Oman, land of contrasts

Trip Description

Accomodation

Stay program

• day 1

  Arrival in Muscat

  

  Arrival in Muscat in the evening. Welcome by the local representative and transfer to the hotel for a three-night stay. Overnight in Muscat. Arrival in Muscat: you will proceed directly to immigration formalities to obtain your visa. Customs clearance. Welcome by our guide and transfer to your City Season hotel. You will have the car and travel documents, with someone to explain the program to you.

• day 2

  Muscat Nakhal-Wadi Bani Auf Jabal Shams 270 km

  

  In the morning, drive to the city of Barka, visit its fish market. Then, head to Nakhal, a famous thermal resort in Antiquity. Swimming possible in a natural hot water pool. Visit the prestigious site of Nakhl Fort. Continue towards Jabel Shams via Al Hamra. A road that, from the top of the mountain, turns into a track. More than 1,000 meters of elevation gain in vast plains bordering deep canyons. Spectacular and grandiose landscapes. Our 4x4s will fully showcase their air-conditioned comfort. Walk along the edge of Wadi Bani Auf, which you cross entirely. A refreshing landscape where you discover palm groves, scattered gardens, villages sometimes nestled in unusual places. You climb to the Birkat Al Sharaf pass and discover Wadi Bani Auf in all its splendor, as well as its neighboring wadis. Stop in the oasis village of Birkat Al Sharaf. Dinner and overnight at Sama Heights Resort. (Breakfast + dinner)

• day 3

  Al Hamra Misfah: 40 km

  

  Breakfast at the hotel. Excursion to the village of Nakhar and to Wadi Ghul. Then visit to the village of Al-Hamra, one of the oldest in Oman, which still has some multi-storey houses built in the Yemeni style. We will stroll among its 400-year-old mud houses; we will visit one of them called "Bait Al Safa": a traditional Omani house. Continue to the village of Misfat El Abreen where the houses cling to the cliff, its palm grove, a very well-known tourist site and a magnificent traditional village. Dinner and overnight at Misfah Old House. (Bfst + din)

• day 4

  Nizwa, Bahla, Jabreen: 80 km

  

  Departure for the discovery of Jabrin, one of the most beautiful forts in Oman, also dating from the 17th century. Drive to Bahla Fort, protected by UNESCO since 1987. The Bahla oasis owes its prosperity to the Banu Nabhan, who dominated other communities between the 12th century and the end of the 15th century. Their power is attested by the ruins of the immense fort, with its mudbrick walls and towers, as well as its stone foundations. After visiting the fort, stroll among the remains of old houses and stop at a traditional pottery workshop, with a demonstration of this age-old technique. Lunch on site. Continuation to Nizwa, the main tourist center of the Sultanate and the first Omani capital in the 6th and 7th centuries. Nizwa has managed to retain its charm over the years, with its fort and watchtower protecting the city from invaders. It is the land of the imams Ibn Al Julanda, the first imam democratically appointed in the 7th century. Buyers stop, feel the animal, discuss. Visit of the fort surrounded by palm groves. This fort, built in the 17th century by Imam Sultan Bin Saif Al Ya’Aruba, and a walk through the typical alleys. Dinner and overnight at the Intercity 4* hotel.

• day 5

  Al Jabal Akhdar: 120 km

  

  Breakfast at the hotel. Visit of the oasis and the Falaj Daris. Excursion to Tanouf, headquarters of the Jebali warriors, bombed in the mid-19th century to suppress any effort of independence. Excursion to the village of Birkat al-Mawz, whose old houses, accessible through a maze of alleys, are built of rammed earth. Continue to Jabal Akhdar, "the green mountain," recently opened to tourism, which offers another vision of Oman, focused on agriculture. Various terraced plantations (fruit trees, saffron, garlic, roses, etc.) benefit from much milder temperatures than in the rest of the Sultanate and color the mountain. The altitude of 2000 meters of the Saiq plateau provides the moderate climate necessary for these plantations. Visit its small villages clinging to the mountainside. Dinner and overnight at the Sama Al Jabal Akhdar 4* hotel.

• day 6

  Wadi Bani Khalid Wahiba Sands: 285 km

  

  Breakfast at the hotel. Departure towards the Wahiba desert. Detour to Wadi Bani Khaled: a vast green valley nestled against the Hajjar mountains; a true Garden of Eden, where water flows all year round. Palm trees, mango trees, lemon trees, and many other fruit trees thrive there. Several villages have been established there for a long time. The Wahiba desert is a sea of sand, completely enclosed, separated from the Rub’Al Khali by 200 km of stony plain. It covers 3,000 km². In this area of dunes and oases, Bedouins who raise dromedaries still live. These dromedaries are now highly sought after in the Gulf countries for their sprinting qualities and are worth a fortune! 4x4 excursion. Dinner and overnight at Arabian Oryx.

• day 7

  Wahiba Sands Masirah Island: 180 km

  

  In the morning, the adventure accompanied by a Bedouin guide can begin to drive on the dunes of Wahiba, We then move from the heart of the country to the coast, then continue towards Masirah. Arrival at Masirah Island. Free afternoon. Overnight at Masirah Island Hotel 4*.

• day 8

  Masirah Island

  

  Departure to visit the interior of the island, the wadis lined with palm trees, and to discover the wild and preserved beauty of the island. You will notice traces of volcanic activity. Passing through some fishing villages. Overnight at the Masirah Island 4* hotel.

• day 9

  Masirah Island Ras Al Hadd: 331 km

  

  Early in the morning, you will witness the sunrise, then head towards the Masirah gate. You will take the ferry to the village of Shanah. You will follow the coast of the Indian Ocean and pass through several fishing villages until you arrive at Ras Al Hadd, where the giant turtles are the main attraction (from October to May). These magnificent creatures emerge from the sea to lay more than 200 eggs on the sand, between sunset and dawn. Turtle watching. Night at Turtle Beach Resort 3*.

• day 10

  Ras Al Hadd, Wadi Shab, Wadi Tiwi: 270 km

  

  Breakfast at the hotel. In the morning, discovery of Makkah, the old districts of Sour with its pastel houses and finely decorated wooden doors. Visit to the Sur fish market, then drive along the corniche to Aija, the nearby suburb where the shipyards and dhows are located, these famous wooden boats, some of which are over a hundred years old. Then departure towards Muscat with a stop at Wadi Tiwi. Walk at Wadi Shab (in Arabic: river between the rocks; with shade and clear green waters), stroll along the Wadi. Passing by the Wadi Dayqah dam and the very little frequented Wadi Suwaih, which offers a long pool of clear water suitable for swimming. Passing through the village of Quriyat. Return to Muscat. Overnight at Crown Plaza 4* (breakfast included).

• day 11

  Muscat

  

  Departure for a tour of the city of Muscat. The Grand Mosque will be the first site. Inaugurated in 2001, it has the second largest handmade carpet (with more than 1,700,000 knots) and the second largest chandelier in the world. Please note that women must cover their heads, arms, and legs during the visit. Next, you will head towards Muttrah via the embassy road. On the way, you will visit the Muscat Opera. Visit to the Muttrah fish market. We will continue our walk in the old city of Muscat, where you will admire the palace of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos Bin Said and the old Portuguese forts Jilali and Mirani (these buildings can only be visited from the outside). Return to Muttrah, you will stroll through the old traditional souq, where you can get lost, shop, and feel the oriental atmosphere. Return to your hotel.

• day 12

  Sea trip

  

  In the morning, after breakfast, departure towards the Bandar Al Khayran reserve. It is located 30 to 40 minutes by boat from the Bandar Al Rawdah marina, in the heart of Muscat. During the crossing, dolphins often accompany you. You can then admire the spectacle of the rocky mountains and the small white houses overlooking the sea; you also pass by the magnificent beaches of the Al Bustan Palace and Shangri-La Barr Al Jissah hotels. In Bandar Al Khayran, you can observe a large number of corals that are home to many living creatures and all kinds of fish. It is a particularly popular spot for divers. Twenty-two dive sites have been identified there, each more fascinating than the last. Transfer to the Crowne Plaza 4*.

• day 13

  Muscat Musandam

  

  Breakfast at the hotel. Morning flight to Khassab, in the Musandam peninsula, the northernmost region of Oman. Transfer to the hotel, then departure for a 4x4 excursion to Jebel Harim, the highest mountain in Musandam, then to the village of Khour Najid, to admire its spectacular views over the Indian Ocean. On the way back, stop at the Birkat Khalidiya nature park. Dinner and overnight at the Atana Khassab 4* hotel.

• day 14

  Dhow outing

  

  Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to Khasab port and departure for a day cruise aboard a dhow, a traditional Omani boat. The cruise is often escorted by dolphins that come to play with the boat. Discover the magnificent fjords of Musandam, small fishing villages on the mountainside, and stop at Telegraph Island for a refreshing swim in the clear waters of the Gulf of Oman (snack served on board). Return to your Khasab hotel, 3* hotel.

• day 15

  Khassab Dubai Departure: 195 km

  

  Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to Dubai airport for your flight to your country.