Sarb season: When nature's bounty knows no bounds

Sarb season or spring is eagerly awaited by the people of Dhofar Governorate after the autumn rains. During this period, families enjoy outdoor activities under the warm sun and in blooming natural landscapes, where flowers have blossomed and fruits are ready for harvest, nourished by the autumn rain.
The clouds covering the region's skies disappear and the sun gradually begins to shine. All of this is accompanied by moderate weather, low humidity, calm sea waves and the beginning of the flowering season.
Sarb season continues until the end of December, when the plains and mountains witness a busy movement of visitors to witness the natural beauty of the plains, mountains and wide, flat plateaus that form multiple natural gardens. It is also considered a season for flowers to bloom and for the cool breezes to flow, mixed with the scents and fragrant aromas of mountain flowers.
The monsoon season — Khareef Dhofar Season — is increasingly important economically for fishermen, farmers and livestock breeders. It is the season for the propagation of various crops, the availability of various types of fish, the spread of green pastures and the harvesting of honey. Various agricultural crops, dependent on seasonal rains, are grown in the mountains. This season constitutes an important aspect of the harvest and is the final stage of the seasonal agricultural season in mountainous areas that rely on rain.

In the grazing season, livestock begin grazing in those vast green fields in the Dhofar plains, which contributes to increasing the abundance of meat and dairy products, which constitute a basic and important source for the owners of those livestock and the production of the finest types of cow ghee, which is locally called ‘Al Mashah” and its derivatives, such as butter, which we call locally ‘Al Qatmeem”. Locals sell honey, fruits and vegetables harvested from their farms and display them in the markets. The most important crops grown during the Sarb season are Dhofari cucumbers, corn and beans, which are locally called “Dagr”.
Sarb season also witnesses an exceptional custom called Khateel Al Eble, which begins annually in late September, when camel owners in the mountains of Dhofar Governorate move their camels in groups from the plains to the grazing areas that were closed with the beginning of the autumn season, chanting a number of traditional sung arts and poetic verses.
One of these trails extends from the Wilayat of Dhalkout in the west to Jabal Samhan in the east. It's a majestic sight, evoking an indescribable feeling when tourists see thousands of locally raised camels set out in a single day, forming a magnificent epic journey towards the valleys and towering mountains.
On the coastal side, fishermen return to the sea during this period to engage in fishing for pelagic and demersal fish, which are available in large quantities. Sardines, Shari (Saburbir emperor) and Ghaider (Yellowfin tuna) are among the most important fish, which have high nutritional value during this season. Fishermen call this period ‘Al Futooh’ season. Fishermen take advantage of the abundance of fish to market them in various local markets.
At a time when tourism, trade and economic activity is active during this season, these climatic conditions provide exceptional opportunities for tourists, adventure enthusiasts; and film and photography enthusiasts to document this unique season.