Oman Short Break – Tailormade 5 Days – Price from £1295 per person, based on two people travelling and sharing a room.
Oman is an intoxicating mix of incredible scenery and fascinating culture in an enigmatic corner of Arabia. On this short break, experience the hustle and bustle of Muscat and then venture into an iconic Arabian landscape in the shape of the magnificent Wahiba Sands.
When referring to the Arab world, there’s a differentiation between the Middle East and North Africa, and the Gulf. The latter’s oil-rich states are often characterised by glittering high-rise developments, shopping malls, five-star hotels and industrial quantities of air-conditioning. Indigenous populations are often outnumbered by poorly paid guest workers, and little remains of traditional culture. Oman is an exception.
The mostly benign absolute monarchy of the late Sultan Qaboos saw an insular conservative kingdom evolve to adopt a more modern outlook. However, as much as Oman has used its oil revenues for infrastructure development, it has retained its traditional culture and identity. This tailormade short break gives you a tantalising flavour of its allure.
- Fitness
- Off the beaten track
- Culture
- History
- Wildlife
Tour pace
Moderate
Tour style
Traveller
Relaxed Pace
Relaxed tours are easy paced with plenty of leisure time built in. The tour will in all probability still be off the beaten track, with the occasional early start and there may still be occasional long drives. In general on a relaxed pace tour you can enjoy easy-going activities and experiences with opportunities to absorb the sights and immerse yourself in the local surroundings.
Moderate Pace
Moderate pace tours are ideal if you want a tour experience that combines activities and experiences with some time to relax. Typically you will be active and busy for part of the day but then also have time to rest and recharge your batteries. In general on a moderate paced tour there may be some long journeys involved but the tour is not an expedition or a road trip. On a moderate paced tour it will be necessary to have some early starts.
Busy Pace
A busy paced tour means that you can expect to be doing, seeing or experiencing something new almost every day, and moving on from place to place to pack in as much as possible. There may be early starts, long journeys and tiring days along the way, but you’ll return home feeling you’ve really experienced as much as you possibly could.
Pioneer Class Tours
On our Pioneer tours, you will be amongst an elite group of intrepid travellers and some of the first to explore a country that few have been privileged enough to discover. Of course, exploring such areas of the world will come with its challenges; it may mean several nights camping, long journeys by 4WD and the need to maintain a degree of flexibility for when carefully laid plans change. These are challenging tours in countries and areas that may have poor infrastructure, high levels of poverty and illiteracy. This can translate in to low standards in hotels, bad roads and poor driving standards among other issues. We try and smooth out as much of these issues as we can but you should be prepared to experience the bad with the good.
Traveller Class Tours
Our Traveller itineraries are at the core of our programme. These journeys are designed for travellers who still want to discover a land away from the tourist crowds but expect minimum standards. Accommodation will be primarily hotel based, although you could still find yourself camping, or the guest of a local family. Depending on the destination and itinerary, you’ll likely be travelling in a private vehicle, with occasional use of public transport. This is adventure travel with some of the rough edges smoothed out.
Itinerary
Day 1 - Arrival Muscat
Arrive in Muscat and transfer to hotel accommodation. Depending upon flight schedules there may be time to explore the city independently. Overnight at Ramada Encore. No meals or guided activities are scheduled today.
(Approximate driving time: forty-five minutes)
Day 2 - Muscat city tour and sunset cruise
This morning after an early breakfast meet your guide and start your tour of Muscat with a visit to the Grand Mosque, the most exquisite Mosque in Oman covering 416,000 square metres and can accommodate an astonishing 20,000 worshippers. We then continue to the districts of Muttrah, and visit the atmospheric alleyways of the souq where the scent of exotic fragrances and spices hang in the air.
Here you can bargain for a diverse range of goods from Omani costumes to traditional jewellery and much more. The next stop will be a photo stop and observation of the magnificent Al Alam Palace, the official residence of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos Bin Said the ruler of Oman. The palace is an architectural marvel for both its design and its location between the twin Portuguese forts Mirani and Jalali. You will then return to your hotel for some time at leisure before later this afternoon boarding a dhow and enjoy cruising along Oman’s coastline on an open deck sipping refreshments and sampling Arab dates as the sun sets. Overnight Ramada Encore (B).
Please Note:
The Grand Mosque is open from Saturday to Thursday from 0800 – 1100 hrs only.
Ladies visiting the mosque are required to cover their head with scarf and do not wear shorts, beachwear or sleeveless outfits as they are to be fully covered. Men are also to be full covered. Slip on shoes recommended.
The sunset cruise is a shared tour available on Monday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. On Sunday, Tuesday and Wednesday, it is by speedboat.
Day 3 - Muscat – Wadi Bani Khalid – Wahiba Sands
This morning we drive to Wadi Bani Khalid, an oasis in the middle of barren and dry mountain landscapes. It’s one of the most beautiful wadis in Oman, and its pools of clear deep blue water are a welcome opportunity for a swim. Continue thereafter into the vast expanse of the Wahiba, an undulating red and white sea of dunes. After some exciting dune driving and a visit to a Bedouin house, we arrive at our comfortable desert camp. Overnight 1000 Nights Camp – Sheikh Tent (No air conditioning) (BD).
(Approximate overall driving time today is 3.5 hours)
Note – The desert camp does not serve alcohol but you can take your own for private consumption.
Note – We recommend the experience of the Sheikh Tent but if you prefer a room with air conditioning then please contact us for an upgrade quote.
Day 4 - Wahiba Sands
Today your time is at leisure to enjoy the iconic Arabian Desert scenes. Early birds may wish to scale the dunes for a spectacular sunrise. The rest of the day can be spent at leisure just relaxing by the pool or there are a number of optional activities which can enjoyed from the camp including hiking in the dunes or a camel safari for example.
Activities can be booked in advance so please contact us for details but subject to availability they can also be arranged from the camp. This evening before dinner. you may wish to scale the dunes to observe the Arabian sunset across the ochre dunes . Overnight 1000 Nights Camp – Sheikh Tent – Not air conditioned (BD)
Day 5 - Wahiba Sands - Muscat - Departure
After a leisurely breakfast the morning will be at leisure before checking out around noon. Then drive back to Muscat where your driver/guide can take you to a restaurant for dinner (not included) before transferring to the airport for your late evening onward flight (B).
Dates & Price.
We offer this Oman Tailormade holiday for private departures only.
Prices start from £1295 per person, based on two people travelling and sharing a room.
We can also tailor a similar or totally different itinerary to meet your requirements. Please contact us to discuss your travel plans.
Tour Notes
Flights
Return flights from London to Muscat start from £400. Contact us for a quotation
Transfers
Airport transfers are included on arrival and departure.
Single Supplement
Solo occupancy room supplement for this Oman short break is £295
Self Drive Option
Please note this tour can also be taken as a self drive option. Prices start from £1045 per person based on 2 people travelling and sharing a room.
Download PDF.
Download the full tour dossier for this trip here.
For expert advice get in touch now with our passionate,
well-travelled team.
+44(0) 191 296 2674 from THE UK
1-800-614-2967 from THE US & CANADA
1-300-956-415 from AUSTRALIA
Tour inclusions.
- Arrival and departure transfers
- All accommodation as per itinerary (different hotels can be booked)
- Services of an English-speaking driver/guide
- Meals as listed (B – Breakfast, L – Lunch, D – Dinner)
- Private air conditioned transport
- Entrance fees for sites as listed as part of the itinerary
Tour exclusions.
- International flights
- Travel Insurance
- Items of a personal nature
- Visa if applicable
- Drinks
- Tips (discretionary)
Read more about Oman and our other tours
Undiscovered Destinations
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