “The village is one of the tourist attractions in the wilayat because it is located in the heart of a number of tourist sites.
‘It is famous for an archaeological site, which includes a collection of pottery containing pre-Islamic inscriptions and ancient tombs supervised by the Ministry of Heritage and Culture.
The village has mountains suitable for adventure sports, climbing and paragliding.
There are a number of springs, like the continuous-flowing Wadi Hawan Spring. — ONA
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