Oman in Freedom

Flight from your hometown to Muscat Airport.

Arrival at Muscat International Airport. Visa procedures and baggage collection at client's expense. Transfer to hotel in Muscat with English-speaking driver. Accommodation.(Hotel rooms will not be available before 2:00 p.m.)

Breakfast. At around 08:00 hrs, our representative at the hotel will meet you to hand over the 4x4 rental vehicle. You will also be provided with a detailed itinerary, maps, driving instructions and all necessary information about the proposed route.

The route proposed for today is one of the most interesting and possibly also the longest. It takes you along the beautiful Batinah coast and then up the mountain crossing the Hajjar ranges to reach the forts of Nizwa. Terraced farms and beautiful mountain villages await you and of course you will enjoy excellent views. The fertile Batinah coast is dotted with beautiful beaches, forts and fishing villages. We recommend visiting the Nakhl Fort before starting to drive through the western area of the Hajjar mountains which rise to over 2,000 meters. Along the way you will see the beautiful villages with terraced farms. Enjoy the view at Bilad Sait and continue the journey until you reach Hal Al Shas, located 1,400 meters above sea level.

Accommodation and dinner tonight will be at a beautiful hotel with great views.

Note: In case you don't want to make the mountain crossing via Wadi Bani Awf and Bilad Sayt, you can continue exploring Rustaq and then drive to Hail Al Shas via the other road.

Breakfast, dinner and overnight at the hotel.

As a suggestion for today, you can choose to visit the forts and castles, which are the most striking cultural landmarks in Oman and, together with their towers and walls, have historically been used as defensive bastions or observation points. Along the way, you can stop for photos or visit the Bahla Fort, which is a World Heritage Site. Bahla is also famous for its handmade pottery. Continue your route to Jabreen Castle, built as a defensive fortress. Jabreen is perhaps the finest of Oman's castles. You can then start driving through the Hajjar Mountains. The Jebel Shams, literally translated to "Sun Mountain", is the highest peak in Oman. Today you will be able to explore the heights of the Hajjar Mountains. You could also stop at Al Hamra, where 400-year-old mud houses are still inhabited. You can also visit the mountain village of Misfah with stone dwellings and the farming village of Wadi Ghul. The Wadi Nakhr gorge is one of the best natural wonders of Oman. Discover the small villages hidden in the mountain ranges as you descend the steep and winding road.

Breakfast. The suggested route for today begins with a visit to Nizwa, capital of the “Al-Julanda dinasty” in the 6th and 7th centuries. Visit the Nizwa Fort with its huge round tower built in the 17th century to defend the route to the interior. From the top of the tower you can get a panoramic view of the city of Nizwa. From here, it is a short walk to the Nizwa Souq, which is famous for its intricately hand-carved “Khanjar” and ornately designed silver jewelry. Get to know the town of Ibra before heading towards the Wahiba Desert (known as Wahiba Sands). A driver from the camp will be waiting for you in the village of Bidiyah to guide you through the dunes to the camp. Once you have arrived at the camp, you will have time to relax and enjoy the desert.

Dinner and overnight at the camp.

Breakfast. Today we suggest you get up early to explore the dunes on foot or simply observe their changing colours. Now you have to say goodbye to the desert and head towards Wadi Bani Khalid, one of the most impressive natural wadis in the Sultanate of Oman, a valley covered by mountains, with palm groves and paradisiacal rivers that form natural pools, where you can take a dip. From there, head towards Sur, a small fishing village, and from there finally reach Ras Al Jinz, known for its beaches and for the turtle study centre.

Accommodation.

Breakfast. Today's suggestion is to take the coastal road to Wadi Shaab, where the wadi's water forms a series of beautiful natural pools and waterfalls of different shades of green and blue, protected by towering mountains. Access to the gorge is by boat and after approximately 40 minutes you reach the interior. Then, on the way to Muscat, we suggest stopping at Bimah Sinkhole, a 100-metre diameter sinkhole that looks like a crater under the sea (swimming is possible). Accommodation in Muscat.

Breakfast. Free day during which we suggest you explore the city of Muscat, capital of the Sultanate of Oman. You can start your tour with a visit to The Grand Mosque, which is an architectural marvel and is perhaps the new landmark of the city (The Grand Mosque is only open to the public from 08:00 to 11:00 hrs from Saturday to Thursday. Please inquire about the dress code before you go). You will also get to see the Bait Al Zubair Museum, Al Aalam Palace (the official residence of Sultan Qaboos) flanked by the twin forts of Mirani and Jalali. Enjoy the charming Muttrah Souk with its narrow covered alleys where the exotic smells of heaps of spices, coffees, ancient remedies and tempting perfumes fill the air.

In the afternoon, you will need to return the rental vehicle either to our representative at the hotel or at the hotel reception. Accommodation.