Oman land of contrast

Trip Description

Accomodation

Stay program

• day 1:

  Arrival in Muscat

  

  Arrival Arrival in Muscat in the evening. Welcome by the local correspondent and transfer to the hotel for a three night stay. Overnight stay in Muscat. Arrival in Muscat; you will proceed directly to the immigration formalities to obtain your visa. Pass through customs. 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 town of Barka, visit its fish market. Then on to Nakhal, a famous spa in ancient times. Possible bathing in a natural hot water pool. Visit the prestigious site of Nakhl Fort. Continuation to Jabel Shams via Al Hamra. A road which, from the top of the mountain, turns into a track. More than 1,000 meters of difference in altitude in vast plains bordering deep canyons. Spectacular and grandiose landscapes. Our 4X4s will give the full measure of their air-conditioned comfort. We drive along the edge of Wadi Bani Auf, which we cross in its entirety. A fresh landscape where you discover palm groves, scattered gardens, villages sometimes nestled in unusual places. You climb to the pass of Birkat Al Sharaf, you discover the wadi Bani Auf in all its splendour as well as its neighbouring wadis.  Stop in the oasis village of Birkat Al Sharaf. Dinner and overnight at Sama Heighst Ressort (Pet Dej+ din)

• day 3:

  Al Hamra Misfah: 40 km

  

  Breakfast at the hotel. Excursion to Nakhar village and wadi Ghul. Then visit the village of Al-Hamra, one of the oldest in Oman, which still has some multi-storey houses built on the Yemeni model.  We will walk among its 400 year old mud houses and visit one of them called "Bait Al Safa": traditional Omani house. We will continue to the village of Misfat El Abreen where the houses cling to the cliff.  We will visit the palm grove, a famous tourist site and a beautiful traditional village. Dinner and overnight at Misfah Old house (Pet Dej+ din)

• day 4:

  Nizwa Bahla Jabreen: 80 km

  

  Departure for the discovery of Jabrin, one of the most beautiful forts of Oman, also dating from the 17th century. Drive to the fort of BAHLA which is protected by Unesco in 1987. The oasis of Bahla owes its prosperity to the Banu Nabhan, who imposed themselves on the other communities between the 12th century and the end of the 15th century. Their power is attested by the ruins of the huge fort with its mud brick walls and towers and stone base. After the visit to the fort, walk through the remains of the old houses and stop at a pottery factory with a demonstration of this age-old technique. Lunch on the spot. Continuation to Nizwa, the main tourist pole of the Sultanate and the first Omani capital in the 6th and 7th centuries. Nizwa has kept its charm over the years, with its fort and watchtower protecting the city from invaders. This is the land of the Imamats Ibn Al Julanda, the first democratically appointed Imam around the 7th century.  Shoppers stop him, feel the animal, chat. Visit of the Fort surrounded by palm groves. This fort was built in the 17th century by Imam Sultan Bin Saif Al Ya'Aruba and walk through the typical streets. Dinner and overnight at Intercity hotel 4*.

• day 5:

  Al Jabal Akhdar : 120 km

  

  Breakfast at the hotel. Visit of the oasis and the Falaj Daris. Excursion to Tanouf, chief town of the Jebali warriors, bombed in the middle of the 19th century. To curb any efforts at independence.  Excursion to the village of Birkat al-Mawz, whose old houses are accessible through a maze of alleys and are built of adobe. Continuation to Jabal Akhdar, "the green mountain", recently opened to tourism, gives another vision of Oman, placed under the sign of agriculture. Various terraced plantations (fruit trees, saffron, garlic, roses...) take advantage of the much milder temperatures than in the rest of the Sultanate and colour the mountain. The altitude of 2000 meters of the Saiq plateau provides the moderate climate necessary for these plantations. Visit the small villages on the slopes of the mountain. Dinner and overnight at Sama Al Jabal Akhdar hotel 4*.

• day 6:

  

  Breakfast at the hotel. Departure to the Wahiba desert. Branching off to Wadi Bani Khaled: a vast green valley nestled against the Hajjar massif; a veritable Garden of Eden, with water flowing in all seasons. Palm trees, mango trees, lemon trees and many other fruit trees thrive here. Several villages have been established there for a long time. The Wahiba Desert is a sea of sand, totally enclosed, separated from the Rub'Al Khali by 200 km of stony plain. It covers 3,000 km². In this space of dunes and oases, Bedouin breeders of dromedaries still live. These dromedaries are highly sought after today in the Gulf countries for their sprinting qualities, and are worth a fortune ! Excursion in 4x4. Dinner and overnight at Arabian Oryx.

• day 7:

  Wahiba Sands Masirah Island :180 km

  

  The morning adventure accompanied by a Bedouin guide can begin to drive over the dunes of Wahiba, We then move from the heart of the country to the coast. Then we continue to Masirah.  Arrival at Masirah Island. Afternoon free. Overnight at Masirah Island Hotel 4*.

• day 8:

  Masirah Island

  

  Departure to visit the interior of the island, the staked wadis, palm trees, and discover the wild and preserved beauty of the island. You will notice the traces of the volcanic activity. Pass through some of the fishermen's villages. Overnight at Masirah Island hotel 4*.

• day 9:

  Masirah Island Ras Al Hadd : 331 km

  

  Early in the morning, you will attend the sunrise, then drive to Masirah gate. You will take the ferry to the village of Shanah. We follow the coast of the Indian Ocean and pass through several fishing villages until we reach Ras Al Hadd where the giant turtles are the main attraction (October to May). Magnificent creatures that emerge from the sea to lay over 200 eggs on the sand between sunset and dawn. Turtle watching. Overnight 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 with finely decorated wooden doors, visit of the fish market of Sur and then road by the corniche to Aija, the close suburb where are the shipyards and the dhows, these famous wooden dhows, some of them more than hundred years old. Then departure to Muscat with a stop in Wadi Tiwi. Walk to Wadi Shab (in Arabic: river between the rocks; shade and clear green water) walk along the Wadi. Passing by the dam of Wadi Dayqah and the very little frequented Wadi Suwaih which offers a long pool of clear water suitable for swimming. Passage through the village of Quriyat. Return to Muscat. Overnight at Crown Plaza 4* (Pet Dej)

• day 11:

  Mascate

  

  Departure for a city tour of Muscat. The Grand Mosque will be the first site. Opened in 2001, it has the second largest handmade carpet (with over 1,700,000 knots) and the second largest chandelier in the world (note that women must cover their heads, arms and legs during the tour). Then head to Muttrah via the Embassy Road and on the way visit the Muscat Opera House. Visit 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). Back 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 to the Bandar Al Khayran reserve, 30 to 40 minutes by boat from the Bandar al Rawdah marina, in the heart of Muscat. During the crossing, dolphins often escort you. You can then admire the spectacle of the rocky mountains and small white houses overlooking the sea; you also pass the magnificent beaches of the Al Bustan Palace and Shagri-La Barr al Jissah hotels. In Bandar Al Khairan, you can see a lot of coral, which is home to many different kinds of living creatures and fish. It is a particularly popular place for divers. Twenty two dive sites have been identified, each more fascinating than the other. Transfer to Crown 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 4*4 excursion to Jebel Harim, the highest mountain in Musandam, then to the village of Khour Najid, to admire their spectacular views of the Indian Ocean. On the way back, stop at Birkat Khalidiya nature park. Dinner and overnight at the Atana Khassab 4* hotel.

• day 14:

  Dhow trip

  

  Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to Khasab port and departure for a day cruise on board a Dhow, a traditional Omani boat. The cruise is often escorted by dolphins that come to play with the boat. Discover the beautiful 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 hotel Khasab hotel 3*.

• day 15:

  Khassab Dubai Start: 195 km

  

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