Itinerary
- Day 1
Jabal Akhdar
After your hotel pickup around 8 am, you'll drive to Nizwa and start by checking out the 17th-century Round Tower Fort. From there, walk through the souk where local craftspeople sell silver items and the traditional curved daggers the region is known for. Later, head to Birkat Al Mauz village and wander around the date plantations, which use the traditional Falaj irrigation system that's been here for centuries. Then it's time for the winding drive up to Jabal Akhdar at 2,000 meters altitude, where you'll get views across the mountains and can walk through the terraced villages if you'd like. You'll stay overnight in the mountains so you can settle in and relax after the drive.
Included Activities
- Visit Round Tower Fort, Nizwa
- Explore Nizwa Souk (silver and curved daggers market)
- Walk in Birkat Al Mauz village and date plantations
- Drive through Wadi Al Madeen to Jabal Akhdar
- Walk along terraced villages (Saiq, Wadi Bani Habib, or Al Ain)
Landmarks/POIs Round Tower Fort, Nizwa Nizwa Souk Birkat Al Mauz Wadi Al Madeen Jabal Akhdar - Day 2
Wahiba Sands
You'll head down from the mountains through Ibra to reach Wadi Bani Khalid, which has some really nice natural scenery with a watercourse running through it. Walking along the wadi and swimming in the natural pools there gives you a good sense of what this landscape is actually like. After that, continue into the inland desert toward Wahiba Sands, where Bedouin tribes still live traditionally. The desert stretches quite far, about 180 km from north to south and roughly 80 km across, so you'll see why it's so dramatic. By evening you'll reach your desert camp or resort, set right among the dunes where you can spend the night.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner
Included Activities
- Walk and swim in Wadi Bani Khalid natural pools
- Experience Wahiba Sands desert landscape
- Interact with traditional Bedouin tribes
Landmarks/POIs Wadi Bani Khalid Wahiba Sands - Day 3
Muscat
The drive out of Wahiba Sands is pretty dramatic with the dunes all around you, and then you'll head toward Sur, a white seafaring town where they still handmake traditional wooden dhows in a small shipyard. You can stop and watch the workers building these boats by hand. Moving along the coast, there's a recommended stop at Fins Beach if you want to swim and break up the drive. Next, visit Bimah Sinkhole, an impressive limestone crater where you can swim if conditions allow. Pass through Wadi Arbaeen with its natural pools beneath the date palms, and then you'll arrive in Muscat. The tour finishes at the airport or at a hotel if you've booked an extension separately.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Observe traditional dhow boat making in Sur shipyard
- Swim at Fins Beach
- Visit and swim in Bimah Sinkhole limestone crater
- Walk through Wadi Arbaeen with natural pools
Landmarks/POIs Sur Fins Beach Bimah Sinkhole Wadi Arbaeen Muscat
