Sultanate Ep 012: Tigers, Caves, and Majlis al Jinn

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There are a ton of caves in Oman of all sizes. Majlis al Jinn is the largest and most unique, but thousands of other caves dot the countryside and make for some interesting surprises if you happen to have a look. This month I share with you a taste from both sides of the cave spectrum.

Richard “Roo” Walters is an amateur cave explorer who is on a mission to laser scan the world’s largest cave chambers. He recently scanned Oman’s largest chamber, Majlis al Jinn, and I was keen to talk with him for a few reasons. Firstly, the Majlis is off limits to visitors so it’s rare to meet an adventurer who descended to the darkness. Secondly, I wanted to get his opinion and experience from inside the cave. Roo has visited all the large chambers in the world and can give us good comparison. Lastly, lasers are cool and the data they record can give curious adventurers like us the best view since we can’t go ourselves.

Lasers and restricted caves are fun and all, but Mohammed Said Ali brings us back to earth when he shows me his cave in Dhofar and tells me about the “tigers” (Arabian leopards) that can eat twenty of his goats in one night. I never met anybody who owned a cave before I met Mohammed.

So, join me as I take you across the sultanate and into the caves!

Lasers, Caves, Tigers and ghosts… What name do you give the Bond villain in this script? Tell me in the comments below.

 

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Sultanate Ep 012: Tigers, Caves, and Majlis al Jinn Links

• Roo’s Majlis Cave flythrough
• Maio Room 3D Tour (National Geographic)
• Roo’s Sketchfab

Majlis al Jinn Facts

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Majlis al Jinn is located up on Selmah Plateau, and there is a lot to explore up the mountain. In these two related posts I describe the Salmah Plateau more in-depth, and show you the wonderful Jaylah Tower Tombs:

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Majlis al Jinn Location

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Download the GPX/KML files

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