Explore the 500-year-old craggy village

Al Sogara villagers build houses in self-made caves on rugged mountains, living separately from the rest of the world.

About 195km southwest of the capital Muscat is the Jabal al Akhdar limestone mountain range, also known as the Blue Mountain, which is 2,980 m high. It is considered the "maze" of twisted valleys and deep canyons, located in the most remote areas of the country.

From the end of the asphalt road, climbing about 20 km through vertical slopes, small houses gradually appeared within sight. It was Al Sogara, the settlement carved out of cliffs, isolated from the outside world for 500 years.

The only way to get to the village is to walk or use a mule and an all-terrain vehicle.(Photo: Ibrahim Shehab).

The village is home to 5 families from the Alshariqi tribe , a group that immigrated from Jordan more than 1,000 years ago. The current population is about 25 people. Throughout the generations, people have maintained the ancient custom of building houses of stone and clay, or carving them directly into cliffs. According to the villagers, their ancestors used mountain materials to build houses. Like mixing water with rocks and clay to build walls.

Although there are many other villages in the area, Al Sogara is the only place still inhabited. Before 2005, the villagers had no electricity or telephone. The nearest road is 15 km away. Mules are a means of transporting goods from nearby towns of Nizwa, Birkat Al Mouz. People have figured out how to stretch the pulley cables above the valley to transport supplies and supplies from across the canyon.

In the past, because there was no school, generations had to learn to read and write by themselves at home. Since 1970, students have been studying in the Sayq area, 14 km away. To get to school, the children have to follow the narrow staircase of the village, down the gravel roads on the other side of the mountain, to get their cars to pick them up.

Clay houses are warm in the winter and cool in the summer.(Photo: Ibrahim Shehab).

Located at an altitude of 2,700 m above sea level, Al Sogara has harsh winters and frequent snow. Houses made of clay and limestone can help people cope with the cold winters and hot summers.

The "caves" carved in the cliffs are also refuge for the herds. For centuries, families have built fences on the entrance of shops, to prevent attacks by wildlife. For the Alshariqi tribe, animals signify prosperity. People with many goats, sheep and mules mean wealth.

In addition to raising cattle, people here grow pomegranates, walnuts, peaches, apricots, oranges, figs, garlic, onions and many other vegetables. To sustain life in remote areas of the country, people use an irrigation system called Aflaj , which draws water from the stream below the valley to the village by gravity. However, due to the changing weather, the water flow was no longer as fast as before. The 20-50 km long water pipes gradually dripped. The vegetation-covered mountain has now become dry and rocky. The people 's crops there have also become more difficult.

Like other Omanis, the Al Sogara tribe is extremely hospitable. The villagers can greet a guest, invite them to eat, rest for 3 days.

The villagers believe that the future depends on the present.As long as they take good care of their place, the younger generation will continue.(Photo: Ibrahim Shehab).

In recent years, some residents of Al Sogara have come to big cities like Muscat and Nizwa to find work. However, those who stay behind still love this land. They wake up every morning, take care of goats and gardens. People fear their houses and cultural lifestyles will not exist in 15 years, if they do not pass on the love to the next generations.