Crossing the Wahiba Desert by Moonlight
In February 2011, I walked across the Wahiba Sands by moonlight with my girlfriend Laura.
The Wahiba Sands (also called the Sharqiya Sands) is a small but prototypical desert – about 100 miles long and 50 miles wide and filled almost entirely with row after row of sand dunes. It’s only a couple of hours drive from Muscat, Oman, and thus popular with tourists.
The itinerary was simple: We drove as close as we could to the western edge of the dunes and parked our car. We loaded up our rucksacks with 10 litres or so of water and enough food for 2 or 3 days then walked east until the dunes stopped. We then made a bee line up to the road and hitched back to our car.
We timed our trip to coincide with a full moon which meant it was easier to walk late in the evening and early in the morning when it was cooler.
Although very brief, this remains one of my all time top expedition experiences. You can read more here…
Walking Across the Wahiba – Part I
