When airports closed in 2020 and the world narrowed to the walls of home, Sharifa bint Ali al Aufi, widely known as Lolo, found her horizon expanding.
Her first adventure was to Wadi Hawer in Oman’s Al Sharqiyah North Governorate. What began as a simple escape during the uncertainty of the pandemic became a revelation. “It was the first time I truly saw this kind of beauty in my own country”, she recalls. Hidden pools, dramatic rock faces and landscapes that felt almost imaginary unfolded before her. In that moment, she realised Oman was not just home, it was an open air treasure.
From then on, weekends were no longer for rest. They were for routes. Each week, Lolo and her team planned a new trail, chasing valleys, mountains and water paths across the country. With every journey, she discovered scenery her mind could hardly process from its sheer beauty. What started as curiosity turned into commitment. Four years later, she has not slowed down.
In the beginning, Lolo was an assistant, supporting female participants on treks and motivating them through challenging terrain. She offered practical help, nutrition, encouragement and steady reassurance. Many hikers underestimated their own abilities, she says, growing tired and wanting to turn back. Her role was to remind them they were stronger than they believed.
In 2023, an announcement changed everything. Oman’s Adventure Centre, affiliated with Civil Defence in cooperation with the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism, opened a training programme. Lolo applied and was accepted. She was the second woman to register, but after an injury forced the other participant to withdraw, she found herself the only woman training alongside five men. The month long programme was intense and physically demanding, filled with risk and endurance tests. She completed it.
Oman, she believes, is unlike anywhere else. In a single day, the country can offer four climates, summer heat in one region, cool mountain air in another, even misty khareef conditions further south. Visitors can choose their weather and their challenge, from water trails and mountain hikes to long descents, rock climbing and cave exploration. For geology students and researchers, Oman’s diverse rock formations and erosion patterns make it a living classroom.
Lolo does not own her own company yet, but she contracts with More Adventure and Explore and Challenge, offering full travel experiences, airport pickups, hotel bookings, camping gear, helmets, ropes, climbing equipment and curated access to wadis, caves, mountains and hiking trails across Oman.
Her heart, however, belongs to Tiwi. The trails of Wadi Al Shab and Wadi Mibam, the depth of its wells, the colour of its water and the serenity of its waterfalls give her what she describes as inner peace. “You cannot understand it until you see it”, she says.
The journey has not been without obstacles. Some in society question women working in adventure tourism. Some tourists instinctively trust male guides more. Yet certain routes require female presence for comfort and safety. Lolo continues forward, redefining expectations with every step.
She promotes sustainable tourism, leaving no waste, avoiding plastic, respecting marked trails and supporting local communities along the way.
Her advice to beginners is simple, start small, assess your ability, stay hydrated, check your health and do not be afraid. Adventure, she insists, is not about conquering nature, but discovering your own strength within it.
And for Lolo, the mountains are only the beginning.
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