The Sharqiya Sands[1] (Arabic: ٱلرِّمَال ٱلشَّرْقِيَّة, romanized: Ar-Rimāl Ash-Sharqiyyah, formerly known as Wahiba Sands ([رِمَال وَهِيْبَة] Error: {{Lang}}: invalid parameter: |3= (help) or [رَمْلَة آل وَهِيْبَة] Error: {{Lang}}: invalid parameter: |3= (help))) is a region of desert in Oman.[2][3] The region was named for the Bani Wahiba tribe.[4] Divided between the northern and southern governorates in the Eastern Region. The area is defined by a boundary of 180 kilometers (110 mi) north to south and 80 kilometers (50 mi) east to west,[5] with an area of 12,500 square kilometers (4,800 sq mi).[6] The desert has been of scientific interest since a 1986 expedition by the Royal Geographical Society documented the diversity of the terrain, the flora and fauna, noting 16,000 invertebrates as well as 200 species of other wildlife, including avifauna.[5] They also documented 150 species of native flora.
Wahiba Sands
Also called the Sharqiya Sands, the Wahiba Sands is a stretch desert region spread across 12,500 square kilometers in Oman. Often considered the absolute epitome of Arabia, whose rolling sand dunes have featured in many a film, this desert area is a must visit destination in Oman.
The geography is not the uniform across the entire area and while in the north one will find smaller dunes and wide flat areas, to the east one can witness dunes that pile up to 100 metres against the ocean, and in the south, there is the Barr El Hikman, a vast expanse of flat sand dotted with precariously situated lagoons, and salt and mudflats, that is home to huge populations of migrating birds. Many suggest that if you looking for the most impressive dunes you should head to the northeast, where these sandy giants can reach an enormous 300 feet high. Across the desert, there is a wide variety of rich plant and animal life that you will encounter, including gazelles, mongooses and large migrant bird populations.
The sands are also known as Ramlat al Wahiba and are so named after the Wahiba tribe, a Bedouin society that dates back many millennia. These dunes are still populated by close to 3000 people from the numerous tribes that have called this desert home for many generations. Further along the edges of the desert, the coastal region is dotted with small settlements where many fishermen make a living farming the abundant marine life present in the Arabian Sea. One can plan for a visit to a tribal settlement to get a glimpse of a traditional way of life that is fast disappearing as modern conveniences limit the need for a nomadic existence.
Various other desert experiences are available here for those looking to get the full desert experience with options to choose either day excursions or overnight stays and safaris. Some of the most popular activities here include camel rides or driving through the dunes for a sunset trip where one will cross a near-vertical descent. For adventure enthusiast,s activities like quad-biking, sand-boarding, and outdoor camping are also available at the desert. Plus if one has the time and the inclination they can also opt for full day camel safaris, and more trips to Bedouin settlements that help one get to know about the lifestyle of the tribes.
Geology
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The desert was formed during the Quaternary period as a result of the forces of south-west blowing monsoon and the northern shamal trade wind, coming in from the east.[7] Based on the types of dunes found in the area, it is divided into the high, or upper, Wahiba and low Wahiba.[6][8] The upper area contains mega-ridge sand systems on a north–south line that are believed to have been formed by monsoon.[6] The dunes of the north, formed at some point after the last regional glaciation, measure up to 100 meters (330 ft) high,[9] with peaks accumulating in the areas just beyond the strongest wind speeds, where declining velocity wind deposited sand.[10] The north and west boundaries of the desert are delineated by the fluvial systems Wadi Batha and Wadi Andam.[11] Beneath the surface sands are an older layer of cemented carbonate sand.[9] Alluvium deposits believed to have originated from the Wadi Batha during the Paleolithic era have been disclosed in the central desert 200 meters (660 ft) beneath the interdune surface.[12] Wind erosion is believed to have contributed to the existence of a nearly level plain in the southwest.[13]
What is the best time to visit Wahiba Sands?
editThe Wahiba Sands weather is extremely hot and dry usually during the summers. So the best time to visit Wahiba Sands is during the months of October to march which is wintertime. The summer season begins mid-April and lasts until late September. The temperatures can normally reach up to 50 degrees. The deserts will be exceptionally hot and sweaty during this time period. Winter temperatures in Oman are pleasant. Precipitations are quite low during this time. Temperatures are normally at a level of 24 degrees during the day but the nights get pretty chilly. This would be the best time to go to the desert.
Inhabitants
editThe area is occupied by Bedouins who congregate at Al-Huyawah, an oasis near the border of the desert, between June and September to gather dates.[5] Tribes present in the area at the time of the Royal Geographical Society expedition included, predominantly, Al Wahiba (or Yal Wahiba) for whom the region is named, Al-Amr, Al-Bu-Isa, Hikman, Hishm and Janaba.[14]
Gallery
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Ghaf trees
(Prosopis cineraria) -
Wahiba Sands -
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Vehicles on the dunes near the Eastern Hajar Mountains
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See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Travel to Oman, Visit Muscat through Oman Travel Guide for Sultanate of Oman Adventure". Ministry of Tourism, Sultanate of Oman. Archived from the original on 6 November 2014. Retrieved 6 November 2014.
- ^ "The Wahiba Sands". Rough Guides. Retrieved 2014-08-16.
- ^ "Sharqiya (Wahiba) Sands, Oman - Travel Guide, Info & Bookings – Lonely Planet". Lonelyplanet.com. Retrieved 2013-06-09.
- ^ Alsharan, 615.
- ^ a b c Darke and Shields, 216.
- ^ a b c Alsharan, 216.
- ^ Alsharan, 215, 279, 280.
- ^ Pease, Patrick P.; Gregory D. Bierly; Vatche P. Tchakerianc; Neil W. Tindaled (September 1999). "Mineralogical characterization and transport pathways of dune sand using Landsat TM data, Wahiba Sand Sea, Sultanate of Oman". Geomorphology. 29 (3–4): 235–249. doi:10.1016/S0169-555X(99)00029-X.
The Wahiba Sand Sea has been previously divided into upper (north and higher in elevation) and lower (south and lower in elevation) portions, based on dune morphology.
- ^ a b Alsharan, 119, 316.
- ^ Cooke et al., 346.
- ^ Alsharhan, xii.
- ^ Alsharan, 282.
- ^ Cooke et al., 305.
- ^ Webster, Roger (1991). "Notes on the Dialect and Way of Life of the Āl Wahība Bedouin of Oman". Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London. 54 (3). Cambridge University Press: 473–485. doi:10.1017/S0041977X00000835. JSTOR 619056.
Sources
edit- Alsharhan, A. S.; IGCP Project 349 (1998). Quaternary Deserts and Climatic Change: Proceedings of the International Conference on Quaternary Deserts and Climatic Change : Al Ain, United Arab Emirates, 9–11 December 1995. Taylor & Francis. ISBN 90-5410-597-6.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - Cooke, Ronald U.; Andrew Warren; Andrew Goudie (1993). Desert Geomorphology. Taylor & Francis. ISBN 1-85728-017-2.
- Darke, Diana; Sandra Shields (2006). Oman: The Bradt Travel Guide. Bradt Travel Guides. pp. 214–217. ISBN 1-84162-168-4.
External links
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