Classic Oman 8 Days / 7 Nights Tour

• The tour begins with a visit to the magical Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque (except on Fridays), a splendor of unique Islamic architecture. From here you will drive through the Ministries and stop for photo or souvenir shop in Shatti District, the most prestigious district in Muscat. Continue and pass by the brand new Royal Opera House (outside only), this building reflects contemporary Omani architecture, and has a capacity to accommodate maximum of 1,100 people. His Late Majesty Sultan Qaboos Bin Said has always been a fan of classical music and arts. Pass by Qurum Corniche where Omanis from Muscat like to take a walk at night with their families. Stop at the traditional Mutrah Souk for some souvenir shopping. Get a glance at Oman’s culture, tradition and history at the Museum. You then stroll along for a view of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos’s Palace, the Al Alam Palace, guarded by the two forts, Fort Jalali and Fort Mirani.
• Please, note that women have to be fully covered from head to ankles (not the face) and men should wear long trousers in order to be allowed inside the Grand Mosque.
• Afternoon at leisure
• Night in a hotel in Muscat
• Meals: Breakfast

• Your guide will pick you up at your hotel at 9 AM and take you for an incredible journey. Start the tour by going towards Bimmah sinkhole, a spectacular limestone crater with inviting blue-green water.  Continue to Wadi Shab which means a “wadi between the cliffs”, (optional) enjoy a walk through the wadi, walking shoes are strongly recommended. Going up the wadi you will soon see pools appearing before you and you may also enjoy a refreshing swim in those pools.
• Come back to the car and enter Wadi Tiwi with its green pools and lush plantations. We head on to Qalhat famous for its history of exports to and imports of spices from India. Looking over at Qalhat is the Bibi Mariam Tomb (closed for archeological searches).
• Your next stop will be in Sur, another town famous for its trading and still now famous for its Dhow Building Yard. The sheltered lagoon is a perfect picture with all the white houses of Sur in the background and old dhows floating …or not…in the lagoon.
• Arrive at Ras Al Jinz in the afternoon where you can relax before dinner and afterwards go for turtle watching. The turtles come to lay their eggs at night and this experience is a memorable one.

• Night at Ras Al Hadd
• Dinner at hotel
• Entry fees to Turtle Reserve included.
• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

• After breakfast, you will start by a drive to Wadi Bani Khalid, one of the most picturesque wadis in Oman where water flows all year round. You can cool down in the green pools or walk up the wadi and see more pools with waterfalls.
• Your journey continues to Wahiba Sands, with its golden sand dunes. Meet a Bedouin family, do some dune bashing, which consists in going up and down the dunes like a roller coaster with your 4×4. Enjoy the tranquility of the desert at the desert camp before going back up the dune to watch the sunset over the dunes. The night in the desert will be a memorable one.

• Night in a desert camp

NOTE: Wadi Bani Khalid, in respect to villagers who also come to enjoy the area, we will ask you to wear clothes over your swimsuit, if you wish to take a dip in the natural pools, thank you. This is a Government law.

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

• After a nice breakfast, leave the golden sand dunes behind you and stop in Ibra for a closer look at the watchtowers, proudly looking over villages from the top of the hills. Take the opportunity to see the old crumbling houses with their old teak wooden doors.
• Head for Nizwa, which was once the capital of Oman.  Stroll through the Traditional and Craft Souk, where you can buy some souvenirs before visiting the Fort with its large circular tower.  Imagine life inside the Fort in the 17th century. From the tower you will have breathtaking views over the extensive plantation.

• Night at the hotel in Nizwa
• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

• Meet your guide after breakfast to travel to Jebel Shams. Before going up the mountain, there is an interesting wadi, Wadi Nakhr, a narrow canyon. It is a stunning beautiful place and is geologically spectacular, being one of the deepest canyons on the planet. Going inside by car is not easy but you can do a small and easy trek in this wadi.  There used to be a village, where the main activity was weaving, but because of the permanent floods this village disappeared.
• Your journey then continues to the top of Jebel Shams, “Sun Mountain”, Oman’s highest peak, 3009 m. The cooler temperatures will surprise you as you reach the top to get a spectacular view of the “Grand Canyon”. The stunning landscape will enchant you.

• Night at Jebel Shams Resort
• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

• A nice breakfast will prepare you for this big journey in the mountains and villages. Head first towards Misfat Al Abreen, set in a stunning landscape above terraced plantations of date palms. This is a rare sight in Oman as most palms are grown on the plains. The ancient houses and ruined watchtower perched on the mountain complete the scene.
• The track to Wadi Bani Awf is a stunning, exhilarating trip over the mountains. Deep in Oman’s countryside are many villages that still retain their traditional charm and sense of rural solitude. Perhaps the most appealing of these is Bilad Sayt, a tranquil mountain hamlet, tucked away in the mountains. The road or should we say track is steep to go on the other side but worth the trip.

• Return to Muscat.
• Night in a hotel in Muscat
• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner