Oman road-trip 14 fabulous days

The first stop on your Oman itinerary is Muscat, the bustling capital and the largest city in the country. Spend the first 2 days enjoying this city’s beautiful architecture, souqs, food, and beach! WHAT TO DO IN MUSCAT 1. Admire the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque 2. Climb the Mutrah Fort & Stroll Along the Mutrah Corniche 3. Shop for Souvenirs at Mutrah Souq 4. Catch a Performance at the Royal Opera House 5. Enjoy a Delicious Meal at Kargeen 6. Take a Swim at Shatti Al Qurum Beach

DAY 3: DAY TRIP TO WADI SHAB It’s time to go deep into Oman’s nature! Wadi Shab is one of the country’s most visited outdoor attractions and it’s definitely worth the hype. This wadi consists of 3 natural pools that you can swim in; a mystical waterfall inside a cave which you can also swim in, and a gorgeous hiking trail leading up to it all. Overall, the experience here felt like being inside a natural water park – one with stunning views of canyons all around you!

DAY 4: BIMMAH SINKHOLE – SUR – RAS AL JINZ TURTLE RESERVE BIMMAH SINKHOLE Get ready: the next stop on your Oman itinerary is Bimmah Sinkhole, one of the most beautiful natural wonders of the country! Many locals believe this sinkhole was created by a meteorite, although that remains a myth. Reaching Bimmah Sinkhole is easy: it’s a 1.5-hour drive from Muscat and you won’t have trouble finding it. The sinkhole is approximately 20 m deep, and when you’re inside its clear turquoise water, you’ll be surrounded by tons of fishes! Swimming here is a unique experience that you absolutely can’t miss.

SUR After you’re done swimming in Bimmah Sinkhole, make your way to the seaside city of Sur, which is 1 hour away by car. Sur is famous for its port, which is one of the oldest ports in the world. It played a big role in international trade between Arabia, South East Asia and Africa in the 18th and 19th centuries. The city is also known for its excellent ship-building craft – particularly wooden ships. The top thing to do inside the city of Sur is to visit the charming Al Ayjah Lighthouse. Although you can’t go inside nor climb it, it’s located right by the sea – making it a great spot to take a stroll and relax by the water. You also get a really cool city view of Sur from there – a row of white houses and mosques standing against a misty backdrop of mountains! If you have extra time, take a walk from the lighthouse alongside the Sur Corniche to enjoy the calming waterfront during sunset.

RAS AL JINZ TURTLE RESERVE Ready to see some turtles? One of the most special experiences you can have in Oman is watching sea turtles dig their nests and lay their eggs on a sandy bay! A 45 mins drive from Sur, the Ras Al Jinz Turtle Reserve protects thousands of turtles that migrate to Oman’s beaches every year. The turtles won’t appear during the day, but they make their way to the shore at night and then slide back into the ocean during sunrise! That’s why I recommend getting to Ras Al Jinz in the evening after visiting Sur. To see the turtles on this beach, you’ll have to join a group tour. In the evening tour, you can watch the turtles walk out of the ocean and onto the beach, dig holes into the sand and lay their eggs. You can also join a sunrise tour to see them make their journey back into the water. You can book both tours in advance and I highly recommend doing so because spots can fill up quite quickly! The eggs usually hatch after 55 days, so if you’re lucky, you might also spot some baby turtles make their way into the ocean!

DAY 5 – 6: WAHIBA SANDS DESERT Now it’s time to discover another side of Oman’s nature – its magical desert dunes! Wahiba Sands Desert is definitely one of the best places to visit in Oman, and I really recommend spending 2 days among the sand here after all the water-filled activities from the previous days. I suggest staying in a desert camp – my top two recommendations are Safari Dunes Camp and Desert Nights Camp. From Ras Al Jinz, it takes roughly 3 hours by car to get to your desert camp. **It is an optional

DAY 7: WADI BANI KHALID – IBRA – NIZWA WADI BANI KHALID Next stop on your Oman road trip is Wadi Bani Khalid – a family-friendly deep-water wadi that offers absolutely stunning views. From Wahiba Sands Desert, it’ll take you 1 hour to reach the parking lot of this wadi. The first pool is an easy 10-minute hike from the parking lot. Take a nice refreshing swim there, but don’t stop there! Follow the sign at the bridge and make your way to Muqal Cave afterward. The walk is simply breathtaking, and you’ll also pass by the upper pools, which were swim spots in Oman!

PASS BY IBRA ON YOUR WAY TO NIZWA After taking a dip in Wadi Bani Khalid, it’s time to make your way to Nizwa, where you’ll be spending the night. I recommend passing through the ancient town of Ibra on your way there. This city is roughly a 1-hour drive from Wadi Bani Khalid, and it has a souq (market) and an Old Quarter filled with historic ruins, both of which are worth seeing! From Ibra, it’s a 2-hour drive to Nizwa, which is a good city to stop in for the night.

DAY 8: NIZWA NIZWA FORT Nizwa is one of the most historical stops on your road trip in Oman. The main attraction of the city is Nizwa Fort, which showcases various defense mechanisms that Omanis have used in the past – including pitfalls, honey traps, and gun shooting windows. Built in the 17th century, the fort took 12 years to complete and also comprises of a castle, which was built in the 9th century. Inside the castle, you’ll find the Imam and his family’s rooms. I suggest spending a few hours walking around the fort and the castle, and make sure to take in the stunning view of the city from the fort!

DAY 9 – 10: JEBEL AKHDAR The last two days of your Oman itinerary will be spent in the mountains of Jebel Akhdar. This region is a 2-hour drive from Nizwa, and the temperatures here are a lot cooler than the other places mentioned in this article, so make sure to bring warm clothes! Some of the top activities you can do here include trekking in the gorgeous canyons, touring the three local villages nearby, and climbing via ferrata!

Day 11-12: Make Our way to the colorful subtropical city of Salalah (it’s an 11-hour drive from JEBEL AKHDAR so please take that into account) *******This is would be updated soon ............................

Drive from Jebel Akhdar to the jaw-dropping Masirah Island – it’s an 10-hours drive so will take you most of the day *******This is would be updated soon ............................................

Drive from Muscat – it’s a 7-hours drive so will take you most of the day *******This is would be updated soon ........................................................................................