Tourists make beeline to Izki’s mud houses, tombs

MUSCAT, Jan 6 - Harat Nazar, an old village about 5 km from the Wilayat of Izki, is on the travel itinerary of many tourists from all over the world. The top attraction here: a row of old, weather-beaten and crumbling houses with narrow alleyways.
Most of the buildings are on the verge of collapse, while some have fully crumbled. The walls, windows, arched doors and beams supporting the roofs tell stories of the past generations.
Izki, located about 120 km from Muscat, also houses the Zukait Tombs atop a hill overlooking the village of Zukait.
These beehive-shaped stone tombs, closed at the top with a small hole allowing entrance from the front, is a famous site that draws a lot of visitors.
The Ministry of Heritage and Culture has been implementing excavations at the area which provide evidence of rich past and diversity of civilisations.
These tombs bear close resemblance to the archaeological sites in Wadi al Ain and Bat.
Some tourists from the UK and Australia said they were glad to see these ancient sites. Lauding the efforts of authorities in preserving them, they suggested “eco-tourism plans” to preserve such areas.