OMAN

OCTOBER 2018

OMAN ROADTRIP
THE ULTIMATE 10-DAY ITINERARY

Please meet Oman, one of the most versatile travel destinations out there. On this Middle Eastern peninsula you will not only walk through stunning wadis, experiencing breathtaking nights in the desert, hiking and climbing mountains but also see ancient fortresses, modern mosques and lonely beaches.

Nothing beats a good roadtrip and Oman is known as one of the best countries for independent driving. The roads are well maintained, fuel is affordable, you just have to watch out for the countless speed cameras in and around the capital city Muscat. Especially since they have removed the tolerance level for speeding on some of them. No worries on the alcohol level though. Since Oman is a Muslim country you won't find any public bars or liquor stores around. For your alcoholic pleasure, you need to go to an international hotel or some speak-easy bars that are hidden, dark places that officially no one knows about.

The country is open to wild camping and you will see some designated camping spots along the road (especially in the mountains). When choosing your rental vehicle you can also take a full camping equipment as an extra. We've decided against it, since we thought it is only worth to wild camp in the desert and we wanted to check out some pretty unique AirBnbs on the way. Nevertheless we took a 4x4, which is recommended for some of the mountain streets and gets a the option to drive into the desert.

We narrowed the trip down to 10-days and those were our favourite spots we recommend:

MUSCAT

DAY 01 - 03

Muscat is Oman's capital and therefore the travel hub to fly into the country. A great spot to get acclimatised (yes, it's very hot here) and to get a first deep-dive into the culture and history of Oman.

BREAKFAST @ KARGEEN

This place is a great hide-out in the middle of the city where they serve traditional breakfast in a very nicely decorated surrounding (IG is calling). Besides breakfast you cab also have traditional dinner there and esacpe the midday heat for a lunch.

KARGEEN

SULTAN QABOOS MOSQUE

A must-see in Muscat is Oman's most important spiritual side, the largest mosque in Oman and a remarkable example of modern Islamic architecture. A very impressive building and the place to learn about Muslim in Oman. Make sure you chat with one of the guides, they might invite you to tea and dates in their office and answer any questions you might have. Watch out for the opening times and make sure you wear a long sleeve top and pants to the ankle (women should also cover their hair).

BEACH + OUTSKIRTS OF MUSCAT

It ain't easy to find a beach where you can chill and cool down in the water. There is a small Yacht Club where you can do exactly this and hey, bikinis allowed.

Make it a small roadtrip and check out the markets and lighthouses on the way.

SUR

DAY 03 - 04

A nice drive down the coastline brings you to Sur, a former important trading point with East-Africa. On the way, make sure to bring some time and check out some great spots before you enjoy a great dinner in a local place. Make sure you find one of the so-called 'Speak-easys', that's where you get served alcohol.

BIMMAH SINKHOLE

A quick 90min drive from Muscat brings you to this unique natural swimming pool. The water is jaw-dropping turquoise and it offers one of the best cool-downs during the heat of the day. Jump from the rocks or just enjoy the small fish biting your toes (usually you pay a lot for this in the beauty salon).

WADI SHAB

A brief 20-30min drive from the sinkhole you find the Wadi Shab (meaning gorge between the cliff). You pay a ferry man to cross the river and then enjoy a nice hike through the picturesque gorge with some swimming spots along the way.

WAHIBA SANDS

DAY 04 - 06

When in Oman, you must sleep in the desert. You can do so by yourself or book a desert camp. Nevertheless, the sundown, starry sky and the quietness are unbeatable. Our camp owner got us a proper 4x4 vehicle to have a desert driving experience on top (maybe Benzino got stuck while passing, as he claims a scary, sand dune).

Wadi Bani Khalid

A great place for a refreshing jump into the waters of the Wadi. You can do a small hike on the ridges and explore a cave at the end of the Wadi. When you go all the way in, you will feel like being in a sauna.

Desert Camp + Dune Driving

Nothing is more impressive than a night in the desert. There are multiple cams you can choose from, but it's worth to go for the smaller ones. After the sun sets it is actually so quiet, you can sleep outside your tent and enjoy the moon and stars (we had nearly full moon so it never went dark).

JABAL AKHDAR

DAY 06 - 08

Heading into the mountains, second largest valley? on the way some great green ... and Historical town Nizwa , oldest fort of Nizwa,.... pretty scenic drive and a very unique place to sleep.