Don’t glance down at your phone on the Yasab Road

Yasab is a high mountain town at an elevation of 1.200m (3,937ft) above the sea level located in the Al Batinah South Governorate of northern Oman. This road tests the skill, and courage, of any driver.

Road to Yasab

Located within the Western Hajar Mountains, the road to the town is extreme. It’s definitely not for anyone suffering from vertigo or a fear of landslides. There are some narrow sections -scarcely wide enough for two cars- where if two vehicles have to pass each other, one might have to reverse for some kilometers of winding narrow road to get to a place wide enough to pass. It shouldn’t be attempted by those who don't know how to reverse. The road is pretty steep and tops out at 1.965m (6,446ft) above the sea level.

Starting from the Wadi Sahtan Road, the drive is 19.5km long. In many places the road is bordered by a drop of hundreds of meters (many hundreds of feet) unprotected by guardrails. There is little room for error on this road. It’s incredibly disorienting to look over the edge, or even just to see the valleys a couple thousand feet below you. The surface of the road is gravel, sand, and rocks. 4x4 recommended. The road is in dreadful condition and requires strong nerves to negotiate it. It’s certainly breathtaking and it has a fearsome reputation.
Road suggested by: Hugh Wilson
Pic: ابو خالد