Oman
Discover Authentic Arabia
Oman is a desert country of vast rolling sand dunes – and so much more! The desert Sultanate surprises even the most well-travelled with its majestic mountains, crystal clear fjords, amazing beaches, wildlife and the traditional Bedouin lifestyles of its desert inhabitants.
The mountains of the Jebel Akhdar are dotted with stunning hill villages making a walking holiday more than rewarding. Reaching heights of more 3,000m views are, quite literally, stunning, with numerous rock-cut valleys running with fresh water to discover, perhaps on a canyoning trip. The Jebel Akhdar fall away rapidly to the coast which runs due north to the UAE and then beyond to the little tip of rock that is the Musandam Peninsula. Deeply cut by fjords this separate Omani enclave has its own special culture and a cruise through the fjords by traditional dhow is a great way to finish a week of exploration.
Most people head along the coast and into the interior where the more familiar dunes of the Wahiba Sands can be explored by 4WD, camping in the dune-fields and on stunning beaches as you go. Here too are freshwater-filled wadis to wade through, but with traditional shipyards and marine life to discover there’s more to the coast than perhaps first meets the eye.
In the south Salalah attracts Gulf visitors when the summer khareef monsoon turns the land emerald green. There are opportunities to scuba dive, watch birds, kayak, take boat trips, fish and visit the legendary city of Ubar.
A visit to Oman is a rewarding and perhaps a surprisingly rich experience for those enjoy a healthy dash of culture with an exploration of the great outdoors.