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Ibri lies in Oman’s interior, to the west of the Hajar mountains and bordering the UAE and Saudi Arabia. Due to the harsh environment characterised by huge sandy plains, Ibri is sparsely populated and there is not much in the way of modern-world comforts. Water is transported from the mountains to the towns using the age-old falaj system, which is deceptively sophisticated.
This is an area where you will get to see Omanis living their lives as they have done for centuries, and if you are fortunate you may get to see displays of traditional dances and crafts. It is also a great place for exploring old forts, ancient tombs and caves. In fact, it is home to the famous beehive tombs in Ibri (also called the Bat tombs), which have been listed as a Unesco World Heritage site. While there is some debate as to whether these were actually used as tombs or whether they were rudimentary homes for small families, it is widely accepted that the tombs date back to early civilisations that lived in the region over 5,000 years ago. Ibri was historically a critical stopping point on the overland trading route.
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