Day trips from Muscat

City Tour: Cultural Muscat

£59 per person

Muscat city, a thriving & strategically located port of the Arabian Peninsula in ancient times, is the capital of modern Oman and the hub of its political, economic and commercial affairs. Its medieval appearance with 2 old Portuguese forts flanking the rocky cove around which the city is built makes it a unique and exotic place.

This morning tour starts with a visit to the ornate and beautiful Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque, one of the largest mosques in Arabia. After a visit to the beautiful marble opera house, you then drive to the port area of Muttrah, to visit the old souq where you can bargain for Omani silver, frankincense, shawls, and other local souvenirs. Your tour continues in old Muscat where two Portuguese forts guard the entrance to the bay. The morning is rounded off by a visit to Bait al Zubair Museum, which houses a fascinating collection of historical and cultural artefacts which give you a good overview of the country, its history and its people.

Royal Opera House tickets

Please Enquire

Opened in 2011, the Royal Opera House is the first of its kind in the Arabian Peninsula. It is in the heart of the city and its calendar features classical music, jazz, symphony and ballet and many international acts. To see a full list of performances, visit www.rohmuscat.org

Forts and mountains: Nizwa, Bahla & Jabrin

£105 per person

(Lunch included)
A day trip into the Interior to visit the ancient capital of Nizwa, set among the rugged Jabal al Akhdar mountains. Spend time in Nizwa’s 17th century fort and castle, the largest in the Arabian Peninsula before immersing yourself in the numerous souqs selling Omani wares such as silver, pots, dates and daggers. After lunch you visit Jabrin to explore one of the best-preserved castles of the region. Home to the Sultan in the 1700s, it has been painstakingly restored and the guided visit will transport you back to the 18th century. A view of Bahla fort with its mountain backdrop and 7-mile long walls can be appreciated, before a visit to a family potters where the famous local earthenware is still made using the same tools as in centuries gone by. Return to your hotel in Muscat.

Forts and mountains: Wadi Bani Awf and Bilad Sayt    

£178 per person

(Lunch included)
You leave Muscat to drive along the Batinah coast towards Rustaq. Here you turn inland towards the magnificent Hajar Mountains and the beautiful Wadi Bani Awf where the narrow Snake Canyon is located. In some parts of the canyon you can touch both sides at the same time. Here several optional activities are available for the more adventurous including a walk, a cliff jump, or a short swim in a small natural pool (depending on the water level). You then continue on a spectacular drive up the mountain road to one of Oman’s most picturesque mountain villages, Bilad Sayt (the hidden village) where time seems to stand still. Dramatic, craggy mountains rise up behind the small village that still retains Oman’s traditional charm and sense of solitude. Its unspoilt beauty and traditional character is a world away from life in urban areas. Return to Muscat in the evening.

Forts and mountains: Grand Canyon Tour

£169 per person

(Lunch included)
A full day trip into the mountains to visit the ancient capital of Nizwa and the stunning mountains of the Jabal Shams range. Spend time in Nizwa’s 17th century fort and castle, the largest in the Arabian Peninsula before immersing yourself in the numerous souqs selling Omani wares such as silver, pots, dates and daggers. After lunch (included) you head into the mountains and to the old mud-brick village of Misfah, perched on the side of the mountain where narrow streets run alongside the famous ancient water channels, known as falaj. Winding upwards into the rocky mountains, your road eventually comes to an end at the spectacular Wadi Ghul, Oman’s kilometre deep “Grand Canyon” where the wadi way below you can just be made out from one of the dizzying canyon-side viewing points. You then return to your hotel in Muscat.

Wadis and the Sea: Coastal Trek – Wadi Dayqah    

£140 per person

(Lunch included)
Drive southeast from Muscat towards the eastern Hajar mountain range and into the countryside. You first arrive at the fishing village of Quriyat with its 18th century Omani fort. From here you will drive on off road on the dirt track winding your way across the mountainous ravines until you reach Wadi Arbeen. You then proceed to the village of Suwayh, an idyllic spot with its waterfalls and clear blue pools – a place to enjoy nature at its best, and your picnic lunch (provided). And finally on to our destination, the beautiful Wadi Dayqah where you have the opportunity to take a refreshing dip before you return to Muscat.

Wadis and the Sea: Wadi Sha’b    

£156 per person

(Lunch included)
A full day excursion to this beautiful oasis including lunch. On the way to Wadi Sha’b, pass by the fishing village of Quriyat, guarded by its 18th century fort. You will proceed then to the Bimah Sink- hole, a spectacular limestone crater that had been created many years ago by a collapsing mountain and filled with blue-green seawater. You stop for a picnic lunch (included) at Wadi Sha’b, with its shallow green pools and abundant shade, crossing the wadi for a walk along the ravine floor alongside the wadi. Return to Muscat through the lovely mountainous scenery and by the white beaches of Finns and the village of Dibab.

Fishing (half day)

£420 per car for up to 6 passengers

Omani waters are very rich in marine life and a day out at sea with a fishing line provides the ideal opportunity to relax and take in nature in its purest form!
Fishing trips can be organized on a private basis, or as part of larger fishing tour with a boat full of ardent sea fans. The fish that are very prevalent in Oman are the barracuda, marlin, sailfish and monster tuna, all of which can provide exciting drama as they fight your line on the high seas.

Island Hopping (5 hours)

£365 per boat for up to 6 passengers

We take you to an exclusive secluded beach in al Bandar Khayran. Be your own master as you relax, swim, snorkel among colourful corals and tropical fish or just relax on a tranquil beach, make your own rules on this secluded island in Bandar Khayran. We provide you beach mats, beach umbrellas and towel. On your return journey, enjoy Oman’s magnificent coastal scenery. Included: transfers from hotel/snorkelling equipment, light refreshment and snacks on board.

Dolphin Watching (2 hours)

£55 per person (min 2 passengers)

Enjoy this trip to the coast where you take a boat out to spot dolphins These intelligent creatures can be found within close proximity of the coast most of the year round; Oman is home to a variety of dolphins and whale species, the most common of which are the spinner and bottle nose dolphin. As with any wild creature though, sightings are not guaranteed, but the trip out onto the ocean is a treat in itself.

Dolphin watch + snorkelling (upon request) combination trip also possible. Double the pleasure of dolphin watching by combining it with a snorkelling trip. Coral beds provide homes to an exotic variety of fish that are a pleasure to behold. Catch the timeless magic of tropical fish in their own habitat.
Please enquire for prices.

Day trips from Salalah

 

City Tour: Ancient Salalah

From £80 per person from city hotels

You start your morning tour of Salalah with a visit to the beautiful Sultan Qaboos Mosque (closed to visitors on Fridays) before stopping at the gold/silver souk for some jewellery shopping. You then drive past lush green plantations of vegetables and fruits to the archeological park at Al Balid where the Museum of the Frankincense Land and its Marine Hall describe the rich cultural history of the Dhofar Region and its maritime heritage. Finally you stop in the old part of town, known as Haffah. Here you can see the official palace of the Sultan (Al Husn Palace) and stroll through the old Haffah souk, famous for the sale of high quality frankincense and numerous other Dhofari traditional souvenirs. You then return to your hotel.

Frankincense Trail: westwards from Salalah

From £72 per person from city hotels

You start your half day tour by driving out of the city into the Qarah mountains. Passing numerous wild fig and native doom trees (and avoiding the camels wandering beside and along the road), you come to the simple but ancient tomb of the ‘Prophet Job’ situated in the scenic green mountains of the Salalah Plains. From here we descend to the beach of Mughsayl where the white sands touch the deep blue of the ocean and at high tide you can see how the waves burst “geyser-style” through the natural titanic blow holes at the far end of the beach. Your journey then takes you westwards around hair-pin bends framed by white cliffs to see the amazing frankincense trees growing wild, deep down in the valleys, among the dry and craggy countryside. Stop for a walk into the valleys to smell the ‘Holy Incense’ before turning back to Mughsayl where you can stop to enjoy the lagoon and its plethora of heron, flamingo and other migratory birds. From here you return to Salalah.

Empty Quarter and the Lost City of Ubar 

From £355 per vehicle (up to 4 passengers) from city hotels

You start the tour in the morning from your hotel by 4x4 vehicle and drive towards the ‘Qarah’ mountain range with its spectacular view of the Salalah plains dotted with thick shrub & woodland.   After having a small break in Thumrait town, which was famous as a Bedouin settlement, you proceed west on graded road crossing the huge gravel desert of ‘ Al Nejd’.  You then visit the ‘Lost City of Ubar’ (UNESCO World heritage site), 175km away from Salalah. This legendary ancient kingdom, known as Ubar, was said to have existed in one of the most inhospitable places on earth – a vast and forbidding Rub Al Khali desert, appropriately known as the Empty Quarter. According to myth, the desert swallowed up Ubar. Quite literally, it sank without trace -becoming the fabled “Atlantis of the Sands.” This once buried city, which was spotted by satellite, gives you a glimpse of the value of work carried out by a team of explorers in 1992, led by Sir Ranulph Fiennes.  After walking around the site, you continue to the Empty Quarter to experience the “biggest sand desert in the World” by trekking on fascinating sand dunes. A breathtaking overview of the vast desert awaits you on the top of the dunes.  On the way back to Salalah, your driver will take you to Wadi ‘Dawkah’ (UNESCO World heritage site) known as the ‘Frankincense Wadi’, which is also well-known as the biggest collection of the naturally grown Frankincense trees in the region.   You experience the Frankincense and its use in the past as well as in the modern World.   You then return to Salalah by sunset. (Also available as a sunset tour)

Highlights of Eastern Dhofar  

From £183 per person from city hotels

(Lunch included)
You are collected from your hotel after breakfast for a full day trip east of Salalah which starts in the old fishing village of Taqah with its traditional dhofari houses and fascinating castle. After admiring the coastline from a viewpoint on the Taqah Plateau, you stop next in Sumhuram, a World Heritage Site where frankincense was traded and where the remains of the Queen of Sheba’s Palace continue to be excavated above the Khor Rori. You then take the coast road to the old fishing village of Mirbat (if time permits) where you can see the renovated castle overlooking the sea and walk around the beautiful but dilapidated merchant houses with carved doors and windows, stopping at the small port to admire the dhows. From here you start your ascent into the Dhofar mountains and climb to almost 1700m where the road ends at Jabal Samhan and the cliff drops straight down to sea level. This location is commonly known as the ‘Grand Canyon’ of Dhofar, and on a clear day you have a complete view of the east coast to the one side and the vast Qarah mountain range to the other. After a picnic lunch (included), you head down the mountain and stop at the canyon at Tayq, which is actually a huge 800m sinkhole and is home to a vast karst cave network, mostly undiscovered. Finally you visit the oasis at Wadi Darbat where camels bathe in the cool green waters amidst the shady trees. From here you proceed back to Salalah, passing Jebali villages en route.

Salalah City and best of the west

From £159 per person from city hotels

(Lunch included)
Combining our two half day tours, this trip takes in the city highlights and the trip to the west of Salalah. You first visit the beautiful Sultan Qaboos Mosque (closed to visitors on Fridays) before stopping at the gold/silver souk for some jewellery shopping. You then drive past lush green plantations of vegetables and fruits to the archeological park at Al Balid where the Museum of the Frankincense Land and its Marine Hall describe the rich cultural history of the Dhofar Region and its maritime heritage. Finally you stop in the old part of town, known as Haffah. Here you can see the official palace of the Sultan (Al Husn Palace) and stroll through the old Haffah souk, famous for the sale of high quality frankincense and numerous other Dhofari traditional souvenirs. You then leave the city behind to drive into the Qarah mountains. Passing numerous wild fig and native doom trees (and avoiding the camels wandering beside and along the road), you come to the simple but ancient tomb of the ‘Prophet Job’ situated in the scenic green mountains of the Salalah Plains. From here we descend to the beach of Mughsayl where the white sands touch the deep blue of the ocean and at high tide you can see how the waves burst “geyser-style” through the natural titanic blow holes at the far end of the beach. Your journey then takes you westwards around hair-pin bends framed by white cliffs to see the amazing frankincense trees growing wild, deep down in the valleys, among the dry and craggy countryside. Stop for a walk into the valleys to smell the ‘Holy Incense’ before turning back to Mughsayl where you can stop to enjoy the lagoon and its plethora of heron, flamingo and other migratory birds. From here you return to Salalah.

Salalah east and west

From £165 per person from city hotels

(Lunch not included)
You are collected from your hotel after breakfast for a full day trip east and west of Salalah which starts in the old fishing village of Taqah with its traditional dhofari houses and fascinating castle. After admiring the coastline from a viewpoint on the Taqah Plateau, you head to the oasis at Wadi Darbat where camels bathe in the cool green waters amidst the shady trees. Next you return to the coast to stop in Sumhuram, a World Heritage Site where frankincense was traded and where the remains of the Queen of Sheba’s Palace continue to be excavated above the Khor Rori. You then take the coast road to the old fishing village of Mirbat where you can see the renovated castle overlooking the sea and walk around the beautiful but dilapidated merchant houses with carved doors and windows, stopping at the small port to admire the dhows. You then head back towards Salalah and drive up into the Qarah mountains. Passing numerous wild fig and native doom trees (and avoiding the camels wandering beside and along the road), you come to the simple but ancient tomb of the ‘Prophet Job’ situated in the scenic green mountains of the Salalah Plains. From here we descend to the beach of Mughsayl where the white sands touch the deep blue of the ocean and at high tide you can see how the waves burst “geyser-style” through the natural titanic blow holes at the far end of the beach. Your journey then takes you westwards around hair-pin bends framed by white cliffs to see the amazing frankincense trees growing wild, deep down in the valleys, among the dry and craggy countryside. Stop for a walk into the valleys to smell the ‘Holy Incense’ before turning back to Mughsayl where you can stop to enjoy the lagoon and its plethora of heron, flamingo and other migratory birds. From here you return to Salalah.

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