Oman Desert Adventure: Wahiba Sands & Empty Quarter

Group Tour

Overview

Oman is one of Arabia’s true gems - a land of rugged coastlines and vast deserts where tradition and progress go hand in hand.

This wonderful adventure takes us from the heart of its picturesque capital, deep into mountains and deserts of the Bedu and the old Omani Imamate. We will take in the breathless landscapes of the Hajar Mountains and the shifting sands of Wahiba, explore the old forts of Jabrin and Nizwa and journey into the vast emptiness of the Rub Al Khali, the Empty Quarter. ...

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HIGHLIGHTS

At a glance

MEALS

11 x Breakfasts
11 x Lunches
11 x Dinners

TRANSPORT

4WDs in the desert, minibus may be used for your tour of Muscat.

GROUP SIZE

Maximum: 12

EXPERT TEAM

The full services of a Wild Frontiers Tour Leader with local guides where appropriate

ACCOMMODATION

1 night x Premium
6 nights x Superior
4 nights x Simple

ENTRANCE FEES

All entrance fees for sights mentioned in the itinerary

FITNESS RATING

Low

WILD MILES

This tour will earn you 7254 Wild Miles

ACCOMMODATION

As an overall ethos, wherever possible we aim to use characterful accommodation that enhances the overall travel experience, not just offers a bed for the night. This can obviously vary dramatically from country to country and from trip to trip. On this trip we will be in hotels, and two man domed tents for the camping nights. Please note that the accommodation mentioned in the itinerary is intended as a guide only and is always subject to availability.

FITNESS RATING

LOW: You should be comfortable walking around towns and cultural sites. May include some optional walks (typically 1-2hrs).

LOW/MODERATE: May be of a long duration and/or involve numerous border-crossings. May include easy/moderate day walks (up to 2-3hrs/day). You should be relatively fit and lead a generally active lifestyle.

MODERATE: May include several easy/moderate day walks (up to 2-5hrs/day) possibly at altitude. You should be relatively fit and lead a generally active lifestyle. Previous experience of similar trips helpful.

MODERATE/HIGH: May involve several days of moderate hiking (up to 3-6 hrs/day) possibly at altitude. You must be a fit and active traveller with appropriate trekking experience.

HIGH: May involve several days of moderate/strenuous trekking (up to 4-7 hrs/day) possibly at altitude. You must be a very fit and active traveller with appropriate trekking experience.

Wild Miles Club

When you book a trip with Wild Frontiers you are awarded points, which are based on the return distance from London to the arrival city of your trip. Points are awarded for all our holidays, including both our escorted group tours and tailor-made trips. When you accrue points, you will qualify for the following discounts on all future bookings:

Blue More than 10,000 points 2.5% discount
Bronze More than 30,000 points 5% discount
Silver More than 45,000 points 7.5% discount
Gold More than 60,000 points 10% discount

Positive Impact of this Trip

Tree
Ten trees are planted per passenger on this trip
Community
Supports Wild Frontiers Foundation community projects
Wind Turbine
A contribution to renewable energy projects

Map & Itinerary

Individual departures may vary so please refer to the information in the tour specific links in the Dates and Prices section below

Oman Desert Adventure: Wahiba Sands & Empty Quarter
EXPAND ALL ITINERARY DAYS
COLLAPSE ALL ITINERARY DAYS

Day 1 Tour starts in Muscat

Day 1 Tour starts in Muscat

The tour starts from Oman’s International airport to coincide with the suggested Group Tour flights. We will head straight to the magnificent mosque of Sultan Qaboos, one of the largest in the Arab world, whose grand marble halls are capable of holding some 20,000 people. After which we will begin our guided tour of the city. One of Arabia’s most picturesque cities, Muscat lies within the protective embrace of a ring of horse-shoe mountains that run down into the glittering waters of Muscat Bay. We will drive along the engaging sea-front to the Al Alam Palace and the 16th century Portuguese forts of Jalali and Mirani. We will also have a chance to visit Muscat’s renowned Muttrah souk, one of the best in the region. There will be free time in the afternoon for those that want to explore independently, or time to rest and freshen up.

Al Falaj Hotel or similar
Lunch, Dinner

Day 2 Muscat – Al Hamra

Day 2 Muscat – Al Hamra

This morning we will leave in good time and head to the Seeb fish market to witness firsthand the hustle and bustle of the market traders as they barter over the “fish of the day”. Continuing out of the city in 4WDs, we will head towards the Hajar Mountains, following the Batinah coast through the foothills to the picturesque setting of Wadi Bani Awf, and a picnic lunch amongst the hills of Oman’s rugged interior. This afternoon we then head to Misfath Al Abreen, one of Oman’s best kept secrets for a walk through the beautiful oasis. Taking in the stunning scenery and walking through the falaj (irrigation) system, seeing how the village farms and manages its agricultural land. We arrive at our mountain top camp later this afternoon.

Sama Heights Resort or similar
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 3 Grand Canyon Walk - Drive to Nizwa

Day 3 Grand Canyon Walk - Drive to Nizwa

This morning we will experience one of the most notable hikes in the country, the Balcony Walk. This follows a stony donkey track, and winds around the rim of the mountain to the abandoned village of As Sab, a total of around 6 km. This hike offers amazing views over the Grand Canyon of Oman, Wadi Nakhur. We then continue on to Al Hamra and its incredibly atmospheric old town, where there are mud houses dating back 400 years which are still occupied. After lunch we drive down to the oasis city of Nizwa, once the capital of the powerful Omani Imamate. This afternoon we visit the famous Nizwa fort, built in the 17th century to guard the Sumail Gap during the struggle between the Sultan and the Radical Imams. This fort is one of the best examples of defensive architecture in the country, and it’s worth climbing to the top of the tower to get a great view of the old town and modern city with it’s surrounding date plantations.
Walking Distance: 6km, 3-4 hours

Falaj Daris or simliar
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 4 Nizwa - Jabreen - Tanuf village - Nizwa

Day 4 Nizwa - Jabreen - Tanuf village - Nizwa

This morning we will visit the bustling Nizwa souk before heading to the UNESCO World Heritage setting of Bahla Fort, for a brief photo stop. We continue on to the impressive fort at Jabreen, possibly the finest of Oman’s 17th century fortresses, whose exquisite painted wooden ceilings provide eloquent testimony to the skills of the fort’s original builders. After pausing to enjoy lunch at a local restaurant, we continue our journey to Tanuf village where we explore the historic ruins. Inhabited until the 1950's, the village was damaged and subsequently abandoned during the Jabal Akhdar Wars. We then return to Nizwa for a leisurely evening before preparing for our upcoming wild camping adventure.

Falaj Daris or simliar
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 5 Drive to Wahiba Sands

Day 5 Drive to Wahiba Sands

Departing Nizwa this morning, our desert journey takes us on towards the vast, open landscapes of the Wahiba Sands, over 10,000 square kilometres of shifting sands and towering dunes that are home to isolated settlements of semi-nomadic Bedouin. Our journey will take us via the market town of Sinaw, where we will stop to strech our legs. We will continue into the seemingly endless sea of the Wahiba, driving through an ever changing landscape of colours and contours as we make our way on to our remote desert camp.

Wild Desert Camp
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 6 Drive across Wahiba Sands to Khaluf

Day 6 Drive across Wahiba Sands to Khaluf

This morning we will drive out across the shifting sands of Wahiba towards the coast, and the pink shell beaches and white dunes of Khaluf on Oman’s eastern coast. Far from being devoid of life, these breath-taking desert landscapes are home to a rich array of wildlife, from the remarkable dew drinking beetles that haunt the predawn desert, to foxes, gazelles and over 100 species of birds; That said, in this vast landscape they can be very difficult to spot, so we will need to keep our eyes peeled! The drive will take four to five hours and we stop for lunch along the way, arriving in Khaluf in time to set up camp late afternoon. As we settle down for another evening under an Arabian sky, our drivers will prepare a delicious al fresco dinner.

Khaluf Wild Beach Camp
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 7 Drive to Duqm via Sirab beach

Day 7 Drive to Duqm via Sirab beach

Today provides an ideal opportunity to make the most of Oman’s rugged coastline. We drive south, following to coast from Khaluf to Sirab beach, which provides an ample array of viewpoints and photo opportunities, as we pass through a collection of fishing villages, beaches and wadis en route to tonight’s accommodation. On arrival at Sirab beach, take in the beautiful views along the coast before driving to our modest hotel in the late afternoon in the small port town of Duqm.
*Driving time approx 6hrs

City Hotel Duqm or similar
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 8 Drive into the Empty Quarter

Day 8 Drive into the Empty Quarter

This morning we head inland to the vast emptiness of the Rub al Khali, 250,000 square miles of waterless desert that covers much of the southern half of the Arabian Peninsula. This is the heartland of the nomadic Bedouin, made famous by Wilfred Thesiger in his book ‘Arabian Sands’. This morning we drive from Duqm to Haima we passing through Jaluni where an Oryx Sanctuary is located, and if we are lucky we will be able spot Arabian Oryx en route. 

Wild Desert Camp
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 9 Empty Quarter

Day 9 Empty Quarter

This morning we will continue deep into the Empty Quarter, and on through the hypnotic landscape and head further south, heading towards Al Hashman. Here we will find a settlement of nomad Bedouins protected and nurtured by the Omani Govt. Lunch will be served at the Al Safah oasis before we return back to Rumalt Hashman where we will pitch camp for our final night under the stars.
*Driving time approx 5hrs

Wild Desert Camp
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 10 Drive to Salalah

Day 10 Drive to Salalah

The journey on to the coastal city of Salalah today takes us from the desert to the Indian Ocean by way of the barren landscapes of the Qara Mountains. On arrival in Salalah we visit ‘Wadi ‘Dawka’ (UNESCO World heritage site) known as the "Frankincense Wadi’" for its collection of the naturally grown Frankincense trees. In the afternoon we will visit the Al Baleed Archeological Museum. Here we’ll find the ruins of an ancient port city, visited by Marco Polo and a city which he described as 'magnificent'. In its day, the city played an important part in the frankincense trade.

Salalah Beach Resort or similar
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 11 In Salalah

Day 11 In Salalah

This morning we start the day with a visit to the Grand Mosque of Salalah, before driving up into the Dhofar Mountains to Wadi Darbat, a scenic spot for nature lovers. Wadi Darbat is a low lying seasonal waterfall, which comes into full force during the monsoon season between July and August, the strength of the waterfall varies throughout the rest of the year. In the Middle Eastern peninsula Salalah is the only place touched by the Indian Ocean monsoon making this area very unique. Next we proceed to Wadi Hanna where we will discover a fine cluster of Baobab Trees. This afternoon we will have some free time to visit the Al Husn Souq to do any last-minute shopping or relax on the beach before proceeding to a local restaurant for a final dinner in Salalah.


Salalah Beach Resort or similar
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 12 Tour ends in Salalah

Day 12 Tour ends in Salalah

Tour ends in Salalah: The tour ends after breakfast today.

Breakfast

ACCOMMODATION USED ON THIS TOUR

Hotel Rating

Ultra
The best of the best, the ultimate in luxury
Luxury
Outstanding service and facilities, giving you the 5* experience
Premium
Excellent standards offering a higher-end experience
Superior
Good quality service and overall comfort
Simple
No frills, basic accommodation, but often in the most exciting of places

Hotel Rating

Ultra
The best of the best, the ultimate in luxury
Luxury
Outstanding service and facilities, giving you the 5* experience
Premium
Excellent standards offering a higher-end experience
Superior
Good quality service and overall comfort
Simple
No frills, basic accommodation, but often in the most exciting of places

Hotel Rating

Ultra
The best of the best, the ultimate in luxury
Luxury
Outstanding service and facilities, giving you the 5* experience
Premium
Excellent standards offering a higher-end experience
Superior
Good quality service and overall comfort
Simple
No frills, basic accommodation, but often in the most exciting of places

Hotel Rating

Ultra
The best of the best, the ultimate in luxury
Luxury
Outstanding service and facilities, giving you the 5* experience
Premium
Excellent standards offering a higher-end experience
Superior
Good quality service and overall comfort
Simple
No frills, basic accommodation, but often in the most exciting of places

Hotel Rating

Ultra
The best of the best, the ultimate in luxury
Luxury
Outstanding service and facilities, giving you the 5* experience
Premium
Excellent standards offering a higher-end experience
Superior
Good quality service and overall comfort
Simple
No frills, basic accommodation, but often in the most exciting of places

Hotel Rating

Ultra
The best of the best, the ultimate in luxury
Luxury
Outstanding service and facilities, giving you the 5* experience
Premium
Excellent standards offering a higher-end experience
Superior
Good quality service and overall comfort
Simple
No frills, basic accommodation, but often in the most exciting of places

Hotel Rating

Ultra
The best of the best, the ultimate in luxury
Luxury
Outstanding service and facilities, giving you the 5* experience
Premium
Excellent standards offering a higher-end experience
Superior
Good quality service and overall comfort
Simple
No frills, basic accommodation, but often in the most exciting of places

Hotel Rating

Ultra
The best of the best, the ultimate in luxury
Luxury
Outstanding service and facilities, giving you the 5* experience
Premium
Excellent standards offering a higher-end experience
Superior
Good quality service and overall comfort
Simple
No frills, basic accommodation, but often in the most exciting of places

Accommodation displayed here should be taken as a guide only. *Please refer to the Detailed Itinerary of your individual departure for more information.

PRIVATE HOLIDAYS: DATES DON’T FIT?

All group tours can be taken on a private basis.

Additional Details

Responsible Travel

With local people, culture and eco-systems in mind, responsible travel and sustainable tourism are at the core of Wild Frontiers. We believe that a successful trip not only delivers a unique and unsurpassable journey for our travellers but also benefits the people and places we visit.

When designing our tours, we actively seek out experiences that have a positive impact on the communities and precious environments we visit - from supporting social enterprises; resting our heads in rural homestays; and eating at locally owned restaurants; to helping fund conservation projects that protect wildlife and their habitats. 

Visit the Responsible Travel area of our website to read more, including the work of the Wild Frontiers Foundation through which we fundraise to aid community empowerment and education projects.

Wahiba Sands

In the Wahiba Sands the group will enjoy a traditional meal with some ladies of the local Bedouin community.  It is a great opportunity to interact with this unique nomadic culture and support rural communities by utilising their services.

Reducing Single Use Plastic

We recognise the environmental issues and challenges around single-use plastic in many countries we visit and are actively working with our partners on the ground to reduce plastic waste on our tours and within the hotels and restaurants we visit. You can help to reduce your personal plastic waste by taking a refillable, filtered water bottle with you on your trip. Filtered water bottles can be refilled from water sources including your hotel room and restaurant taps, drinking fountains and refill stations. Every time you refill your bottle without the use of single-use plastic, you will be helping to reduce waste and protect the environment. Filtered Water Bottles | Wild Frontiers (wildfrontierstravel.com)

Getting There

If you would like us to send you a quote for the suggested tour flights or on any alternative flight that may suit you better, please let us know, noting that for our US clients, we will most likely refer you to one of our preferred partners. For this trip our suggested flights from the UK (subject to change) are shown below.

If you wish to arrange your own flights you are completely free to do so and in this case we can arrange any transfers or supplementary accommodation that you may require. However please note that if you are planning on making your own flight arrangements, we recommend that you first check with us to see if the trip is guaranteed. We then suggest that you purchase flights that are flexible and ideally refundable as due to the nature of adventure travel, itineraries and destination accessibility can change at any time. For more information, please refer to our booking conditions.
 

Flight Code Departing Arriving
WY 102 London Heathrow (LHR) 20:05 Muscat Airport (MCT) 07:15
WY 902 Salalah Airport (SLL) 05:30 Muscat Airport (MCT) 07:05
WY 101 Muscat Airport (MCT) 14:10 London Heathrow (LHR) 18:25

Visas

VISAS

Visas are necessary for many of the destinations we travel to and while we aim to provide you with the most up-to-date information, requirements frequently change and as such for the latest advice we advise that you check with the relevant embassies or contact a reputable visa agency. More details can be found here - https://www.wildfrontierstravel.com/visa

For this tour UK passport holders currently do not require a visa if staying in Oman for 14 days or less (no extensions).  If you do require a visa you will need to get an e-visa before departure.  E-visas can be applied for through the following website: https://evisa.rop.gov.om/en/home

Passports should ideally be valid for a minimum period of 6 months from the end of your tour.

Non-UK passport holders or non-UK residents should contact the relevant embassies for individual requirements.

VACCINATIONS & ADDITIONAL TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS

There are no mandatory vaccination requirements for travellers to Oman.

A Yellow Fever vaccination certificate is a requirement for travellers arriving from countries with risk of yellow fever transmission.

For all destinations, please make sure you are up-to-date with any standard vaccinations (e.g. MMR, Hepatitis A, Tetanus) as recommended by your local health care provider. 

For the most up-to-date information on all vaccination requirements and the most suitable anti-malarial tablets, we strongly suggest that you seek advice from your local travel centre or consult an official travel health website such as www.fitfortravel.nhs.uk or www.travelhealthpro.org.uk

Covid Testing: No mandatory testing is currently required for vaccinated or unvaccinated travellers.

If necessary further details will be sent out to you upon booking, however ensuring that correct and valid visas & vaccinations are obtained remains the sole responsibility of the client.

Extensions

If you have more time available, why not arrive early to adjust to a new time zone or just to get a feel for the country before your tour starts? Alternatively, you might choose to allow a few extra days after the tour to relax or to undertake some further exploration.

The choice is completely yours and we can usually arrange anything from simply additional accommodation and transfers to full tailor-made itineraries*. Please contact the office for more details and to discuss your requirements.

*Please note bespoke, tailor-made itineraries need to be a minimum of 7 days and we can only offer them in countries where we have a tailor-made expert

Governmental Travel Advice

Many governments issue advice which highlights potential hazards their citizens might experience when travelling abroad. We strongly suggest you refer to your country’s particular advisory site before booking and contact us if you have any queries or concerns. Click to follow links to the advice of the British Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) or the US State Department.

Non-UK citizens should consult the travel advice of their respective governments.

Key Information

CLIMATE

With its hot, dry winters, Oman makes for a perfect destination at this time of year. Expect daytime temperatures in the late 20s to early 30s (C) and but night-time temperatures in the desert can be a little fresh although nowhere near freezing, but there may be a dew.

IS THIS TRIP FOR ME?

It may sound obvious but Wild Frontiers tours are not always for everyone and it is important to us that the tour you choose is the most suitable. All our tours have a fitness rating as a guideline but you should check the day-by-day itinerary carefully. In certain instances we may ask you to complete a travel questionnaire before confirming your booking in order to ensure your suitability. Should you have any concerns about your ability to partake in any aspect of the tour then please contact the office.

KEY ASPECTS TO CONSIDER

Anyone in a reasonable state of health, with an open mind and a sense of adventure should be perfectly able to cope with this tour, as many of the activities are optional.

As the crew will be with you throughout the desert (they will be driving you), it will be all hands to the deck when you get to camp in the evenings, so it will be a team effort to put up tents etc., so all help will be gratefully received!

Also for the camping nights please note that the facilities will be “au naturel” and there will be no showers, as all the water used will have to carried in the vehicles – that said there will a small amount of water each night to be able to have a quick wash.

If you fancy a tipple, whilst on holiday, it can be quite hard to get hold of alcohol outside of the main international hotels and therefore it may be worth picking up a bottle in Duty Free of your preferred drink to have while camping in the desert.

THE NATURE OF ADVENTURE TRAVEL

We feel that it’s worth pointing out that while we will always strive to stick as close to the stated itinerary as possible, it may be necessary from time to time to make changes to our itineraries or services (due to weather, political and religious influences etc.) and this can happen with little or no notice. This unpredictability can be one of the most exciting aspects of adventure travel and for many of our clients often leads to unexpected highlights as the tour-leader necessarily adapts the tour to the changing conditions. However we are aware that this lack of assuredness may not suit everyone. As such, with the greatest respect, if you are someone who needs to know that everything will happen exactly as planned, we would kindly suggest that perhaps our tours are not for you. Adventure travel can be infectious and once you’ve caught the bug, it is likely to never leave you, but especially if this is your first such tour we would strongly urge you to give us a call if you have any concerns whatsoever about your suitability for this trip.

TRAVELLING SOLO AND SINGLE SUPPLEMENTS

As a company approximately 70% of our clients are solo travellers, so it’s very unlikely you’ll be alone!

Our prices are typically based on twin-share accommodation but single supplements are not compulsory for any Wild Frontiers tour. If you prefer not to pay a single supplement we’ll pair you with someone else of the same sex for you to share with throughout the trip.

On this trip, if you do opt to pay for a single supplement then please note that it will cover you for all nights of the tour including all camping nights, when you would get your own tent.

Please note that paying a single supplement entitles you to lone occupancy of a single room. In many cases these rooms will be of the same size as a double/twin room, but in some cases they may be smaller.

INSURANCE

Insurance that provides cover for emergency repatriation in case of a medical emergency is compulsory for all tours. You should be aware that due to some of the geographical areas visited and some of the activities included on certain of our trips some standard insurance policies may not always provide adequate cover. As such we strongly recommend that you purchase a policy that adequately covers your trip. Please see the Insurance section for more details.

General Information

TOUR PRICE

All our tours are priced on a land-only basis, giving you maximum flexibility when deciding how to get to and from your tour.

DEPOSIT

A 10% deposit is required to confirm your booking.

PROTECTION FOR YOUR MONEY

For further details please see our travelling with peace of mind page

WILD MILES

This tour will earn you 7254 Wild Miles

WHAT'S NOT INCLUDED

We believe in a completely transparent approach to pricing with no hidden extras. As such, please note that the following are not included in the cost of the tour.

Visas & Travel Insurance: Visas will always be tour/nationality dependent but travel insurance is mandatory
Tips: Always optional but some guidance will be given in the pre-departure information documents
International Flights: Please ask us for an obligation-free quote for flights which originate in the UK
Airport Transfers: We include complimentary transfers if arriving/departing on the suggested group flights
Beverages & any costs of a personal nature: This will include items such as laundry and souvenirs

WILD FRONTIERS COMMUNITY

If you’re still not sure if this trip is right or just want to see get some different perspectives, then why not have a look at the wide variety of resources we have on our website? Browse our community section to read our blogs, watch videos and find out about our events. 

WHY WILD FRONTIERS?

We are frequently asked what makes Wild Frontiers different from other tour operators. Visit our Why Wild Frontiers page to find out.