Extensive Journey through Oman

Extensive Journey through Oman

Departure Date

Daily

Duration

7 Night, 8 Days

Views

1325

Tour Overview

Day 1

Arrival in Muscat

You will arrive at the Muscat International Airport. Upon your arrival you proceed straight to the Immigration. Immigration & customs are quick & simple. Upon arrival at the General arrival lounge you will be met by our friendly & efficient Travel Store chauffer who will assist you to the comforts of our vehicle to drive you the hotel.
Day 2

Dolphin Watching Tour + City Tour

Breakfast at the Hotel. Pick up from the Hotel at 0730 Hrs and drive to Marina Bandar in the old town. Start a 2 Hours Dolphin watching Cruise from here. Varieties of Dolphins are a great wealth of the Muscat Coastline. Watching Dolphins is a thrilling way to start the day. Not every trip guarantees a sighting, but you are sure to enjoy a trip out to sea and enhance your knowledge of nature’s most fascinating marine mammals. After the Tour, Continue your drive to the old city to visit the Bait Al Zubair Museum. It is a private museum with a wonderful collection portraying the traditional image of the country. Continue your drive to “Al Alam Place” (Photo stop) flanked by the two Portuguese Forts “Jalali & Mirani”. After the stop, drive along the Corniche waterfront to “Mutrah Souq”, one of the oldest souqs in Oman. The narrow alleys of the souq and the smell of the mystic frankincense and sandalwood in the air are typical of this souq. After the visit return to your vehicle to drive back to the hotel and spend the rest of the day at leisure. Overnight in Muscat.
Day 3

Muscat Grand Mosque - Birkat Al Mauj- Jabal Akhdar

Depart from your Hotel at around 0830 Hrs and drive towards Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque ( (open for visitors from Saturday to Thursday (0800 – 1100 Hrs) only except during holidays) (which is the biggest mosque in Oman with beautiful art work, chandelier and carpet in the prayer hall measuring approx 4260 square meters and now in the Guinness book of world records. (To visit the Grand Mosque, Women are supposed to cover their heads with scarf and should wear full sleeves clothes and should also cover their legs with long trousers/skirts. Men are supposed to wear long trousers). ( After the visit of the Mosque, continue towards Birkat Al Mauj. Birkat Al Mauj. It is a small village on the foothills of the 2nd Highest peak, Jabal Akhdar standing at a height of 3000 m. Stop in Birkat Al Mauj for a short photostop. After the stop, continue driving to Jabal Akhdar. Jabal Akhdar is the mountain range in the Western Hajar, the name meaning Green Mountain in English. Its main town of Saiq lies at 2300m and the highest point 3000m in Jabal Shams. The range measures around 12 miles from north to south and 18 miles from east to west. Drive to Jabal Akhdar to Saiq Plato and Al Ayn, where local farmers raise grapes, pomegranates, apricots and walnuts. Visit Wadi Bani Habib where you can see some small waterfalls. Then arrive to the canyon named as Diana's Point, for the late Princess of Wales who spent time here in the late 80s. Check in at the Hotel and spend rest of the time at Leisure.
Day 4

Day at Jabal Akhdar

Breakfast at the Hotel. Enjoy trekking at Wadi Bani Habib and through the 3 villages. The trekking routes are marked with the help of flags and could be easily recognized. You can also visit a rose water Distillery since Jabal Akhdar is known for rose plantation and rose water distillation. Spend rest of the Day at Leisure. Overnight at the Hotel on Jabal Akhdar.
Day 5

Jabal Akhdar - Nizwa - Jabreen - Bahla - Jabal Shams

Breakfast at the Hotel. Start your Day with a tour of the Nizwa fort with its enormous round tower built in the 17th century built by Imam Sultan Bin Saif Al Ya'aruba to defend the route to the interior. The fort dominates the entire area with the town having grown around the edifice. Access to the top is possible only by means of a narrow, twisting staircase barred by heavy wooden doors, studded with metal. From the top of the tower one can get a bird's eye view of the Nizwa city. From here you will proceed to the Nizwa Souq which is renowned for its intricately hand-carved Khanjar and ornately designed silver Jewelry. Drive to Jabreen with en-route stopping at Bahla for a photograph of the Bahla Fort (photo stop), now a World Heritage Site. Arrive at Jabreen to visit the castle, the finest of Oman's castle built in the late 17th Century, which became a seat of Omani learning .This castle has extremely well planned layouts with room for the wali, the ladies room, the kitchen, the majlis etc. Most of the ceilings are decorated with beautiful paintings with Islamic motifs. The view from the top of the castle is really mesmerizing. Continue driving to Al Hamra. Make a stop at Al Hamra by the old houses. After the stop, continue driving to Jabal Shams. Jabal Shams, the highest peak in Oman with a height of 3,009 meters. Jabal Shams means “Mountain of the Sun” and its old name is Jabal Al Qanah. The area is home to weavers of heavy woollen rugs in distinctive colours. Take a walk to see the Grand Canyon before driving to your Hotel where you are going to spend overnight. Dinner and Overnight at the Hotel.
Day 6

Jabal Shams - Ibra - Wadi Bani Khalid - Wahiba

Breakfast at the Hotel. Check out from the Hotel and drive towards Al Hamra. Visit the Bait Al Safah Museum, a privately owned Museum showcasing country’s culture. After the visit, drive towards Wahiba, the Desert. You will drive through small villages and towns before arriving at Village Ibra where you will stop for a short photostop. You can also witness a Women’s Market if you happen to be there on a Wednesday. After the short stop, drive towards Wadi Bani Khalid. This drive through the mountain offers a panoramic view of the beautiful landscape below. You will pass through many pretty villages embedded in the mountains before reaching the destination. Here the road winds down to the wadi alongside a large, shallow pool fringed with vegetation & ends at a village. You park our vehicles at this point & continue on a short trek to the deep blue pools of the wadi. If you wish you may enjoy a swim in this glorious grace of nature. It is recommended to wear comfortable clothes & walking shoes for this trip. You may also enjoy lunch or juices at your own at the coffee shop situated right by the pool side. After lunch continue driving to the great desert of Oman Known as the "Wahiba Sands". Soon you will come face to face with the enormous desert and our experienced driver will drive you through the sand dunes to the Camp. Enjoy your dinner and Overnight at the Desert Camp.
Day 7

Wahiba - Wadi Shab - Bimah Sinkhole - Muscat

Breakfast at the Camp. Around 0830 hrs, you will meet your guide at the reception area of the Camp and embark your vehicle. Drive towards the edge of the desert and then take the asphalt road towards Sur. Arrive in Sur and take the coastal road towards Muscat. This tour along the coast line to Muscat offers breath taking glimpses of the blue waters of the Gulf of Oman offset pristine beaches. Arrive at 'Wadi Shab'. Shab in Arabic, literally means “Ravine between Cliffs”. Shallow green pools and abundant shade give wadi Shab a perfect setting for a picnic. Here cold picnic lunch packets can be served (Optional cost). You may take a long walk inside the wadi, later return to your vehicles and proceed to Bimah Sinkhole. It is a very large naturally created sinkhole where people can even enjoy a swim. After a short stop, Continue towards Muscat on the highway sometimes touching the sea following a creek or overlooking superb white beaches hundreds of metres long. Arrive at Quriyat, a very large fishing village between the lagoon and the sea and stop again for a short photostop. The port of Quriyat is still guarded by a watchtower from old times. Continue to Muscat and check in at the Hotel. Overnight in Muscat.
Day 8

Departure

Breakfast at the Hotel. Check out and timely transfer to Airport.