Oman
The Majlis al Jinn Cave, the ‘gathering place of the jinn’ (or genies), is a small cave system that consists of only a single gigantic chamber. Looking like something out of the stories of the Arabian Nights, the enormous chamber was the second largest in the world at the time of its discovery. It is big enough and high enough that daredevils have based jumped into it. Plans for developing the cave to expand tourism are currently ongoing.
As far as is known, the Majlis Al Jinn Cave was unknown until the 1980s. It was discovered by Don Davison and Cheryl Jones, Americans employed by the Omani government to survey the region. The cave was explored in a series of rappel drops from 1983 to 1985. It has since become a highly popular destination for cave rappelling.
The Maljis al Jinn Cave is a single huge cave chamber with an area the size of sixteen football fields and a height of 394 feet. There are three entrances in the roof, and all access to the cave requires a terrifying drop. A few thrill enthusiasts have base jumped into the cave. The main entrance is through a crevasse known as Cheryl’s jump. During the day, the ceiling entrances provide a surprising amount of light into the chamber.
The Majlis Al Jinn Cave is in an isolated part of Oman which until recently could only be reached on foot or by iar. A rough road requiring all-wheel drive now connects the cave entrance to the outside world. In 2008, over 70,000 visitors came to see the cave, many of whom dared the rappel drop. Web: www.omantourism.gov.om (official tourism website of Oman).
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