Spending a week in Oman offers a captivating journey through its diverse landscapes and rich cultural heritage. Begin in Muscat, where the grandeur of the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque and the bustling Muttrah Souq immerse you in the city's vibrant ambiance. Journey into the vast expanse of the Wahiba Sands, where towering dunes invite exhilarating desert adventures like dune bashing and camel treks, while nights under the starlit sky unveil the serene beauty of the desert. Conclude your exploration in the ancient town of Nizwa, gateway to the rugged Hajar Mountains and home to the historic Nizwa Fort, providing insights into Oman's storied past and traditional way of life.
Day 1, Sat: Muscat
After arrival formalities at Muscat airport, meet our representative who will transfer you to your hotel by air-conditioned vehicle. Check in and overnight in Muscat. Dinner at leisure. [D]
Day 2, Sun: Muscat
Breakfast at your hotel. We will start with a briefing meeting at 9:30 am to explain the trip. Afterwards, we start the tour of Muscat. Drive through the beautiful embassy quarter, to reach the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque that has a remarkable architectural achievement. As a contemporary place of worship, it serves as a spiritual landmark for modern Oman, projecting the values and aspirations of the Omani people. As an edifice, it maintains a perfect balance between aesthetics, culture and deeply rooted Islamic tradition. After the visit to the mosque, we continue to the opera house to visit this marvelous edifice specially built by the late Sultan Qaboos. Lunch will be served in a typical fish restaurant with the locals. After lunch, we will visit Old Muscat, surrounded by steep mountains and flanked by twin 16thcentury forts ‘Jalali’ & ‘Mirani’, also see the Al Alam Palace, the late His Majesty Sultan Qaboos’ residence. We will then proceed to Bait Al Zubair Museum. Bait Al Zubair is itself a part of Muscat heritage. Sheikh Al Zubair who served three former Sultans, founded the house in 1914 and his son Mohammad Al Zubair opened it as a museum in 1998. Its carved doors open into a fortress style reception. The museum includes traditional Omani weaponry, jewelry, costumes, domestic utensils and recreated urban and rural environments. Then drive through the scenic beauty of the corniche, stop at Muttrah, the main port and commercial center and explore the colorful historic souk. This is a real souk with winding alleys and backstreets and stalls selling all manner of textiles, jewelry, traditional Omani perfumes (bukhoor - made of frankincense), souvenirs and antiques… After that long tour, we will drive back to the hotel. Dinner at a traditional Omani restaurant, where you will experience how Omani people eat and taste their cuisine enjoying the relaxing atmosphere that the Omani people like. Overnight in Muscat. [B/L/D]
Day 3, Mon: Muscat, Sur, Wahiba (210 miles)
After breakfast depart for a great adventure trip. We will drive through one of the most thrilling sections of Oman's 1,056-mile coastline. Visit the famous Sinkhole, a part of a collapsed mountain filled with sea water then continue driving on the graded road via Fins. Continue your journey to Wadi Shab where we will stop to admire the marvelous nature and may be walk a bit in the wadi. Lunch in Wadi Shab. We will then continue to Sur, a sea-faring town and a trading port bustling with activity throughout the year. Famed for the fascinating architecture of its old town and shipyards where traditional dhows have been built for centuries at the edge of the bay. After a short tour of Sur, we will continue the coastal road passing through high cliffs and small fishing villages. We will reach at the end of the afternoon the desert of Wahiba Sands – one of the most fascinating and mysterious regions of Oman. We will board 4x4 vehicles and start the adventure in the desert. The vast, ever shifting dunes support an astonishing variety of wildlife and host different kinds of flora and fauna. The quick changing patterns of the dunes are a photographer’s delight. The Wahiba is also home to a few thousand Bedouins, who are known to have inhabited this inhospitable region for at least 7,000 years. We will do some dunes bashing as our experienced drivers show their skill on the dune drive which is a thrilling experience. Dinner in the camp with a real desert atmosphere & Overnight in comfortable tent well equipped with beds & bathrooms in Wahiba Sands. [B/L/D]
Day 4, Tue: Wahiba, Wahiba Sands, Nizwa [125 miles]
After breakfast, we will enjoy for the last time the desert and its secrets, before we board our 4x4 to return to normal civilization. We will then depart to Wadi Bani Khalid – a lush green valley surrounded by rugged mountains. We will enjoy an incredible view and a chance to capture the scenic beauty with the cameras. We will walk in the wadi to investigate the surrounding area on foot. Departure to Nizwa around noon, we will stop on our way for lunch. After lunch, we will continue to Nizwa, a great city with a great history. On arrival in Nizwa after approximately 2-3 hours, we will do a quick orientation of the city. The ancient capital of Oman, Nizwa was a seat of learning and the birthplace of Islam in Oman. The 17th century souk famous for the silver jewelry are the major attraction of Nizwa, not to mention the popular & interesting cattle auction, which takes place on every Friday. Built on a scold base of rock, the huge tower was designed to with stand the vibration of 24 cannons. We will visit the souk and walk around discovering the old city. Check in the hotel. Dinner. Overnight in Nizwa. [B/L/D]
Day 5, Wed: Nizwa
After breakfast, we will continue the visit of Nizwa. Our first sop will be the charming ancestral village of Birkat Al Mouz at the bottom of the Green Mountain, Jebel Akhdar. Then we will proceed to the Jabreen Fort. The Jabreen Castle, built in 17th century, is one of the finest of its kind. Its magnificent plasterwork, the carved doors and the painted wooden beams of the ceilings makes this castle amazingly different. After we visit the Jabreen castle, we will drive back towards Nizwa passing the Jebel Shams part of the most famous Hajar mountains chain in Oman. We will pass by the oldest small towns of Oman Bahla with its fort (outside visit). We will stop at the palm groves at Al Hamra to see its Falaj system. we will stop on our way for lunch. After the visit return to hotel. Dinner and Overnight in Nizwa. [B/L/D]
Day 6, Thu: Nizwa, Jebel Akhdar
After breakfast, morning depart toward the Green Mountain, known in Arabic Jebel Akhdar. continues on a scenic mountain route up to the roof of Oman, the Saiq Plateau which for hundreds of years has only been accessible by donkey. Jebel Akhdar, offers discovery, adventure and a fascinating insight into life in one of the most inaccessible places in the Sultanate. Just as Princess Diana had, experience a sense of awe as you witness nature’s primordial beauty as seen in the soaring peaks and plunging canyons. Feel a fresh breeze as the climate cools down by as much as 15 degrees on top of the mountain. Lunch at Local Restaurant. Visit villages of Saiq, Wadi Bani Habib (the village of the old houses) & Al Ain dot the landscape. The villages overlook a spectacular landscape of dramatic peaks, gorges and wadis. Then transfer to the resort for dinner and overnight in Jabal Akhdar. [B/L/D]
Day 7, Fri: Jabal Akhdar, Muscat, USA
Breakfast at the hotel and check-out before 12:00 pm. After a 2.5-hour-drive we reach Muscat Airport to board your flight back home. [B]
[D] = Dinner | [B/L] = Breakfast & Lunch | [B/L/D] = Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
