Muscat: Discover Oman in a 7-Day Tour

DAY 1: MUSCAT (ARRIVAL) Arrival at Muscat International airport, after visa and immigration formalities our representative will meet and escort the guests to a waiting air-conditioned vehicle to transfer them to the hotel. Overnight in Muscat. DAY 2: MUSCAT Breakfast at the hotel and then depart from the hotel to visit the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque that’s considered a remarkable architectural achievement. We continue after that to Bait Baranda museum, which showcases the history of Muscat. Lunch will be served in the city. After lunch, we will visit Old Muscat, surrounded by steep mountains and flanked by twin 16thcentury forts ‘Jalali’ & ‘Mirani’, also see the Al Alam Palace, His Majesty Sultan Qaboos’ residence. We will then proceed to Bait Al Zubair Museum. Bait Al Zubair is itself a part of Muscat heritage. Sheikh Al Zubair who served three former Sultans founded the house in 1914 and his son Mohammad Al Zubair opened it as a museum in 1998. The museum includes traditional Omani weaponry, jewelry, costumes, domestic utensils and recreated urban and rural environments. Then drive through the scenic beauty of the corniche, stop at Muttrah - the main port & commercial center, and explore the colorful historic souk. This is a real souk with winding alleys and backstreets and stalls selling all manner of textiles, jewelry, traditional Omani perfumes (bukhoor - made of frankincense), souvenirs and antiques. After that long tour, we will drive back to the hotel. Dinner at a traditional oriental restaurant, where you will savor a delicious Omani meal. Overnight in Muscat. DAY 3: MUSCAT - SUR - RAS AL HADD After breakfast depart by four wheel drive for the adventure trip. Continue your journey and photo stop at TIWI and Wadi Shab which was damaged by the cyclone. Picnic lunch will be served enroute. Continue to Sur, a sea-faring town and a trading port bustling with activity throughout the year, and famous for the fascinating architecture of its old town and shipyards where traditional dhows have been built for centuries at the edge of the bay. After a quick tour of Sur, continue on the coastal road passing through high cliffs and small fishing villages – reach Ras Al Hadd for our overnight stay. Dinner in the hotel. At night, is one of the highlights of our trip, a unique experience that will happen only in the middle of the night. We will visit the turtle reserve with the possibility of watching the turtles laying their eggs at night. Overnight in Ras Al Hadd. DAY 4: RAS AL HADD - WADI BANI KHALID - WAHIBA SANDS Early morning to enjoy the sunrise and a swim on the beach. After breakfast, we depart to Wadi Bani Khalid – a lush green valley surrounded by rugged mountains. Enjoy an incredible view and a chance to capture the scenic beauty with your camera. Investigate the surrounding area on foot. A picnic lunch will be organized in the WADI around trees and water. After lunch, we will continue to Wahiba Sands – one of the most fascinating and mysterious regions of Oman. Wahiba is also home to a few thousand Bedouins, who are known to have inhabited this inhospitable region for at least 7000 years. Go dunes bashing as our experienced drivers show their skill on the dune drive which is a thrilling experience. Dinner & Overnight in Wahiba Sands. DAY 5: WAHIBA SANDS - JEBAL SHAMS – NIZWA This morning after breakfast proceed to Nizwa. We will start our exploration of the Nizwa area by proceeding to Wadi Ghul for a photo stop. Continue on a mountain track toward Jebal Shams, one of the highest peaks in the region also known as ‘the Mountain of the Sun’. The road, twisting and curving around the contours, rises over 2000 meters! The uniqueness of this place is the incredible views of the mountains and rugged landscape. We will stop for lunch in the small village of Misfah where we will enjoy a typical Omani meal, on the menu the traditional Kabsa which is chicken or meat combined with rice and a mixture of perfumed spices from the orient. On the return trip visit the old village of Al Hamra, is also noted for its extraordinary ancient mud houses. We will visit one of the oldest houses of “Bait Al Safa”, which has been restored and decorated and transform into a lively museum. Dinner in the hotel. Overnight in Nizwa. DAY 6: NIZWA – BAHLA – MUSCAT After breakfast at the hotel, depart to visit the 17th-century Nizwa and the bustling souk known for its silver and copper handicrafts. Proceed to the historic town of Bahla & its fort, formerly encircled by a winding wall, which was originally built to guard the town. Bahla is also famous for its pottery and is now included in UNESCO’s list of world heritage sites. The highlight of the day is the visit of the possibly most impressing castle in the Sultanate of Oman, the castle of Jabreen. Lunch en route. Continue the journey and prepare yourself for another adventure, cross the range of the Hajjar mountains onwards to Nakhl via Wadi Bani Awf. Driving on the mountain is a very interesting section for thrill lovers. We will stop for photos on the mountain and move onto Wadi Bani Awf. We’ll drive to the ancient fort of Nakhl, which was built in the pre-Islamic era. Emerging from huge palm groves and protected by mountains, it is perfectly positioned for defense. After a look around the fort, visit Nakhl Hot Springs then proceed to Muscat. Dinner in the hotel. Overnight in Muscat. DAY 7: MUSCAT (DEPARTURE) Breakfast at the hotel. Morning free at leisure. Check-out from the hotel before 12:00 (noon). 04 hrs prior to your scheduled flight, transfer to Muscat Int’l Airport for your departure flight.