Oman Tour Plan

As a country that starts with O listed on Countryaah.com, the Sultanate of Oman is oriented towards the sea and proud of a seafaring tradition that goes back thousands of years. The Omanis have always been actively trading with India, Persia and East Africa; Spices – incense and rose water played important roles in the past. One consequence of this is that, in addition to the official language Arabic, many Omanis speak Swaheli, Urdu or Hindi. Around four million people live in Oman – making it one of the most sparsely populated countries on earth.

Day 1: Flight Vienna – Muscat
Day 2: To the highest mountain in the country
Day 3: From the mountains to the old capital
Day 4: Castles and deep gorges
Day 5: Into the desert
Day 6: From the desert to the coast
Day 7: Return to Muscat
Day 8: Arrival in Vienna

This trip across Oman is extremely varied: In the capital Muscat we visit the Sultan’s Palace and the new Sultan Qaboos Mosque, one of the largest mosques in the world. Then it’s off towards the summit of the almost 3,000 meter high Jebel Shams. We are not allowed to go all the way up – military radar station. But we can look into the gorge over 1,000 meters deep.

We visit the old capital Nizwa, which still has some of the old flair and in the castle of Jabrin you feel a bit transported back in time. From here we drive into the desert, into the huge dune area of the Wahiba Sands. Many Bedouins live here, we will probably meet them with herds of sheep and goats plus camels. When visiting one of the tents, Bedouins offer us all kinds of things to buy. The next morning the early risers among us are already outside when the desert wakes up. At the end of the trip we go to the coast, where we still have the opportunity to swim in the waves of the Indian Ocean.

We have planned smaller hikes in the different landscapes – in the mountains with tremendous views into deep gorge systems, in narrow wadis where sometimes small natural pools invite you to take a bath and over sand dunes, where we can discover the traces of the animals living there.

Meals: B = breakfast / L = lunch / packed lunch / D = dinner

1st day:

Flight Vienna – Muscat

Flight to Muscat.

2nd day:

To the highest mountain in the country

In the morning drive to the new Sultan Qaboos Mosque, one of the largest mosques in the Islamic world. During our tour we also come to the Great Prayer Hall; This is home to one of the largest carpets in the world and a Swarovski chandelier several meters high hangs from the dome. Only the best and finest materials have been used in the building, which looks very harmonious despite its size. Then we leave the capital and drive to Jebel Shams, the highest mountain in the country. We spend the night in small, simple bungalows at an altitude of around 1,800m.

Hotel
(- / – / A)

3rd day:

From the mountains to the old capital

In the morning we hike a little towards the summit (the actual summit must not be climbed because there is a military radar station here) and have great views of the
1,000 m deep gorges (the “Grand Canyon des Oman”). In the afternoon we go to Nizwa – the old capital of the country – where we end the day comfortably. The city wall, the market area and the Sultan Qaboos Mosque are usually very nicely lit in the evening and give the city a special flair.

Hike: approx. 3-4 hours
overnight in the hotel
(B / – / -)

4th day:

Castles and deep ravines

Drive to Wadi Nakhar. During a hike in the spectacular gorge of Wadi Nakhar we can discover fossils in the rock and see various stalactite formations along the way. At the end of the 7 km long gorge there is a small, now deserted village. Sometimes there are also former residents who work in their fields nearby. We return to our vehicles the same way. We drive to the Jabrin Fortress and visit the extraordinary residential palace. Return to Nizwa to spend the night.

Hike: 2-3 hours
overnight in the hotel
(B / – / -)

5th day:

Into the desert

In the morning we stroll through the Nizwa market. The small “old” Marktgasse is particularly interesting, where mainly spice dealers can be found. Then drive into the sandy desert of the Wahiba Sands. On the way we will meet one or the other herd of sheep / goats and camels (dromedaries) of the Bedouins. We visit one of the Bedouin tents and can also buy little things there (key rings, bracelets, scarves,…). In the afternoon we finally reach our desert camp. This accommodation consists of comfortable tents or thatched huts with beds and their own bathroom / toilet. At sunset we do a short hike over the sand dunes.

Hike: approx. 2 hours
overnight in the camp
(B / – / D)

6th day:

From the desert to the coast

We are usually woken up early in the morning by the cooing of the pigeons living here. After a good breakfast, our vehicles leave the desert through the sand dunes. Our first destination is Sur. In the city on a lagoon, we visit one of the last dhow shipyards in the Arab world. Sometimes the traditional wooden boats are still built here or older boats are overhauled. One of the small bars is ideal for a lunch break. Fresh seafood is available, but there are other alternatives. We spend the night in a small hotel by the sea. So we can also dive into the waters of the Indian Ocean

Overnight in the hotel
(B / – / -)

7th day:

Return to Muscat

After breakfast we hike to the picturesque Wadi Shaab. It is one of the most beautiful valleys in Oman. Rugged, barren rock faces delimit the narrow valley, and palm trees and other fruit trees grow in small gardens in the valley itself. Then blue-green shimmering natural pools appear between the rocks and invite you to take a bath. After a refreshing swim, we unfortunately have to return to our vehicles. It’s back to the modern capital Muscat on good roads.
In the Mutrah district we can stroll through the lively souq and enjoy the flair of the Orient – gold and silver, spices, frankincense and myrrh, fabrics…
Depending on the flight time, transfer to the airport or overnight stay in Muscat and early morning drive to the airport.

Hike: 2-3 hours
overnight in the hotel
(B / – / -)

8th day: