The mountain road from Khasab to the Jebel Harim plateau is one of the most spectacular drives in the entire Gulf region. The route climbs sharply from sea level through a series of switchbacks, revealing increasingly vertiginous views of the khors below. The road surface is sealed but narrow and demands a 4WD with high clearance; the sharp corners require caution. Do not attempt it in a standard rental car.
Near the summit, the plateau opens out into a broad highland landscape of juniper and wild flowers — a striking contrast with the barren coast below. Small villages of Shihuh Bedouin cling to the hillsides; this community maintained near-complete isolation from the outside world until the 1970s. Look for their distinctive axe-type walking stick, the jarzah, still carried by older men. The rock carvings are visible near the road at several points; ask locally or hire a guide to find the best clusters.