Trek Oman

Arrive at Muscat International Airport and transfer to hotel in Muscat.

Overnight at Hilton Garden Inn Muscat / Similar.

No Meals

Drive time: 250 kms, Drive Time 5 hours.

You will be collected from your hotel after breakfast and travel by 4x4 vehicle (approx 90mins) via Barka to the historic settlement of Nakhl, in the southern Batinah region. Nakhl’s most outstanding archeological feature is its pre-Islamic fort, which perches on a craggy, 200ft high hill, surveying the town and the surrounding mountains. Allow two hours to explore the fort and the “AinThura” springs.

From Nakhl, drive 20 mins to Wadi Ban Awf for a short trek in the wadi and a picnic lunch (sandals and sun protection are essential!). Later you continue our drive to Wadi Bani Auf. The route down Wadi Bani Awf is one of the Arabia’s great 4WD adventures and includes a visit to the village of Bilad Sayt, a remote fortress village in the heart of the mountain range. Here you can go for a trek before continuing to Jebel Shams, the highest mountain peak in GCC.  

Bilad Sayt – W8 Trail – Jebel Sharaf Al Ameen 

Distance: 5.22 mi / 8.4 km 

Elevation Gain :3891f 

Elevation loss: 646ft 

Technical Difficulty: Difficult 

Check in at Sama Heights Resort with dinner at resort 

Overnight at Sama Heights Resort

Meals: Breakfast Lunch and Dinner 

After breakfast we start the rim walk up to the Summit. It is one of the best and hardest treks in Oman along the Grand Canyon with fantastic views over to Jabal Al Khawr and Jabal Misht, as well as into Wadi Sahtan. One of the best views in Oman.

W4 Jebel Shams Summit Trek 

Elevation Gain: 6079 ft 

Elevation Loss: 6079 ft

Walking time 5 to 6 hours one way 

Altitude 1900 m to 3000 m 

Distance 9 kms, Grade 2 

Picnic lunch will be served enroute. 

You return to hotel in the evening with dinner at hotel 

Overnight at Sama Heights Resort 

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner 

Early morning you do a cliff walk up to the abandoned village. It is 1 hour 15 minutes’ walk each way. An exiting easy walk along the steep canyon walls to an old village bringing you back in time hundreds of years.

Balcony Walk 

Walking time: 1 hr 15 mins

Altitude 1900 m to 1800 m

Length 4 kms, Grade 1 

Return to hotel for breakfast 

Please note: The guests can choose to do the cliff walk before or after breakfast. 

Check out from the hotel and drive to Al Hoota Cave (45 kms Drive time, 1 hour). Estimated to be over 2 million years old, Al Hoota Cave is located at the foot of Jabal Shams, Oman’s epic mountain. It is the first and only show cave in the Arabian Peninsula with a total length of around 4.5 kilometres, of which just 500 metres is accessible to the general public. Al Hoota Cave contains a rich ecosystem that includes four lakes. It is here that one can see the rare blind fish – Garra Barreimiae or more commonly known to us as Bu Naseh. And there are many other animal species living in the cave including bats (Rhinopoma Muscatellum), arthropods, mollusks, spiders, snails and water beetles.

Please note visit to Al Hoota Cave is subject to weather conditions. Due to heavy rains in Nizwa region, the cave remains closed for visitors.

Later drive to Nizwa (40 kms, drive time 45 minutes). A former capital, Nizwa is among Oman’s oldest cities. It centres on Nizwa Fort, arguably Oman’s most magnificent standing fortress, as well as Nizwa souk, the largest market in the country besides Muttrah (in Muscat). 

Incase Al Hoota Cave is closed, they will drive to Jebel Akhder (80 kms, 2 hrs 20 minutes’ drive time) 

3 Village walk in Jebel Akhder

Places covered: Al Aqr, Al Ain, And As’Sharaijah

Distance: 6.5 mi / 10.5 km

Duration: 2 hr 30 minutes

Elevation: 482 f

Elevation loss: 482 f

After the walk drive back to Nizwa 

Check in at Golden Tulip hotel and dinner at hotel 

Overnight at Intercity Hotel – Nizwa 

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner 

After breakfast at the hotel, check out and take the time to explore Nizwa with your guide. Visit Nizwa souq the main highlight in the Souq is the Cattle Auction that takes place every Friday. The Auction is the traditional way of selling the cattle like sheep, goats, cows, and camels. These are brought by their owners from nearby villages. This is what cannot be missed out if you are in Nizwa on Friday. explore the souq The impressive New Souq complex has been sensitively designed using Omani fort architecture and elegant Islamic arches. The air-conditioned halls of this souq are full of fresh fruit and vegetables, herbs and spices, huge stacks of dates and freshly caught fish. This is still the best place to buy traditional silver “Khanjars” (hand- carved Omani daggers) and Bedouin jewelry, where silver is still sold by weight. 

Then you visit Nizwa Fort (optional) with its massive Circular Cannon Tower, making it one of the most impressive forts in Oman Built on a solid base of rock, the huge tower was designed to withstand the vibrations of 24 cannons. From the top, a superb panoramic view gives visitors a bird’s eye view all around Nizwa and the surrounding plains – a sure delight for all avid photographers!

From Nizwa continue to the Wahiba Sands (260 kms, Drive time 2 hrs 45 minutes) for two nights in the desert. You’ll be staying at the desert camp, a convenient base from which to explore the desert dunes on guided walks. Dinner at Camp.

Overnight at Desert Rose Camp / Similar

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner 

Today will be spent exploring the Wahiba Sands on foot with your guide. You will need desert boots or light weight mountain boots for the desert trek (trekking sandals should also be fine). Excellent protection against the sun is essential. If you want to do a full-day walk, a picnic lunch will be provided, but you may prefer to return to camp for lunch. Dinner at Camp. 

Overnight at Desert Rose Camp / Similar

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner 

After Breakfast check out from the camp and to the palm-filled Wadi Bani Khalid (60 kms, Drive time 1 hour). You follow a well-worn path into the heart of this rocky oasis and discover a sizeable pool that offers visual and physical refreshment - particularly in the hotter months. 

Note: Don’t forget to carry your swim suite

Later you drive to Ras AL Jinz (50 kms, Drive time 1 hr 45 minutes) the coastal area for your overnight stay at Turtle Beach Resort. After an early dinner you will have time to visit the famous turtle sanctuary at Ras Al Jinz, before returning to your hotel. 

Overnight at Turtle Beach Resort 

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner 

Depart Ras Al Jinz this morning for the return journey to Muscat. We drive to the foothills of Wadi Shab (100 kms, Drive time 1 hr 30 mins). Here we park our vehicles and get into fishermen boat to cross the back waters. It is a short cruise of few minutes. Once we reach the other side, we start our trek to Wadi Shab (approx. 45 minutes). You reach at the Wadi Shab pool, one of the most beautiful wadis in Oman. Spend your day in the wadi. Picnic lunch will be served here. 

Trekking to Wadi Shab 

Distance : 3.5 mi / 5.6 km

Duration: 1 hours (one way) 

Elevation Gain: 1253 f

Elevation Loss: 1253 f 

Note: Don’t forget to carry your swim suite

Later trek back to the bottom and get into the boat to reach your vehicles. Continue to Muscat.  

Arrive and check in at Muscat hotel. 

Overnight at Hilton Garden Inn Muscat / Similar

Meals: Breakfast and Lunch 

Breakfast at leisure. Morning at leisure.

Later check out from the hotel and transfer to Muscat International airport to board your flight back home.