Arabian Peninsula

Oman

Emerald wadi pools, sun-reddened dunes and mud-brick forts — an Arabia that takes its time.

Photo: Andy Arbeit / Unsplash

Oman begins with scent: frankincense smoke in Muscat's Mutrah souq, coffee spiced with cardamom, dates set on a tray before anyone thinks to ask where you've come from. The white capital stretches along a narrow strip between dark rock and the Gulf of Oman, and in the evening whole families come out to stroll the corniche.

An hour's drive away the landscape changes entirely. The Hajar Mountains rise in abrupt, layered walls, and at their feet hide the wadis — gorges holding jade-green pools and groves of date palms. Higher up, on Jebel Akhdar, pomegranates and roses grow on terraces, while the cliffs of Jebel Shams fall away into one of the deepest canyons in Arabia.

Further east lie the orange dunes of the Sharqiya Sands, where the night can be so quiet you hear the sand shift. A journey through Oman is easy to shape so that active days alternate with slower ones: a morning on foot in a gorge, an afternoon in the shade, an evening by the fire at a desert camp.

Why go

01
The wadis: Shab and Bani Khalid
In Wadi Shab you cross first by small boat, then follow a path and swim through ever-narrowing pools. In Wadi Bani Khalid the water gathers between palms and smooth rock, a place to linger. Arrive early, while it's cool and quiet.
02
Nizwa and the mountain forts
The old capital of Nizwa is known for its round fort tower and a souq selling silver, dates and pottery; on Friday mornings there is often a livestock market. Nearby stand the forts of Bahla and Jabrin and abandoned mud-brick villages, and a short drive leads up to the terraces of Jebel Akhdar.
03
The Sharqiya (Wahiba) Sands
A sea of dunes where life revolves around shade and cool air. In the afternoon you might drive along the dune crests, in the evening watch the sand change colour, and at night sleep at a camp lit only by the fire and the stars.
04
Musandam and the coast
In the northern exclave of Musandam, cliffs plunge straight into the sea to form fjord-like inlets, best explored aboard a traditional wooden dhow. On the southern coast lie Sur, with its dhow-building heritage, and Ras al Jinz, where green turtles come ashore to nest in certain seasons, though sightings are never guaranteed.

Ways to travel

Ways to experience it

Ways to travel aren't separate paths — the best journeys often bring several together.

Tailor-made journeys
A car with a driver or a self-drive 4x4, with nights arranged so that long drives never overshadow the journey itself.
Adventure & active travel
A walk along the rim of the Jebel Shams canyon, swimming through wadi pools, canyoning or a drive across the dunes — always matched to your pace and the season.
Exceptional stays & escapes
Tented camps among the dunes, lodges on the edge of mountain cliffs and calm seaside hotels in Muscat.
Culture & discovery
Forts and old mud-brick villages, the Nizwa souq, falaj irrigation channels and evenings of Omani coffee and dates.
Honeymoons & special journeys
A night under the stars in the desert, a few days in the mountains and a finish by the sea — a journey with plenty of space and quiet.
Family journeys
Short walks, swimming in the wadis, a boat in Musandam and a desert camp — to children, Oman feels like a vast open-air playground.

Oman

Journey inspiration

Illustrative ideas for how a tailor-made journey could look. Not bookable packages: no prices, dates or inclusions are implied.

018–11 days
Mountains, wadis and dunes
Muscat, Nizwa and Jebel Akhdar, a night by the Jebel Shams canyon, then Wadi Bani Khalid, the Sharqiya Sands and the coast to Sur.
Tailor-made journeys · Adventure & active travel
Plan something like this
029–12 days
Slow Oman for two
A few nights in a mountain lodge above the terraces, a desert camp and a longer finish by the sea — fewer drives and more time in each place.
Honeymoons & special journeys · Exceptional stays & escapes
Plan something like this
0310–13 days
Fjords and forts
A few days in Musandam by dhow and mountain road, then Muscat, Nizwa, Bahla and the wadis — a journey for families or anyone who likes to keep moving.
Family journeys · Adventure & active travel
Plan something like this

Planning your journey

When to go

The most comfortable time is generally from around October to April, when days are warm and nights cooler. Summer is very hot across much of the country, though the mountains are noticeably cooler. In Dhofar, in the south, the summer monsoon usually brings greenery and mist. Conditions vary from year to year.

How long to allow

Allow at least 8–10 days for the main circuit of Muscat, the mountains, the desert and the coast, and a few more for Musandam or Dhofar. Mountain roads are steep, so we plan the days with time to spare.

Natural combinations

Oman pairs well with Jordan or Egypt for those who want more history, and after an active journey a few days in the Maldives make a natural finish.

Areas to explore

Muscat
The Grand Mosque, the Mutrah souq and corniche, and quiet beaches on the city's edges.
The Hajar Mountains
Nizwa, Jebel Akhdar, Jebel Shams and terraced mountain villages.
Sharqiya
The sands, Wadi Bani Khalid, Wadi Shab and the coast to Sur.
Musandam
A northern exclave of fjords, mountain roads and fishing villages.
Dhofar
The southern region around Salalah, known for frankincense trees and its summer green.

General guidance only. Weather, seasons and wildlife are never guaranteed, and travel requirements are always worth checking before you go.

Sample journey