Oman is a wonderland for travellers with a keen interest in geology. Geological stories can be found just about anywhere, from Oman’s highest mountain, Jebel Shams, to the mega-dunes of the Empty Quarter (Rub Al Khali) and the Rock Garden at Duqm.
The Sultanate of Oman is the only country in the world composed mostly of oceanic crust and rocks that originate from the Earth’s mantle. Evidence of continental drift can be witnessed in many of the unusual rock formations and topography around Oman, including the coastline around Muscat.
One of the most outstanding geological features of the country is the Al Hajar Mountain range, which forms an arc from the north-west to the south-east of the country.
Jebel Shams, at just over 3000 metres, is Oman’s highest mountain and truly a geological outdoor museum with fossils embedded in rocks hundreds of metres above sea level.