Oman’s Hanging Gardens: Life in the Oases of Jebel Akhdar | FULL DOCUMENTARY

In the mountains of Oman, the oases of Jebel Akhdar form hanging gardens in one of the world’s most arid regions. At 2,000 meters above sea level, villages cultivate Damask roses, fruit trees and other crops thanks to a unique microclimate and centuries of farming knowledge.

At the heart of these oases are the aflāj, ancient networks of channels that carry scarce groundwater to fields using gravity. Farmers carefully share irrigation time, while multilayered agriculture helps reduce heat and evaporation. Scientists studying these ecosystems have also identified rare plant varieties and rich biodiversity preserved by traditional practices.
Today, urbanization and growing water consumption are putting pressure on this way of life, while abandoned villages and neglected terraces pose further challenges. Some residents continue farming ancestral land, while others use tourism to help sustain traditional villages.
Jebel Akhdar reveals how generations of Omanis have cultivated and preserved fertile gardens in an extreme environment.

Documentary: Oases : Oman the Hanging Gardens of Jebel Akhdar
Directed by: Sarah Lainé
Production: ZED (2021)