TEAM DISCOVERS 'WRONG CANYON' IN WADI TANUF

After our recent adventure to Wadi Qasheh, one of the main branches of Wadi Tanuf, about two weeks ago, Rami, Hamood and I decided it was time to explore another tributary of this epic landscape.
On May 13, we were set and ready to head out from my place in Al Mawaleh South at 6:30 am, bound for Tanuf.
Like clockwork, we made our customary stop at our favourite coffee shop in Hay Al Turath, about 30 minutes from Al Faraa, the last spot accessible by car.
Over steaming cups of karak tea and our usual double-cheese, double-egg sandwiches, we fueled up for the day ahead. By 9 am, we were at Al Faraa, our starting point.
The weather that day was scorching, with temperatures soaring to 41°C. We packed all the gear we’d need for the exploration into our bags — an effort that felt particularly burdensome under the oppressive heat.
Setting out, we followed the trail connecting Al Faraa to the abandoned village of Al Rahbah, trudging along at a slow and steady pace. With no shade to shield us from the relentless sun, we made a couple of pit stops to rehydrate.
About 45 minutes into our arduous trek, we finally reached the entrance to the wadi tributary I had previously identified using Google Earth. The wadi bed was a sight to behold, carved beautifully over millennia by flowing water into sleek, grey stone platforms. Not long after descending into the wadi, we encountered our first obstacle: a 10-metre drop. A sturdy tree served as our natural anchor for the descent.
Continuing on, we faced a second drop of 20 metres where, once again, a conveniently placed tree came to our rescue for attaching the rope. After that, we progressed smoothly through the canyon until we ran into an area with no natural anchor for an upcoming 25-metre descent.
It was here that we brought out the drill and installed a permanent metallic anchor for abseiling. Further along, we navigated two more descents using natural rock threads to secure our ropes.

The biggest surprise of the day came at the final abseil when I realised — much to my dismay — that we had ended up in a completely different tributary!
Instead of landing where I had planned, we found ourselves at the Falaj of Al Faraa. My two companions wasted no time ribbing me about my navigational misstep and promptly dubbed it 'The Wrong Canyon'.
By 11:30 am, we were back in Wadi Qasheh and had no intention of calling it quits just yet. Determined to find and explore the 'right canyon' this time, we retraced our steps back to another starting point. I was confident — very confident, I might add — that this was the correct wadi.
Fortunately, I wasn’t wrong this time!
The descent was smooth and stunningly scenic, with cascading drops between 7 and 60 metres — the final one being the longest. In total, we tackled four drops during this second excursion.
At one tricky section, we even had to traverse sideways to avoid plunging into water below. After a rewarding climb through increasingly beautiful terrain, we completed our second wadi adventure of the day around 3 pm.
We ended our journey with a well-deserved treat. Just like last time, we stopped at the 'Mandoos' boulder for refreshments — and boy, did Hamood surprise us! He’d packed fresh melon and Greek yoghurt in an ice-filled cooler as a reward for all our hard work. It was pure bliss after such an exhausting but exhilarating day.
On the drive back to Muscat, my friends couldn’t resist poking fun at my earlier mishap with 'The Wrong Canyon'. Their playful banter kept us laughing all the way home. By 7 pm, we finally arrived in Muscat — tired yet thoroughly satisfied after another unforgettable adventure in Oman’s breathtaking wadis.