Essence of Oman

Welcome to Muscat! Once customs and immigration formalities are concluded you will be met in the arrivals hall by your tour guide who will transfer you to the group hotel for check in. The rest of the day is at your leisure.

Meals:  Nil

After breakfast we head out on a grand tour of Muscat, appropriately beginning at the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque, a modern architectural masterpiece of epic proportions. Built from 300,000 tonnes of Indian sandstone, the interior features include the second largest chandelier in the world and beneath it, a hand woven prayer rug that truly defies belief. Measuring 70 x 60 metres this single-piece Persian carpet contains 1,700 million knots and took a team of weavers 27 months to complete. (NOTE - The Grand Mosque is open for visitors from Saturday to Thursday 8-11 AM only, except the holidays). From the mosque we head to Muttrah, where we visit the Bait Al Zubair Museum and pass by Qasr Al Alam - His Majesty’s Palace. For a complete change of pace we then visit the fish market and vibrant Muttrah Souk. Feel free to bargain with the local merchants, hawking their wares inside a labyrinth of well-stocked alleyways and corridors. After a typically Omani lunch we head back to our hotel. The rest of the afternoon and evening are at your leisure. NB: Non-Muslims are allowed to visit the mosque every day, except Friday, from 8:30 until 11:00 am and on public holidays. All visitors are asked to dress modestly and women are required to cover their hair.

Meals:  B

After breakfast we head to Nizwa, the heritage capital of Oman, famous for its marvellous 17th Century Fort. Nizwa Souk is also well regarded and a great place to buy ornamental silver jewellery and intricately hand-carved ‘khanjars’ (daggers). If you happen to be here on a Friday, also spend some time taking in all the action at the cattle market. From Nizwa we head to Jabreen, stopping en route at Bahla. This historic walled town is famous for its pottery and World Heritage listed Fort. It is quite spectacular, but many would argue the castle at Jabreen reigns supreme; lauded for the inscriptions and frescoes that adorn its many rooms. Its carved doors and painted ceilings are equally stunning, and provide additional cause to applaud Omani craftsmanship. Finally we head for Jebal Shams, the highest point on the Arabian Peninsula. The mountains here are craggy and parched but the views they afford over Oman’s 1,000m deep “Grand Canyon” are breath-taking.

Meals:  B,L,D

After breakfast this morning we set off to explore the landscape more intimately. We have arranged for an optional hike to visit the last village in the canyon. Following lunch today we then drive to Wahiba Sands. This is quite a surreal landscape with red and white dunes rising up to 200 metres. And despite just how dry the whole area is, it hosts a surprising variety of flora and fauna. Our experienced drivers then hope to thrill you with their 4 x 4 skills, tackling the dunes en route to our desert campsite.

Meals:  B,L,D

This morning after breakfast we break camp and head off to visit a local Bedouin home. Here you will be welcomed to share a pot of traditional Bedouin coffee and learn all about their lives and highly prized camels. We continue driving to Wadi Bani Khalid – a beautiful valley with a number of picturesque villages set above the deep blue-green waters of the Khalid oasis. After a swim and a hearty, laid-back lunch we drive out to the coast of Al Ashkhara and onto Ras Al Had. On arrival, we check into our hotel, then leave you to relax for the remainder of the day, or rest up for our night-time tour. Sometime during the evening we will guide you down to the beach of Ras Al Jinz – a popular nesting site for the region’s giant green sea turtles. Depending on the timing of your visit, you may be fortunate to witness a large female turtle laboriously laying a clutch of eggs, or the frantic emergence of hundreds of hatchlings making their way to the sea. Either spectacle is a privileged experience - one that will leave you in awe.

Meals:  B,L,D

After breakfast we check out of the hotel and continue on our Oman adventure, stopping briefly near Sur to admire the time-honoured construction of a dhow - a traditional wooden sailing vessel still used in this part of the world for trade. Our next stop will be Wadi Shab. Here we take a walk through the village and its lush green plantations then hike to its nearby oasis. After a swim, we drive on to Muscat, where our trip arrangements conclude.

Meals:  B,L