AL HOOTA CELLAR

The Sultanate of Oman boasts numerous caves, some of which are among the widest in the world, such as the Selma and Teyq caves, which are several hundred metres deep. Located on the southern slope of Jebel Akhdar, the Al Hoota cave is the only one on the Arabian Peninsula open to the general public. It takes the form of an underground gorge accessible via two entrances: one at 1,040 metres above sea level near the village of Al Hoota, the other at 810 metres above sea level between the Tanuf valley and the town of Al Hamra. The entrance is man-made and located very close to the natural access below. It was created to make the cave accessible to as many people as possible. The promoters have gone to great lengths to equip the space with a number of state-of-the-art facilities: a train to avoid the 400-metre walk in direct sunlight to the entrance, walkways and steps secured by barriers, subtle and well thought-out lighting, etc. Thanks to these infrastructures, the visit can be made without altering the balance of the environment and in good conditions of comfort, despite humidity levels sometimes reaching 90% inside. To reinforce measures aimed at minimizing any negative impact on this delicate ecosystem, only guided tours are organized in small groups. So it's under the guidance of a professional that we set off to explore this fabulous geological complex (over two million years old) and its immense cavities with walls, floors and ceilings lined with stalactites, stalagmites, gours and other formations. As with most other caves in Oman, this complex geological system bears witness to a fluvial period and tectonic movements, but above all to a major erosion phenomenon that is responsible for the anfractuosities we see.

Discovered in 1960, the Al Hoota cave is 5 km long, although only 500 metres can be visited. It is carved out of grey limestone, granular dolomitic rock and clay layers. Its longest hall is 150 meters long and its highest ceiling is 65 meters high. The cave is home to several rare endemic species of insects and crustaceans, as well as bats. The main cave is also partly crossed by the largest of Al Hoota's underground lakes, 800 metres long, 10 metres wide and 15 metres deep. The lake benefits from natural ventilation. A rare phenomenon, it is home to depigmented, blind fish fed on organic waste transported by floods during rainy periods. This is an endemic species, the Garra Bareimiae, which can be admired from a specially-designed esplanade. On-site: store and restaurant.

Geological exhibition. To begin or extend the adventure, visit the small adjoining museum featuring over 150 varieties of stone (granite, quartz, limestone, chlorite, etc.), fossilized or petrified wood, coral and more. Interactive stations explain some of nature's miracles (continental drift, stalactite formation...), while aquariums enable visitors to discover and observe the animal species that live in the Al Hoota cave: fish, small crustaceans, mosquito larvae and water beetles.