Northern Oman Adventure

On arrival you’ll be transferred to your hotel. Muscat offers the visitor a singular opportunity to witness a modern city in harmony with traditional culture. Muscat, meaning ‘anchorage’, lies in a natural bowl with its natural harbor. Take a stroll along the Muttrah Corniche, have a coffee in one of the many waterfront cafes and be amazed by the 16th century Portuguese forts of Mirani and Jalali. These forts are on the side of the official palace of Sultan Qaboos and the magnificent Al Alam Palace. Take a tour of the Grand Mosque and Bait al-Zubair Museum for an introduction to Oman’s history and development. You can also take a tour of the newly opened Royal Opera House and visit the fish market and the colourful Muttrah Souq.

You’ll depart from Muscat by 4WD along the scenic and rugged coastal route where you’ll see the breathtaking blue waters and pristine white beaches of the Gulf of Oman. Passing the fishing village of Quriyat, your first stop is the Bimah sinkhole, a spectacular limestone crater with blue-green water at the bottom. Another stop is at a white-sand beach where you can swim, and then on to the dense green plantations of Tiwi. As the trip continues, you’ll notice the road winds through mountain terrain and the ancient port town of Sur, to Ras Al Jinz, a sanctuary for green turtles. Have a nice dinner at the Ras Al Jinz Turtle Reserve. There is a short distance to the beach where you can watch turtles nesting on the sands.

After breakfast, drive past small fishing villages to Al Ashkarah town, leave the coast and head inland, where the rocky scrubland soon gives way to sand dunes. After stopping to view the 52-domed mosque at Jalan Bani Bu Ali, keep driving to Wadi Bani Khalid to see its pretty villages embedded in the mountains. Before venturing deeper into the desert, have a short swimm in the deep blue-green waters.

The Wahiba Sands are vast mass of red and white sand with dunes rising up to 200 metres. This spot also hosts a variety of flora and fauna. After having fun riding on top of the dunes, you’ll be dropped at the luxurious Desert Nights Camp where you’ll enjoy a barbecue dinner. Experience the breathtaking magic of pristine desert landscapes while enjoying unmatchable luxury – this is Glamping by Canvas Club.

Next and last stop is the stunning Al Jabal Mountains range for 3 days of exploring, trekking and just enjoying a stunning luxury spa retreat set on top of one of the highest peaks. The 3/4 hour drive from Wahabi Sands will route via the historical town if Nizwa, the gateway to the Al Jabal mountains. Here you will have time to explore the many forts and castles. 

Nizwa is known for its 17th century round tower fort, and the souq with its ornamental silver jewellery, Friday cattle auction and intricately hand-carvedkhanjar daggers. A few kilometers outside Nizwa, you’ll visit the historic fort town of Bahla which is famous for pottery. This town is encircled by a 12km winding wall and now it is included on UNESCO’s World Heritage list. A short distance beyond, the castle of Jabreen, also built in the 17th century and a seat of Omani learning, displays the finest examples of Islamic architecture with beautifully executed woodcarvings and exquisite ceiling paintings.