Al Sogara is a village in

Ad Dakhiliyah Governorate Ad Dakhiliyah () is one of the eleven governorates (''muhafazah'') of Oman with Nizwa town as the regional center. It was previously a region ('' mintaqah''). It became a governorate on 28 October 2011. Provinces Ad Dakhiliyah Governorate cons ...

Oman Oman, officially the Sultanate of Oman, is a country located on the southeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula in West Asia and the Middle East. It shares land borders with Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen. Oman’s coastline ...

. It is located about 200 kilometers (~125 miles) southwest of

Muscat Muscat (, ) is the capital and most populous city in Oman. It is the seat of the Governorate of Muscat. According to the National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI), the population of the Muscat Governorate in 2022 was 1.72 million. ...

and some 40 kilometers (~20 miles) from the main mountain city of Seih Qatana. The village is carved into the mountainside of the Jebel Akhdar, also known as the Green Mountain. Around 195 kilometers (~124 miles) southwest of

’s sand-fringed coastline, Oman’s dusty plains rise into the limestone folds of the Jabal al Akhdar, a massif 2,980 meters high. This maze of twisting valleys and deep canyons is one of the country’s most remote corners and as the road loses its asphalt, the only way forward is on foot, by mule, or by

all-terrain vehicle An all-terrain vehicle (ATV), also known as a light utility vehicle (LUV), a quad bike or quad (if it has four wheels), as defined by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), is a vehicle that travels on low-pressure tires, has a seat ...

. Al Sogara is described as one of the most remote villages in Oman. It is existed for more than 500 years. When the village was in its infancy, the villagers carved houses into the

limestone Limestone is a type of carbonate rock, carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material Lime (material), lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different Polymorphism (materials science) ...

, creating a protective barrier against storms and the winter cold. Presently, the village is a tiny community of 25 residents living on the edge of the Green Mountain. The villagers descend from the Al-Shariqi tribe, which originated in Jordan over 1,000 years ago. Al Sogara has remained virtually untouched for centuries; until 2005, foreigners were barred from visiting because Al Sogara was used as the center of a militarized zone. The village has since been modernized.

Electricity Electricity is the set of physical phenomena associated with the presence and motion of matter possessing an electric charge. Electricity is related to magnetism, both being part of the phenomenon of electromagnetism, as described by Maxwel ...

has been installed to help provide power to cable cars aiding villagers with transportation and deliveries to and from the village. Due to the high altitude and rocky terrain, a helicopter regularly helps deliver supplies to Al Sogara. In addition to electricity, the village now has a man-made water canal that provides fresh water to villagers. In 2014, because of the increase in tourism, the village's inhabitants moved to the other side of the hill to preserve their peace and quiet. We pass through their new village just before parking at the parking lot, from which the old village can be accessed by stairs. The village, although still authentic, has been converted into a hotel and café. In 2019, BBC Travel visited Al Sogara and described it as the most remote village in the region.

References

{{coord missing, Oman Ad Dakhiliyah Governorate Cliff dwellings Populated places in Oman