Smahan's Mountain Nature Reserve

I visited this tentative WHS in December 2020 as a day trip from Salalah. To reach Jabal Samhan Mountain Nature Reserve, as it's known locally, I drove up the never-ending series of hairpins of Wadi Hanna just above the peculiar Anti-Gravity Point and dotted with the fine cluster of baobabs which make for interesting stopovers before reaching the signposted Jabal Samhan nature reserve proper.

Before reaching the highest panoramic viewpoint at 2100 metres, allow some time to acclimatise and perhaps be able to spot some of the countless birds of prey camouflaged on the greyish rocks instead of perched on the endemic Dhofar flora. Upon reaching the panoramic viewpoint over the many plateaus and gorges below, some of which are about 1000 metres deep, and which are home to several predators such as caracals, striped hyenas, Arabian wolves and which are one the last refuges for wild Arabian leopards. It really is quite incredible that such a practically uninhabited and undisturbed area exists so close to a desert region. All these predators prey on Arabian gazelles, Nubian ibex, Cape hares, rock hyrax, Indian crested porcupines, desert hedgehogs and several bird species. Just after the area with railings, there is a narrow and dangerous trail to reach the very peak but the view is pretty much the same you'll have without potentially risking your life. An alternative uphill route, which is probably much safer but involves scrambling up and down jagged rocks, can be found just behind the tiny but …