Nine days across the whole country: Muscat, Jebel Shams, the forts of the interior, the Wahiba Sands and the turtle beaches of the east.
Day by day
8 nights
From
€2,000 per person
Best months
January, February, March, April, October, November, December
Overview
Oman changes every day on this journey. Harbour light and white mosques in Muscat. Thin air and a sheer canyon at the top of Jebel Shams. Mud-brick forts and pottery kilns in the interior. Then sand, then sea, then the quiet of a beach at night as turtles come ashore.
The route moves in one wide loop, so nothing is doubled back. Two nights in Nizwa give time to explore the heart of old Oman. A night in the Wahiba Sands sits between the mountains and the coast. The last days return you to Muscat by the shore road, with a morning at sea among dolphins before you leave.
Everything runs on a private basis, with one English-speaking driver-guide and a private vehicle throughout. Stays are in 4-star hotels with breakfast daily.
Arranged with our trusted partner on the ground in Oman.
The order of visits may shift for operational reasons. Every stop listed is kept.
Highlights
Sunset dhow cruise along the Muscat coast
Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque, the National Museum and Muttrah Souq
Jebel Shams and the canyon of Wadi Ghul
The forts of Nizwa, Bahla and Jabrin, with Bahla on the UNESCO World Heritage list
A night in the Wahiba Sands
Traditional dhow shipyards in Sur
Green turtles nesting at Ras Al Jinz
Dolphin watching off the Muscat coast
Day by day
Day 1
Arrival and a dhow at sunset
Your driver meets you at Muscat International Airport for a private transfer to your hotel. In the evening, board a traditional wooden dhow and sail the Muscat coast as the sun goes down behind the mountains. Overnight in Muscat.
Day 2
Muscat
Begin at the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque, a gift to the nation marking the Sultan's 30th year of reign, known for its vast hand-woven carpet and crystal chandelier. Women cover their hair, arms and legs; men wear long trousers. Continue through the seaside district of Qurum to the National Museum, which traces Omani life from the earliest settlements to today.
Stop for photos at Al Alam Palace between the 16th-century forts of Jalali and Mirani. Walk the fish market on the Corniche, then lose yourself in the lanes of Muttrah Souq. Overnight in Muscat.
Leave the coast for the Hajar Mountains. Stop at Misfat al Abriyeen, a village built into the side of the mountain, where water still runs through stone channels between the palms. Continue up Jebel Shams, the Mountain of the Sun, close to 3,000 metres high, and stand at the edge of Wadi Ghul, the deepest canyon in Oman. Descend to Nizwa for the night. Overnight in Nizwa.
Day 4
The forts of the interior
Nizwa first: its 17th-century fort with a great round tower, and a souq full of silver, pottery and dates. On Friday mornings a livestock market fills the square. Drive on to Bahla, a town of potters, whose fort is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. End at Jabrin Fort, built in the late 17th century and later a seat of learning, known for its painted ceilings. Overnight in Nizwa.
Day 5
Into the Wahiba Sands
Drive east as the land flattens and turns to sand. The Wahiba Sands cover around 10,000 square kilometres, home to Bedouin families and dunes that change colour through the day. Watch the light fall over the sand from your camp. Overnight in the Wahiba Sands.
Day 6
Wadi Bani Khalid, Sur and the turtles
Stop at Wadi Bani Khalid for a swim in its clear pools. Continue to Sur, an old port on the eastern tip of Oman, where shipwrights still build wooden dhows by hand. In the evening, walk the beach at Ras Al Jinz, a protected nesting site for endangered green turtles. Overnight at Ras Al Jinz or Ras Al Hadd.
Day 7
The coast road to Muscat
Follow the Gulf of Oman back towards the capital. Stop at Fins Beach, white sand against dark rock. Walk into Wadi Shab, where green pools sit in the shade of high cliffs. Pass through Quriyat, a fishing town between lagoon and sea, and end at the Bimmah Sinkhole. Overnight in Muscat.
Day 8
Dolphins and a free afternoon
An early boat trip into open water to watch dolphins off the Muscat coast. The rest of the day is yours: the souq again, the beach at Qurum, or a slow lunch by the sea. Overnight in Muscat.
Day 9
Departure
Breakfast at the hotel and a midday check-out, then a private transfer to Muscat International Airport.
What is included
8 nights in 4-star hotels and camp accommodation
Daily breakfast
Sunset dhow cruise (Day 1)
Turtle reserve visit at Ras Al Jinz (Day 6)
Dolphin watching trip (Day 8)
Private airport transfers
Private vehicle with English-speaking driver-guide throughout
All sightseeing as listed in the itinerary
What is not
International and domestic flights
Visa fees
Early check-in and late check-out
Lunches and dinners
Optional activities not listed in the itinerary
Drinks, laundry, tips and other personal expenses
Bringing the world into view…
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