While I thought I had seen the most spectacular and dramatic ravine scenery on my visit to the USA’s Grand Canyon, nothing prepared me for the staggering landscapes and awe-inspiring geology that awaited me in the Al Hajar Mountain range in Oman, which extends from the very tip of the Musandam Peninsula to the dhow-making town of Sur, south of Muscat. Once a barrier to Oman’s interior, the Al Hajar mountains are now the gateway to the country’s heartland: the rugged landscapes, greatest wadis, crumbling abandoned villages, and extensive hiking trails.