The Saiq Plateau is the high, cool shelf of Jebel Akhdar, the Green Mountain, which rises to over 2,000 metres in the Hajar range of northern Oman, and it feels like another country compared with the desert below. Terraced orchards of pomegranates, apricots, walnuts and roses grow in villages perched on the mountainside, watered by ancient falaj channels, and in spring, the rose harvest fills the air with perfume. Rosewater is distilled in small stills, and the roses bloom in April. Nizwa and Izki, in the plain below, are the nearest towns, with fuel and shops.
The road up is one of the steepest paved roads in the Gulf, with gradients of up to about twenty degrees, and it is restricted to four-wheel-drive vehicles at a checkpoint at the foot, where officials check the vehicle. Motorbikes are generally not allowed, so riders need to ask about the current rules at the checkpoint, and be prepared to be turned back. The surface is smooth tarmac with hairpins, and it climbs from the dusty plain to the cool plateau in a short distance. The temperature is noticeably cooler on top, often ten degrees lower than in Nizwa.
The plateau has a long history, and it was the stronghold of the Imamate rebels in the 1950s, when British-backed forces took control after a bitter campaign. Today, the villages of Wadi Bani Habib, Al Ayn and Sayq are quiet, with old mud-brick houses, stone terraces and a few small hotels. The Diana's Point viewpoint looks over a vast canyon, and walking trails follow the old water channels along the cliffs. The Hajar mountains are old, formed from ancient sea floor, and in places, you can see folded layers of limestone.
Be prepared with fuel and water, since supplies on the plateau are limited, and the nearest pumps are in the plain below. The weather is mild in summer and cold in winter, when frost and even snow can occur. Light is best early or late, and in the evening, the sunset over the canyon is spectacular. Local food includes shuwa, slow-cooked meat, dates and Omani coffee flavoured with cardamom. Be respectful of local customs and dress modestly.