Cliffs – Travel Inspirations

Walking Horton Plains to World’s End

Horton Plains National Park is a plateau sitting over 2000m / 6500 ft in the centre of Sri Lanka between the 2nd and 3rd highest peaks in the country. It’s often called out as being one the of highlights of Sri Lanka because of World’s End, a 880m / 2900 ft sharp drop at the end of the walking route, that gives good views of the valley below when the clouds part

I’d probably hold back on calling it a highlight of Sri Lanka though for two reasons – 1. World’s End isn’t all that impressive. Yes, it’s a drop into the nearby valley, but the valley is fairly basic and not that much better than some of the steep valleys you see in the likes of Ella and even more generally on the train through the Tea Country; 2. The Horton Plains landscape is mild undulating hills with a few small rivers, which is nice, but nothing more than that. Combine it with the cold and general wet, and you’re getting more autumn Scotland, less tropical Sri Lanka

That being said, it is a nice walk, I really enjoyed it. Just manage expectations. A few tips to help:

1. The weather – good and bad. I went in mid December, which is dry season and supposed to be the best chance for clear views … but the hill country is very unpredictable and tends to be wet so it was raining most of the time I was there (bad) … but the plains tend to be clearer than the surrounding areas (good). I didn’t quite believe this at first, but it was certainly true for me – the whole journey up was super misty and raining, but around 10mins into the walk it cleared up significantly

2. They say go super early. This is for 3 reasons: 1. Chance to see the sunrise; 2. Chance to see leopards – it’s a long shot (although we missed one by 30 seconds as a guy who’d been waiting to see one for 5 days saw one walking along the road at 730am just before us); 3. Better chance of Worlds End being a clear view – you should aim to get there before 830am ish. So, assuming you’re not bothered about the sunrise, a 6am start from Nawara Eliya is best (1.15hrs drive, 15mins faff with tickets, 1 hour walk from the entrance to Horton Plains to World’s End)

3. The walk – it’s a 9km loop. It’s more strenuous than the guidebooks and locals make out – mostly either uphill or downhill. Very doable in 2hrs quickly or 3 hours if going slow. 13k steps, equivalent of 56 floors climbed

4. Where to stay – stay in one of the towns nearby such as Nuwara Eliya (see Staying in Nuwara Eliya’s “Little England’), or at a stretch Ella (see The Hill Country Village of Ella) which is a bit further. There is nothing around Horton Plains

5. Cost (in Dec 2022) – US$40 entrance fee (it says US$25, but in Sri Lanka they tend to add all sorts of extras); transport US$40 (although in sure you could haggle down)

5 days for Oman

Oman is a cracking country for a 5 day trip. It has that wonderful Middle East vibe without the extreme restrictions of the likes of Saudi or Iran, the extreme opulence of the UAE and Qatar, and without the crowds of Egypt and Jordan. To add to the mix, it has a surprisingly diverse offering – world class mountains, vast red deserts, gorge and canyon exploring, and all with the capital Muscat acting as a hub to launch yourself on these adventures

Its only real downsides are that it tends to be expensive; doesn’t have the well trodden traveller path (so you need to do a lot on your own); and, outside of the Hajar Mountains which are sensational, doesn’t have so many of the world class attractions you’ll find in other parts of the Middle East. That being said, the below itinerary was cracking fun

Top tips:

#1 Prioritise the following 3 things (in order) – 4WD in the Hajar Mountains (including the forts of Nizwa and Bahla as they are en route); Hiking and swimming Wadi Shab; Staying in the red desert of Sharqiya Sands. Muscat only needs a day max and you’ll naturally find this time as you’ll fly in and out of there

#2 Five days is enough, but with little chill out time – the 3 highlights above are all within 2 hours drive of Muscat and typically only need 0.5 days (Wadi Shab), 1 day (Sharqiya Sands) and 1.5 days (the mountains). Two ways of looking at it:
- If full of energy and trying to get the most out of the 5 days – the itinerary below is very doable and, if slightly impatient, you’ll find that you’ll be done with the places quite quickly (eg you really don’t need more than the morning in Wadi Shab and overnight in the desert). You could even choose between Jebel Shams and the 4WD mountain road to make this a 4 day trip
- If want more of a chill out – either make it a week, or chose between either Jebel Shams (famous) or the 4WD mountain road (spectacular, adventure

#3 Oman is expensive – it’s quite a shock when you see that the exchange rate is 3US$ to the Omani Rial . . . as in, the other way around!! Everything is more expensive than you’ll likely be used to, so it pays to scan for in particular cheap accommodation and a decent deal on the 4WD

#4 Driving – you need a car if not on a tour, as public transport is pretty poor. Broadly the deals started at around US$35 / day for a basic rental car, and around 2/2.5 times that for a 4WD – so it may actually make sense to take the 2WD for certain parts and change for 4WD when needed, which is what I did. As always, have a scan on RentalCar to see what the rates look like.
- What about a 4WD? The 4WD makes a lot of the trip easier as you can easily drive up to Jebel Shams, drive to your desert camp in Sharqiya Sands) and is an absolute must for the drive across the mountains via Hatt. That being said, the drive up to Jebel Shams is very doable in a 2WD (no restrictions); you can easily get the Desert Camp to pick you up from the town of Al Wasil or any pre-arranged meeting spot on the main road; and the drive across the mountain road via Hatt can be optional if you’re not up for the nerve jangling. Be sure as well to check that it is a genuine 4WD, rather than a 2WD SUV (which the second rental company were not clear on)

#5 How to behave / what to wear – Oman felt very much on the chilled out end of the Middle East spectrum, and used to western tourists. Whilst its always better to dress a bit more like a local (they find it odd, for example, that we wear shorts at all), for the itinerary below, there were no places where you would feel uncomfortable wearing clothes showing knees / shoulders

#6 – for greater detail on individual parts of this trip, see the following travel entries:

Driving up to Jebel Akhdar

Jebel Akhdar (Green Mountain) is the second highest point in Oman and is famous for its otherworldly feel as you rise far above the main Omani valley floors up to the large Saiq plateau 2000m /6560ft above sea level. The experience itself is all about talking short walks through the small gorgeous mountain villages that are connected by the UNESCO World Heritage listed irrigation systems; looking down into the seriously impressive, yet also abundant, canyons; and generally gawping out the window as the stunning mountain scenery passes by. Very much worth the day trip from Muscat

That being said, if you only have a day or two from Muscat to explore the Hajar Mountains, I would prioritise this just behind the very similar drive up to nearby Jebel Shams (see travel entry here – Walking Jebel Sham’s Wadi Ghul canyon). Or, if looking for more of an adventure, the sensational 4WD drive to cross the Hajar mountains via Hatt (see travel entry here – )

Top tips:

#1 Do you need a 4WD – yes. Whilst there is very little need for an actual 4WD, there is a police check point at the start of the drive up to the plateau that checks you have a 4WD. The reason is not because of the road quality (we only drove on paved roads), but because of the long descent down from the plateau and the need to be able to manually change into a lower gear to avoid brakes overheating (yes, I get that you don’t need a 4WD for that, but I doubt you want to argue with the Omani Police)

#2 Be sure to walk part of the Village Trail Hike (W18b). The 4km hike goes between the small mountain villages of Al Aqor and Seeq, but if you don’t want such a long walk (there and back), there is a short gorgeous walk that starts at the official start of the walk (look for “Terraced Fields Viewpoint” or “Dieter’s Point”) and lets you walk through the terraces to the small village of Al-Ain. The walk has amazing views through the canyon, lets you see the irrigation channels and the ornate villages themselves. If you find yourself thinking non of this is clear in the signposting . . . you are not alone. But once you get to the start point (a car park) it is very straightforward

#3 Have lunch at the fabulous Alila Jabal Akhdar – staying at this hotel with its insane views across the nearby canyon will set you back min US$500 / night. Instead, go for lunch which is fairly reasonable (US$40 / head) which will also let you have a wander round

#4 How much time do you need? Its a full day trip from Muscat, with total driving time around 5-6 hours and a total distance of 400km / 250miles. With the walk to the mountain villages, stopping for photos and having lunch you’re looking at around 10 hours or so

4WDing across the Hajar Mountains via Hatt

The Hajar Mountains, with their spectacular peaks, hidden hill towns, mini luscious oases and dramatic canyons are some of the most striking mountains in the world and by far the highlight of Oman. Most people visit the forts of Bahla, the Wadi Ghul canyon and drive up to the plateau of Jebel Shams, Oman’s highest mountain – and these really worth doing. But for a truly world-class experience, rent a 4WD and drive the mountain road from Bahla to Rustaq via Hatt. The number of fellow tourists drop off dramatically, the valleys and peaks become more dramatic, the hill towns and oases are significantly more remote and untouched, and above all you’ll have a great feeling of adventure. It’s not for the faint hearted though – the road is challenging, with the majority of your time spent on dirt roads, the drops off the side can be a little terrifying, and at times you will feel a bit isolated with no other drivers around you. But, considering the ease at which you can experience this (easily be done in a day from Muscat and 4WD rentals are easy to rent), this should be right at the top of your list for Oman

Top tips:

Is the route hard to follow – no. I’ve seen plenty of blogs that make it seem easy to get lost. It really isn’t. I’ve listed below the route to demonstrate some of the things you can expect to see, but you can just plug it into google maps and you’ll have no problems. Even without google maps, its basically a direct road except for 2 forks that are clearly signposted
Do you need a 4×4 – absolutely. Contrary to many things written about the Jebel Shams ascent, I think you can easily get up Jebel Shams without a 4WD. But you absolutely cannot do this mountain route without a 4WD – that would be dangerous
Is it dangerous – as long as you (i) have a 4WD; (ii) don’t drive in the rain or when the road is very wet; (iii) don’t be reckless; (iv) use a bit of common sense when other cars are passing, this is not dangerous. That being said, it is challenging and at times nerve wracking just because of the steep sides
How much time does it take – it took me 3 hours for the drive, including stopping just about every 10mins for photos. I think if you wanted to stop in some of the villages, add on an extra hour on. If you are driving from Muscat, it’s around 1.5hours to Rustaq and around 2hours to Bahla. So, all in from Muscat you’re looking at a 6.5-7.5 hour day
The obvious stuff – your chances of something going wrong are low, but it always makes sense to prep correctly – reduce the pressure in your tires by around 20% for the offroading; make sure you have enough fuel (there are no petrol stations); make sure you have a spare tire and know roughly how to replace it; bring water in case for whatever reason you do get stuck. Whilst it is quite isolated at times, I saw around 30 other vehicles on my trip (locals and tourists) so you will have support if you run into problems (in fact it will be in their interest to help you if you are blocking the road!)

Walking Jebel Sham’s Wadi Ghul canyon

Jebel Shams is regularly listed as one of the highlights of Oman, and rightly so – the view down into the immense Wadi Ghul is impressive and justifies its tag as the “Grand Canyon of Arabia”. You’ve also got the drive up there with a spectacular mountain landscape that makes it very hard not to stop regularly for photos

There’s a lot of writing about carpet sellers and that sort of stuff, but they’re really only a very minor part of the experience. In reality it’s all about looking over the canyon sides and walking deep into the canyon on the gorgeous Balcony Walk and, if you have a spare day, hiking up to the peak of Jebel Shams itself (3009m / 9872ft)

Top tip #1 – its all about the Wadi Ghul canyon and the Balcony Walk. The maps and general tips for the place can be super confusing. What you are basically looking to do is look over the edge in the Wadi Ghul canyon (Jebel Shams View Point 3 is great for this) and walk the Balcony Walk (aka W6) which is a 1.5-2.5 hour walk (there and back) along a light to moderate slope that starts near the wide point of the canyon (Balcony Walk Guesthouse) and ends at an abandoned village at one of the end points of the canyon (very clearly signposted). Even if you’re not keen on the full walk, it’s still worth just walking the first 15mins or so as that has some of the best views

Top tip #2 – you can drive up to the Jebel Shams plateau without a 4WD. For sure it’s easier in the 4WD, but as long as you are a confident driver and it isn’t raining you will be fine. You’ll have maybe 20 / 30mins of unpaved road, with only a couple of sections you’ll need to pay attention to

Where to stay – I stayed at the Sama Heights Resort, which was really nice and fit in perfectly with the surroundings. It’s only a 5min drive or so to the first views of the canyon

Hiking and swimming Wadi Shab

Wadi Shab is a large gorge that makes its way from the Eastern Hajar Mountains to meet the Arabian Sea. Purely for looking at it is beautiful – steep arid dramatic sides rising above and crystal clear turquoise water rushing through the streams and irrigation channels that cross all through the gorge (and are actually UNESCO World Heritage sites on their own). But, the main reason the trip is so cool and worth the visit is the mini adventure of hiking and then swimming through the warm water of the gorge to find the partly submerged cave with small waterfall at the end. Great fun

Top tip – get there early. I arrived at 745am and had the walk and swim into the gorge completely to myself, which was magical. The way back I counted maybe 50 people passing me, which would have been a very different vibe and suggests that groups arrive around 9am. The small boats that transport you the first 2-3 mins across the water start at 7am (1 Omani Rial / USD2.5), so you can start anytime from then

How much time is needed – the guides say 4 hours, but I think you only need 2-3 hours – 45mins to walk to the start of swim, 30mins for the swim (wading / swimming / standing – not all swimming!), and then a bit shorter on the way back. I was back on the small boats after 2 hours and wasn’t at all rushing

What to bring – because the swim is at the end, I reckon you could get by without a dry bag or water shoes because you can just leave your dry stuff at the start of the swim. That being said, the adventure feel of taking the dry bag with me through the swim was fun

The gap into the partly submerged cave at the end is very small! I turned up, on my own, not knowing there was a cave or a small gap – quite the moment deciding to go for it!

You don’t need a guide – it’s a very straightforward route and not really worth the OR25 / USD65

Where to stay – Wadi Shab Resort was basic (most places are in Oman) but really nice with immediate access to the pebble beach where you can spot sea turtles

10 day itinerary for Andalucia

Andalucia is the jewel in the crown of Spain. There are various stella attractions that help this region claim that title – the Alhambra, Seville, Cordoba, the striking pueblos blancos (white towns), the flamenco dancing, the Sherry Triangle. There are also natural spots that are worth the trip alone, such as the beaches of Tarifa, the mountains of Parque Natural Sierra de Grazalema and the coastline of Parque Natural de Cabo de Gata-Nijar. But it is the unique historical blend of Christian Spain and Moorish Al-Andalus that gives Andalucia the magic touch and makes it the must visit region of Spain

The itinerary below will give you the highlights and try to minimise the driving by having Cordoba and Parque Natural de Cabo de Gata-Nijar as optional

I’ve listed tips below, but high level – the standout attractions are the drive through the achingly beautiful white towns of Parque Natural Sierra de Grazalema, Seville’s Old Town with its Cathedral and Palace, and staying overnight in the sensational Vejer de la Fontera

6 day itinerary for Romania and the Transylvanian region

Romania, and in particular Transylvania, conjures up images and feelings of some far off place . . . in the mountains . . . in the forests . . . with castles . . . kind of like Lord of the Rings, but with a spooky vibe . . . and indeed it is all of this. And while there are not as much of a concentration of stellar attractions as you would get in Western Europe, that is kind of Romania’s charm and it makes for a great roadtrip for a week or so, with the itinerary below

Driving the Transfagarasan Highway of the Transylvanian Alps

Jeremy Clarkson from Top Gear called this “The best road in the world” and you can see why. Looking from above it looks like a child’s perfect Scalextric set as it impossibly winds up over the Transylvanian Alps and leaves you marvelling at the effort and engineering skill that have been put into making it. Great fun to drive and a must if driving your way from Transylvania to Bucharest

3 days in Budapest for baths, architectural gems and nights out in the ruin bars

Big fan of Budapest. The city itself has a certain unusual quality compared to other well known European cities just because of its history in the Austro-Hungarian empire and strong Eastern European (and Middle Eastern) influence. This combined with the bath culture and great energy from the easily accessible night spots (think beer gardens rather than clubs) make it quite a gem for a long weekend trip