Sarah Duff

Sarah Duffhttps://wng-kosmos-wn-cms-uat.kaos.nibit.com.au:443/about/contributors/sarah-duffSarah DuffYin and Yang in Guangxi | China Travel Storyhttps://wng-kosmos-wn-cms-uat.kaos.nibit.com.au:443/stories/transformation/yin-and-yang-in-guangxiYin and Yang in Guangxi | China Travel StoryFri, 26 Jul 2019 21:54:40 GMThttps://wng-kosmos-wn-cms-uat.kaos.nibit.com.au:443/stories/transformation/yin-and-yang-in-guangxihttps://public-web-wn.uat.wng.me/explore/middle-east/oman/10-day-road-trip-around-omanOn a 10-day circular road trip around Oman, Sarah Duff combines unmissable sights with a mixture of off-the-beaten-track adventures.2019-06-21T10:00:00Z https://wng-kosmos-wn-cms-uat.kaos.nibit.com.au:443/explore/middle-east/oman/10-day-road-trip-around-omanhttps://www.worldnomads.com<p>To make the most of the <a href="https://www.visaoman.net/">standard 10-day tourist visa</a>, we hire a car and take a circular road trip around Oman, starting and ending in Muscat.</p> <ul> <li><a href="#snorkeling"> Snorkeling the Daymaniyat Islands </a></li> <li><a href="#wadi-shab"> Wild Camping Near Wadi Shab </a></li> <li><a href="#sand-dunes"> Sharquiya (Wahiba) Sand Dunes </a></li> <li><a href="#al-hamra"> Al Hamra </a></li> <li><a href="#misfat"> Misfat Al Abriyeen </a></li> <li><a href="#nizwa"> Nizwa </a></li> <li><a href="#jebel-shams"> Camping in Jebel Shams </a></li> <li><a href="#jebel-akhdar"> Jebel Akhdar </a></li> <li><a href="#trip-notes"> Trip Notes </a></li> </ul> <h2 id="snorkeling">Snorkeling the Daymaniyat Islands</h2> <p>After landing in Muscat, my partner and I spend a day exploring the modern coastal city and stocking up food, water and snacks at a supermarket ahead of our road trip. Before we hit the road, we head out early for a half-day <a href="http://preview-web01.141444.aweb.preview-site.ch/services/">snorkeling trip</a> to the Daymaniyat Islands, a nature reserve 27mi (43km) offshore in the Gulf of Oman. The islands are rocky and barren, but it’s the tropical fish and placid turtles that we’re here to see.</p> <p>We leave Muscat in our rented Suzuki Jeep, driving south along the hilly highway which hugs the desert coastline. It’s common for travelers to hire cars (<a href="https://www.autoeurope.com/">and there are a number of car hire companies to choose from</a>) to travel around Oman. The roads are excellent, driving is easy and it’s a great way to independently explore the country.</p> <figure><img src="https://media.worldnomads.com/explore/oman/oman-road-trip-sarah-duff.jpg" /> <figcaption>Road tripping Oman in our rented Suzuki. Photo credit: Sarah Duff</figcaption></figure> <h2 id="wadi-shab">Wild Camping Near Wadi Shab</h2> <p>Just over 100 miles (160km) from Muscat, we turn onto a dirt track along the coast to camp. Wild camping is allowed almost everywhere in Oman, and we find a quiet spot to set up our tent.</p> <p>The sun’s heat wakes us early the next morning (it’s early April, the start of summer), so we pack up and head to Wadi Shab, the country’s most famous oasis, and find we’re the first to arrive in the car park. A 45-minute hike leads us to a river cavern, a spectacular place for our refreshing swim.</p> <h2 id="sand-dunes">Sharquiya (Wahiba) Sand Dunes</h2> <p>After a 40-minute drive south, we turn inland at the coastal town of Sur, heading 84mi (136km) to the rolling dunes of Sharqiya (Wahiba) Sands, to spend the night in a goat-hair tent at a <a href="https://www.sandsdreamtours.com/sands-dream-camp/">Bedouin camp</a>. We’re surrounded by endless undulating ridges, but the non-stop drone of dune-bashing 4x4s and quad bikes ruins our expectation of a serene desert experience.</p> <figure><img src="https://media.worldnomads.com/explore/oman/oman-sand-dunes-sarah-duff.jpg" /> <figcaption>Walking along the Sarquiya Sands. Photo credit: Sarah Duff</figcaption></figure> <h2 id="al-hamra">Al Hamra</h2> <p>We watch the sunrise over the dunes, then get back on the highway for the three-hour drive north to Al Hamra, a village in a lush pocket of date palms with crumbling mud-brick houses. After checking into our <a href="https://www.booking.com/hotel/om/bait-al-mall-heritage-inn.en-gb.html">guesthouse</a>, we explore the village and find we are the only visitors.</p> <p>We discover Bait al Safah, a 400-year-old house-turned living museum. Inside dark cool rooms, we admire antiques, and local women demonstrate traditional breadmaking and coffee grinding. We are shown around by Fatima, a local woman who serves us traditional Omani cardamom coffee and explains the building used to be a Sufi nunnery.</p> <figure><img src="https://media.worldnomads.com/explore/oman/oman-historic-towns-sarah-duff.jpg" /> <figcaption>We discover old houses in Al Hamra, Oman. Photo credit: Sarah Duff</figcaption></figure> <h2 id="misfat">Misfat Al Abriyeen</h2> <p>A short drive away, the village of Misfat Al Abriyeen is busier than Al Hamra, but still a peaceful green haven. The famous Omani falaj system of irrigation canals is evident everywhere, bringing water to terraced gardens of date palms, mango, pomegranate, and banana trees. We drink fresh ginger and lime juice and explore the shady labyrinthine lanes and canals on foot to get a taste of traditional life in Oman.</p> <figure><img src="https://media.worldnomads.com/explore/oman/oman-oasis-and-history-sarah-duff.jpg" /> <figcaption>The ancient village of Misfat Al Abriyeen in the Hajar Mountains. Photo credit: Sarah Duff</figcaption></figure> <h2 id="nizwa">Nizwa</h2> <p>Next, we head 47mi (76km) southeast to the city of Nizwa, the former Omani capital. On the way, we stop at Jibreen Castle, built in the 17<sup>th</sup> century by the ruling Yaruba dynasty. It feels like we’re going back in time while we look at delicately painted ceilings and discover a special second-level room that was once used for the Imam’s horse. We also learn about so-called ‘murder holes’, through which boiling-hot date oil was poured on invaders.</p> <p>In atmospheric Nizwa, we wander around the fort and practice our Arabic numbers with friendly shopkeepers at the souk when we buy bags of dates and boxes of sweet camel-milk (<em>halwa)</em>.</p> <h2 id="jebel-shams">Camping in Jebel Shams</h2> <p>Leaving Nizwa, a winding road takes us 52mi (85km) to rugged, mountainous Jebel Shams which is home to the country’s highest point – 9,934ft (3,028m). We set up our tent to wild camp on top of the cliffs, looking down into the dizzyingly dramatic, barren abyss of the Grand Canyon of Arabia.</p> <p>The next morning, we take the two-and-a-half hour Al Nakhur Rim Hike along the rim of the canyon with just a few bleating goats for company.</p> <h2 id="jebel-akhdar">Jebel Akhdar</h2> <p>It takes us three hours to drive the 85mi (138km) down to the plains and back up again to reach the neighboring mountain of Jebel Akhdar. We literally go off the beaten track, turning onto a steep dirt road to reach our guesthouse in Al Sawjarah, an abandoned stone village clinging to the cliffside.</p> <p>Our host, Mohammed, explains that his family had lived here for five centuries before moving to the other side of the ravine just a few years ago, to build modern houses. They’ve now turned the old houses into guest rooms.</p> <p>We’re the only ones staying here for the night. After Mohammed brings us dinner prepared by his sister, we share the village with a lone donkey, its clopping hooves echoing across the ravine.</p> <p>This is the last night of our trip before we head back to Muscat. I had high hopes for Oman, and my expectations have been exceeded: from mountain hiking to turtle snorkeling, wild camping to meeting friendly, welcoming people wherever we went, I’ll definitely be back.</p> <h2 id="trip-notes">Trip Notes</h2> <h3>How to budget for an Oman trip</h3> <p>Oman is an expensive country and there aren’t many options for budget accommodation. The best way to save on costs is to wild camp, which is permitted nearly everywhere. Car rental prices start at around US $33 a day for a sedan, though you do save on cheap gas.</p> <h3>Where to get camping gear</h3> <p>If you don’t have your own camping gear, you can buy everything you need at the Carrefour in Muscat. Another option is to rent gear: <a href="http://www.nomadtours.com/package/camping-equipment-rental">Nomad Tours</a> and <a href="https://www.sightstours.com/car-rental-oman/">Sights Tours Car Rental</a> offer both rental cars and equipment rental.</p> <h3>What to pack for an Oman trip</h3> <p>Respect local culture and dress modestly in Oman. Women should cover upper arms and shoulders and wear below-the-knee shorts or skirts. Men should wear t-shirts that cover their shoulders and below-the knee-shorts or long trousers. It’s hot, so wear loose, lightweight clothing, wide-brimmed hats and sunglasses.</p> <p>The roads in Oman are excellent and it’s simple to navigate using Google Maps or another GPS. Drivers generally follow road rules and most people drive new 4x4s. It’s not essential to rent a 4x4 but you will need one if you’re driving up to Jebel Shams and Jebel Akhdar.</p> <p>There are many towns and villages along this route to stop to eat at restaurants and to stock up on food and water.</p>Sarah Duff 0

https://public-web-wn.uat.wng.me/explore/southern-africa/namibia/camping-on-the-huab-river-northern-namibiaTraveling overland 5,000 miles from Cape Town, Sarah Duff discovers a remote area of Damaraland, in northwestern Namibia, where desert elephants roam freely.2019-06-01T10:00:00Z https://wng-kosmos-wn-cms-uat.kaos.nibit.com.au:443/explore/southern-africa/namibia/camping-on-the-huab-river-northern-namibiahttps://www.worldnomads.com<p>The sunset casts a pink glow across the sky as the chirps of barking geckos mark the end of another day in the desert. We stand in contemplative silence, sipping dusty cans of beer as, just 600 feet away from us, a family of elephants walks in line against a backdrop of soaring terracotta sand dunes.</p> <p>It’s taken us nearly two weeks of rugged 4x4 traveling to arrive here: the Huab River in northwestern <a href="/travel-safety/southern-africa/namibia/namibia-travel-safety">Namibia</a>, a remote corner of wilderness in the sparsely populated region of Damaraland. We have not encountered another human or vehicle for days, and the sense of complete isolation in nature – as well as getting to see famous desert elephants – is just what we were searching for.</p> <ul> <li><a href="#road-trip"> A self-drive Namibian road trip </a></li> <li><a href="#camping"> Camping on the Huab River </a></li> <li><a href="#elephants"> The desert elephants of the Huab </a></li> <li><a href="#hiking"> Hiking near the Huab River </a></li> <li><a href="#trip-notes"> Trip notes </a></li> </ul> <h2 id="road-trip">A self-drive Namibian road trip</h2> <p>My journey with five friends starts in Cape Town, South Africa, where we hire two Ford Rangers from <a href="https://www.avis.co.za/safari-rental">Avis Safari Rental</a>. The cars are kitted out with everything you need for a rugged <a href="/travel-insurance/activities/camping-travel-insurance">camping trip</a>: rooftop tents, duvets, pillows and towels, built-in solar fridge/freezers, chairs and a table, gas cookers and full sets of cooking equipment. They also have long-range fuel tanks and 21-gallon water tanks.</p> <p>Before we leave, we stock up on huge crates of dry food – pasta, rice, oatmeal, crackers, tins of vegetables and pulses, dried fruit, nuts, and all the salty snacks we know we’ll crave on hot days. We fill the fridges and freezers with veggies, fruit and ice for the quintessential African bush sunset drink – gin and tonic.</p> <p>We leave Cape Town in early January, our almost 5,000mi (7,500km) route taking us north across the Namibian border, and then through a series of ever-changing desert landscapes. We spend our days hiking, exploring and driving, and make camp each night between dunes and under boulders in private reserves and national parks.</p> <p>January is mid-summer, one of the hottest months of the year in Namibia, and as midday temperatures peak at around 104F (40C), the active part of our days is confined to early mornings and late afternoons. If we’re not driving during the heat of the day, we find shade where we can and drink liters of homemade electrolyte solution (water, salt, freshly squeezed lemons, and maple syrup).</p> <figure><img src="https://media.worldnomads.com/explore/namibia/damaraland-namibia-sarahduff-2.jpg" /> <figcaption>Enjoying the wilderness from the comfort of our camp chairs beside the Huab River. Photo credit: Sarah Duff</figcaption></figure> <h2 id="camping">Camping on the Huab River</h2> <p>After a night in the windswept Valley of Desolation, we drive on bumpy tracks to the Huab River. Like most of Namibia’s rivers, the Huab rarely flows with water, and so the “river” is actually a dry, sandy riverbed flanked by trees.</p> <p>Nevertheless, the foliage and underground water support a remarkable array of birds and wildlife, and after journeying through vast arid areas home to very few animals, coming to the Huab feels like we’ve arrived on safari.</p> <p>A handful of red-billed spurfowl announce our arrival at our chosen camping spot: on the riverbank under the shade of huge ana trees. We’re sticking to the wild camping rule of never to sleeping in a riverbed in case of flash floods. We park our 4x4s, pop up the rooftop tents, roll out the shade awnings, unfold our camping chairs and metal tables and, in a few minutes, our temporary home is set up.  </p> <figure><img src="https://media.worldnomads.com/explore/namibia/damaraland-namibia-sarahduff-3.jpg" /> <figcaption>Looking out over the desert in Damaraland. Photo credit: Sarah Duff</figcaption></figure> <h2 id="elephants">The desert elephants of the Huab</h2> <p>Namibia is one of just two places in the world where you can find desert elephants. These hardy animals have adapted to this extremely dry climate: they can go for days without water and can walk long distances in search of a drink.</p> <p>Tracking them in this vast region can be tricky, but luck is on our side, as we spot an old bull elephant followed by a family of matriarchs and babies on our first morning, and continue to have thrilling sightings every time we leave camp (while always keeping a respectful distance).</p> <p>Being in the presence of these gentle giants as they go about eating seedpods and digging for water is enough to awe us into wide-eyed wonder. However, our encounters feel even more remarkable because we’re the only people for miles around – a far cry from your typical safari vehicle pile-up around a sighting.</p> <figure><img src="https://media.worldnomads.com/explore/namibia/damaraland-namibia-sarahduff-10.jpg" /> <figcaption>Two elephants walk by in Damaraland, northern Namibia. Photo credit: Sarah Duff</figcaption></figure> <h2 id="hiking">Hiking near the Huab River</h2> <p>Our days fall into an easy routine: each morning we wake just before dawn to <a href="/travel-insurance/activities/hiking-travel-insurance">walk for hours</a> along the riverbanks and over dunes. We see lots of bird species, as well as kudu, giraffe, duiker, steenbok, families of ostriches and a tiny horned adder hiding under a rock, but my favorite part of exploring on foot is being quietly immersed in the wilderness of the Huab.</p> <p>The scenery here is remarkably varied and dramatic: camelthorn, mopane and ana trees line the sides of the riverbed, huge sandy valleys are dotted with gigantic boulder outcrops and rocky hills, red-rock mountains punctuate the horizon, and massive sand dunes studded with black volcanic rocks make the elephants walking below them seem tiny. Namibia has some of the most startling landscapes I’ve ever seen, but the Huab is certainly one of the most beautiful and diverse areas in the country I’ve traveled to.</p> <p>Being so remote and so disconnected from the human world makes this time in nature seem all the more special. Our Namibian road trip is full of highlights, from swimming in the Orange River, and spotting graceful oryx among the orange dunes of the NamibRand Nature Reserve, to exploring the vast, barren Martian landscapes of the Messum Crater and hiking under the jagged peaks around the Ugab River, but our days in the Huab River are the stand out. There’s the birdlife, the <a href="/create/learn/photography/how-to-photograph-wildlife-ethically">wildlife sightings</a>, and the spectacular scenery, but most of all, the wonderful encounters on foot that we share with the desert elephants.</p> <figure><img src="https://media.worldnomads.com/explore/namibia/damaraland-namibia-sarahduff-5.jpg" /> <figcaption>Taking a hike over the rocky landscapes in northern Namibia. Photo credit: Sarah Duff</figcaption></figure> <h2 id="trip-notes">Trip notes</h2> <h3>Road tripping Cape Town to Namibia</h3> <p>Starting in Cape Town, our route takes us to the Orange River and then over the border into the NamibRand Nature Reserve, the Namib-Naukluft National Park, Swakopmund, the Messum Crater, the Ugab River, the Valley of Desolation and finally to the Huab River. Driving southwards back to Cape Town, we stay at Spitzkoppe and at the Fish River Canyon.</p> <p>Our total distance is 4,767mi (7,672km) over 16 days.</p> <p>Thanks to meticulous meal planning, our food lasts us all the way back to Cape Town – with just one fresh food restock in Walvis Bay.</p> <h3>How to self-drive in remote parts of Namibia</h3> <p>For safety reasons, it’s best to drive in a convoy of at least two vehicles. You should also have a reliable GPS (we used Tracks 4 Africa’s maps), as well as satellite phone for emergencies and a full road recovery kit.</p> <p>It’s important to preserve the wilderness: take every piece of trash back with you, burn your toilet paper and bury your campfires. Stick to driving on tracks that are already there rather than making new ones.</p> <h3>What to pack</h3> <p>You’ll have to bring everything you need to be <a href="/travel-safety/worldwide/top-tips-to-stay-safe-while-driving-in-remote-areas">fully self-sufficient</a> in the wild, from food, firewood and extra jerry cans of fuel to large containers of water.</p> <p>Pack lightweight long trousers and long-sleeved shirts to protect your skin from the sun. A wide-brimmed hat, sunglasses, lots of high SPF sunscreen and comfortable walking shoes are essential. Even during the hottest months of summer (November to April), nights in the desert can be windy and cold, so pack layers.</p>Sarah Duff 0