Sky is clear of clouds, rain takes a break, the sea is calm and the sun shines with warm light to add golden glow to the green plains that extend to wide horizons. Welcome to Dhofar’s Al Sarb or spring season.
This season also welcomes camels to graze upon lush green pastures on the plains.
This tradition is called Al Khatlah when herders drive their camels to grazing places that were closed during khareef (June-September). During this trip, they chant various folk songs including those from Al Haboot and Al Zamil. The camel herders sing these songs while wearing the traditional dress or Al Sabeegah that distinguishes the mountain people in the governorate.
In grazing sites, some traditional rituals are practiced, where fires are lit during night and the place is filled with camels' grunt often accompanied by traditional melodies by herders. If you happen to pass by, they may serve you camel milk straight from the udders either cold or boiled.
The spring grazing period ‘Al Khatlah’ lasts for about a month until all the grasses and trees dry and it becomes difficult for the camels to stand, which may expose them to the risks of falling. These pastures are then left for cows to graze throughout the winter.
The Khatlah journey lasts for several weeks highlighting the complex web of human-nature relationship. This journey reveals the extent of man’s love for nature, and how camel owners seek to provide comfort for their herds, choose suitable places for them to graze, and maintain their safe movement from the plain to the mountain and the valley.
Al Khatlah is considered one of the most important popular heritages that the residents of Dhofar Governorate preserve as an annual tradition. At the beginning of the fall season, the camels move to the plains, and after the end of the fall, the camel herders return to the mountains where there are abundant pastures.
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