Description
Highlights of this safari:
– 4×4 trips in the desert and sleeping under the stars
– mountains, forts and castles
– Arabic City Life in Muscat
– 1700 km of coastline
– turtles on the beach
Short overview:
Day 1. Arrival Muscat
Day 2. Coastal, Sur
Day 3. Wahiba Sands
Day 4. Jebal Akhdar
Day 5. Nizwa & Jebal Shams
Day 6. Wadi Bani Awf & Nahal
Day 7. Muscat City tour & Dhow Cruise
Day 8. Departure
Program & Route:
Day 1. Aankomst Muscat
Arrival in Muscat. Transfer to your hotel.
Day 2. Sur & Turtle Beach
This day starts with a stop en route to Bimmah Sinkhole with its azure saltwater pool, continue to the green Wadi Tiwi with its inviting oases where you have a bite and explore the scene. Thereafter you follow the trail, transformed into a panoramic road, touching the sea from time to time and overlooking magnificent white beaches and the Indian Ocean; arrive to Sur and continue to the dhow yards to visit the traditional craft of boat building.
In the evening after dinner you make an encounter of a special kind. At 21.00 hrs you will be taken to the turtle beaches to witness the Green Turtles coming onto shore to lay their eggs during the night. Rangers will guide you to the nesting places of the animals. Of hundreds of hatchlings only a handful survives to return to this beach to lay their eggs. The Omani government has taken charge to protect this endangered species.
Day 3. Wahiba Sands
Continue along the coast reach the Al Saleel Park to get to know a glance about the wild life, Park is located in wilayat AL Kamil W’al Wafi in Al Sharqiyah South Governorate, and lies 57 kilometres from wilayat of Sur. It extends over an area of 220 square kilometres, and is predominantly covered by forests of acacia trees.
It is home to a number of rare species such as the Arabian gazelle, the Omani wild cat (“Al Senmar”) and other animals which have made this environment their home, including the red fox, the Egyptian Eagle and others.
After entering Wahiba Sands, you will enjoy a traditional lunch with a bedouin family and then experience a landscape of monumental dunes & continue deep into the beautiful dunes of the Wahiba Sands to spend a memorable night under star-filled skies at a Bedouin style camp.
This night you will stay in our luxury camp using authentic handmade Bedouin tents, carefully selected for the environment and sited to ensure privacy and fantastic views. The exclusive camps evoke a traditional, luxurious Arabian ‘encampment’ and is designed in inimitable style, in keeping with the ambience of the environment and the region. Tents have large beds with real mattresses, crisp cotton bedding, Arabian rugs and throws, vivid colours and carefully thought through furnishings. They are amply sized for two people (either as twin or double). There is no electric light, other than solar, and the emphasis is on preserving the atmosphere of the environment through natural lighting… only candles, oil lamps and fires.
After checking your camp we will proceed with our afternoon activites of camel riding, dune bashing & watching the sunset from the top of the sand dunes.
Day 4. Jebel Akhdar
Morning relaxing by the Dunes and after a drive towards The green mountain “Jebal Akhdar”. The name derives from the fact that the area is one of the most fertile in the country. In the plantations grow apricots, pomegranates, peaches, grapes, almonds, walnuts and of course the roses that are the base of the popular Omani rose water. In spring, when the roses bloom, the visit of a rosewater factory is a special experience.
We reach the Saiq plateau, located 1,900 m above sea level. From here you have a wonderful view over the mountain range and the plain below. Continue your drive to the so called Diana Point. It is named after the late Princess of Wales, who landed here in 1990 with a helicopter to marvel the extraordinary vista.
Your guide will show you some beautiful traditional villages where you can take a walk. A visit to Wadi Bani Habib, a deserted ruined mud village, which demonstrates how the local people lived until approximately 1960.
Day 5. Nizwa
You leave the hotel after breakfast and visit Nizwa. Nizwa, capital until 1783 and one of the oldest cities in Oman, is the silver capital and religious centre of the country. Imam Sultan Saif Bin Malik Al Ya’rubi built the fort in 1668. It is Oman’s most visited national monument. The fort reflects the military engineering prowess of fort-builders of a bygone time. It features a unique 30 m high and 37 m wide tower. The city, famous for its handicrafts and agricultural products, has an expansive souq which is located around the fortress. The market bustles with vendors selling everything from meat, fish, fruits and vegetables to spices, dates, gold and copper utensils. Next stop is Al Hamra, an old village, restored by the government to depict how Oman’s population lived in previous centuries. You have the opportunity to admire the noble houses with their three storeys. Some of them are several hundred years old. Pay a visit to Bait Al Safa, a renovated building run by women of the village. They demonstrate old practices such as milling, colouring, cooking and more, enjoy a tasty lunch from the Omani cuisine.
To the west of Al Hamra lies the road winding up Jebel Shams, the mountain of the sun. It is the highest mountain of the Arabic world and reaches 3075 m above sea level. The drive to the peak is adventurous, you pass the old village Ghul with its green terrace fields. The inhabitants of this wadi are known for their artistic weaving of goat hair rugs. The hand made blankets are in high demand in Oman and range from beige via red and brown to black. Some kilometers further you reach the abyss of the Omani Grand Canyon.
Day 6. Wadi Bani
After breakfast drive towards Muscat via the Western Hajar Mountains. Bilad Sayt is one of the small villages that has preserved its traditional charm and sense of rural secludedness, lying amidst the protective mountains of Rustaq. The old brickearth houses add quaint flair to the overall picture and the step-like arrangement of the houses along the foot of the mountain is a typical example of the architecture of a medieval Omani dwelling.
A multitude of green palm trees and a patchwork of terraced fields are characteristic for the beauty of this region. Fresh springs supply crystal clear drinking water to the village and the aflaj canals distribute the rare commodity wherever it is needed. The wealth ends in the adjacent wadi that winds into the mountain range for approximately 7 km.
Wadi Bani Awf lies in a deep canyon. The luscious green date palms are in contrast to the rough and rocky mountains that surround the wadi. At the same time the lava mountains offer cool shade and protection against the blazing sun.
Arrive to your private lunch set up by the wadi’s, before heading to Nakhal, which lies in the South of the Batinah plain, close to Jebel Nakhel of 1600 m. Explore the 350 year old fortress on a 200 m hill which is surrounded by a mountain exclave. In 1990 Sultan Qaboos ordered the restoration of the building. Close by are a number of hot springs – one of them feeds a bathhouse in a picturesque oasis. These springs are important water suppliers for about ninety percent of the surrounding farmland.
Day 7. Muscat
You start the day with a visit of the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque. Built by the Sultan on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of his accession, it is the fifth biggest mosque in the world. The mosque displays impressive art work, a 14 m long Swarovski chandelier and a one piece carpet, covering the whole men prayer hall, measuring approx. 4,300 m². Before entering the holy place, ladies have to cover their décolleté and hair. Men and women should wear long sleeves and long trousers (or skirt). All visitors have to avoid sheer fabric and transparent clothing.
After visiting the mosque, you will visit the Royal Opera House of Muscat to have an idea about the operation of this magnificent house of arts and cultures. From here you will be taken to the Al Alam Palace which was built by an Indian architect. The Sultan uses it to receive his state guests. The palace is flanked by two fortresses, Al Jalali (1578) to the right and Al Mirani (1581) to the left. Both forts were built by the Portuguese. Now visit Bait Al Zubair museum, with traditional artefacts based on personal collections.
Thereafter, head off along the corniche to Muttrah soukh. It is the oldest and largest market in Oman. You will have time to go for a walk through its narrow alleys where the air is filled with the smell of frankincense and sandalwood. This is a place where you will have many picturesque scenes, and it is also where to buy your Omani souvenirs like pottery, paintings, shisha pipes, framed khanjars, leatherwork and incense. Don’t forget to bargain!
Now enjoy your open buffet lunch at the famous one and only Kargeen café & restaurant which is a concept that came into reality having it’s own style.
Afternoon pick up from hotel, transfer to Marine to board the traditional Omani dhow. View Muscat with the eyes of Sinbad the Sailor and watch the landscapes change its colours during sunset. Kahwa and dates are served during the cruise. Overnight at the hotel in Muscat.
Day 8 vertrek
After breakfast it is time to go to the airport for your flight home.