Deserts
The deserts of Oman vary from the rolling sand seas of the Wahiba, with classic photogenic dunes of rich gold, to the flat stony Jiddat al Harasis in central Oman and the Rub al-Khali or 'Empty Quarter' further south, where individual mountains of sand rise from a flat desert and stretch endlessly across the border into Saudi Arabia. However, far from being empty, the desert is host to a surprising amount of wildlife. You will find more mountainous areas in Oman. The desert provides habitat for lizards and geckos and their more deadly cousins, such as the saw-scales or carpet viper. The desert air of Oman is redolent of some lingering organic essence, almost like nature is teasing you to guess. It's a mystery what causes this fresh aroma. The sun set in desert ; the colors of desert sand range amber to light russet to faint yellow to fawn- brown. This is a completely dynamic environment this Omani deserts teaches one about the patience, about the meditative sprit, about the joy of aging gracefully & wonderful resilience of jest be alive.
Oman is a country in the southeast corner of the Arabian Peninsula.
Oman occupies arid land at the edge of the Rub al Khali, one of the driest and least explored deserts on earth. Much of the country consists of sandy plains that are all but uninhabited. The only mountainous area is in the north, where the Hajar ranges run from the Musandam Peninsula southeastward to the coastal city of Sur. Numerous peaks rise 5,000 to 7,000 feet (1,500 to 2,100 m) above sea level; the highest reaches more than 10,000 feet (3,000 m) in the Jabal al Akhdar, or Green Mountains, west of Muscat, the capital.
The largest coastal plain is the Batinah, a narrow strip of land between the Hajar and the Gulf of Oman. A smaller coastal plain, backed by a high, rugged plateau, runs along the Dhofar coast in the south. There are no permanent rivers, only wadis, which are streambeds that are dry most of the year.
They occur mainly around the Hajar, in the Batinah, and in Dhofar and are the sites of most cities, towns, and cultivated areas.
Extremely hot weather prevails during most of the year, winter being the only relatively pleasant season. Temperatures often reach 110° to 120° F. (43° to 49° C.) and sometimes are higher. Along the coast the heat is made even more oppressive by high humidity. Little or no rain falls in Oman except in two areas: the Hajar and southern Dhofar. The Hajar ranges, especially the Jabal al Akhdar, receive 10 inches (250 mm) or more annually, mainly during winter; southern Dhofar, which benefits from the southwest summer monsoon, receives 25 to 30 inches (630 to 760 mm).
