Adventure of Oman (4Nights /5Days)

DAY 01: AHLAN WA SAHLAN! WELCOME TO OMAN!
(Muscat – Bahla – Jabreen – Al Hamra – Misfat Al Abriyeen – Nizwa
Arrival at Muscat International airport. After passing passport and customs with picking up your luggage, you will be welcomed by our guide who will escort you to the waiting vehicle which you will board for a soft adventure tour. We depart direct to the Oasis city of Nizwa. Forts and castles are Oman’s most striking cultural landmarks and together with its towers and city walls, they have historically been used as defensive bastions or look-out points. It is estimated that there are over 500 forts, castles and towers in Oman. Your visit today would include a few of them, which are more remarkable & striking in their architecture & style.

Continue your drive to the Jabreen castle. Built as a defensive stronghold, the Jabreen is perhaps the finest of Omani castles. The castle has dungeons, passages, rooms and ceilings decorated with fine carvings & paintings. This castle is distinguished by the inscriptions and frescoes that adorn its rooms. The castle’s ceilings are decorated with paintings and Islamic-era style inscriptions, and its doors are beautifully carved. All these architectural details make Jabreen Castle an authentic expression of Omani craftsmanship.
On your way, stop for photo at the Bahla Fort, which is a UN World heritage Site. The fort and settlement, a mud- walled oasis in the Omani desert, owed its prosperity to the Banu Nebhan tribe (Nabahina), who dominated the central Omani region and made Bahla their capital from the 12th to the end of the 15th century. Bahla was the centre of Ibadism (a branch of Islam), on which the ancient Omani Imamates were based and whose influence can be traced across Arabia, Africa and beyond.
You may explore the village of Al Hamra, at the foot of the mountains, where 400 years old mud houses are still standing and occupied.
If you still have time today, you can take a walk around this village to see its fascinating history, agriculture and falaj watering system. Most houses in this little village are built from mud bricks and clay and many of them have been built more than a hundred years ago.
DAY 02: Nizwa – Ibra – Wahiba Sands
You may visit the Nizwa fort and the Nizwa souq. The 17th century round fort and the souq famous for intricate silver jewelry are the major attractions of Nizwa. Built on a solid base of rock, the huge tower was designed to withstand the vibrations of 24 cannons.
Today you would also see some fascinating diversity of Oman’s landscape; from the dunes of Wahiba to verdant wadis, and some pretty oasis towns too. The drive takes you through a cross section of Oman’s geography through arid lands, wadis, and oasis villages. Continue your drive towards Wahiba Sands. You will drive to the interior of Oman, passing the desert town of Ibra and you wou will start seeing the Beauty of the sand dunes rising as you drive closely along the bordering villages. On the inland side of the great mountainous backbone of the Sultanate of Oman, where sands lap at the thresholds of farmlands, a string of border towns marks the zone of transition between nomadic and settled peoples. In the oasis villages of Oman, however, desert and village economies have mingled for ages to their mutual benefit. Living within and along the Sands are approximately 3000 pastoralist Bedouins belonging to different tribes and
who owns mainly herders of goats and camels. Running south from the Eastern Hajjar Mountains to Arabian Sea, the Wahiba Sands, described a Sand sea, stretches almost 200 kms in length and about 100 kms in width. The dunes rise above 100-150 meters in different
shades of colour and shifting sands, is the perfect place for both the romantic and the adventurous. A roller- coaster ride over the dunes would a thrilling fun especially for those who are first time visitors to the desert. On your way, you are likely to pass by many of the Bedouin house, and encounter Bedouin people who are very hospitable and not spoilt by tourism. Be amazed at the spectacular sunset over the dunes! You will certainly enjoy the ambience at your desert camp and of course the dinner.

DAY 03: Wahiba Sands – Sur – Ras Al Jinz

Getting up early in the morning provides you a fantastic opportunity to explore the dunes by foot or to just watch the shifting colours of the dunes. Enjoy camel rides inside the camp before saying good-bye to the dunes!
You will take the winding road up to the picturesque Wadi Bani Khalid. The Wadi has several beautiful mountain formations and landscapes. The walk to the pools of Wadi Bani Khalid is quite interesting, along the falaj (small irrigation canals) and past mango trees and other crops. Farmers in the area, despite the rough terrains, have managed to cultivate land at the foothills of the mountains by using the water streams to irrigate the crops. This is quite a refreshing visit; and you would be able enjoy a swim in the waters here. Continue your drive towards Sur and immediately after Al Kamil, there is an area where there are good chances of seeing camels (crossing the road!).Sur has historical importance and dhows used to sail to India and other countries from Sur. Many of the rich people of Oman belong to Sur and you can see many big seaside mansions along the way. Driving on to Sur, we would visit the Dhow building yard (though in recent times, unfortunately, the amount of dhows built here is very few! We are therefore unable to guarantee ant activity during the visit) You would also visit the village of Ayja, a small town on the other side of Sur, lulled by the sea and quite charming with quaint houses on both sides of narrow alleys, with goats and sheeps wandering the narrow streets, this is really an interesting town for the visitors. Arrive at Ras Al Jinz and check-in at your small hotel right on the beach! Ras Al Hadd is where the first sunrise in the whole of Arabian Peninsula is seen – the adjoining Ras al-Jinz houses one of the largest nesting areas for Green Turtles in the Indian Ocean. An exceptionally high amount of turtles nest here each year, with an average of 30,000 only nesting on the beaches of Ras al-Jinz. The turtle reserve opens at night (9.00 pm) as well as at dawn (4.00 am) for the public to see the turtles nestling on the sands and depending
in your luck, you would be able to see a few or or more of these wonderful creatures. Please note that photography is allowed only during the dawn visit.
DAY 04: Ras Al Jinz – Wadi Shab – Bimmah Sinkhole – Muscat
Today you would embark on a long thrilling drive from Ras Al JInz to Muscat. With stunning views of the waters of the Arabian Sea on one side and the rocky cliffs on the other, this is an exciting drive along the coast road to Muscat.
After breakfast we drive along the coastal road to Muscat.
Not far away is another picturesque wadi- Wadi Shab. A walk through the narrow roads leads you to lush plantations and pools with clear water. Wadi Shaab is a wadi between cliffs and normally has water. Stop at the Bimmah Sinkhole, a spectacular limestone crater with blue green water at the bottom.
Arrive at Muscat, check-in, dinner & overnight stay
DAY 05: MYSTICAL MUSCAT / DEPARTURE
Before you leave Oman, you will visit the *Grand Mosque, which is an architectural marvel and is perhaps the new landmark of the city. You will continue your drive through the ministries area where you can see a number of modern buildings with touches of Islamic architecture.
*:-The Grand Mosque is open Sat to Thu 0800-1100 hrs only.
: -Ladies visiting the Grand 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 visiting the Grand Mosque should wear long trousers.
Proceed to explore Old Muscat, the clean capital city. A unique blend of the ancient & the modern, Muscat is a
beautiful clean city, which lies in the middle of a maze of brown pleated mountains, lulled by the Arabian Sea. The
city has undergone dramatic development in the past two or three decades, however it has never lost its pride in
its heritage & culture, rich heritage and culture.

Your tour includes visit the Bait Al Zubair Museum. With the variety of exhibits, modern display methods and information provided, the museum serves as a real window on Oman’s. A photo stop at the magnificent Al Aalam Palace (the official residence of Sultan Qaboos) flanked by the twin Portuguese forts of Mirani & Jalali. You would now explore the enchanting Muttrah souq with its narrow covered alleys where the exotic smells of mounds of spices, coffees, ancient remedies and enticing perfumes fill the air.
Late afternoon drop off to airport for your flight back home.

PACKAGE PRICES INCLUDE

• 04 Nights’ accommodation as per the itinerary on Twin Sharing basis
• Daily breakfast & dinner in hotels as per above mentioned
• Packed lunch on Day 04.
• Round Trip for Day 1 to Day 04 by private 4WD vehicle with maximum 04 pax per car
• Half Day Muscat tour with departure transfer on Day 05 by saloon car
• Short Camel rides (Joy rides) inside the desert camp.
• Services of an English-speaking accompanying guide cum driver
• All entrance fees
• Mineral water during the trip.
  Airfares, Oman visa charges, Personal expenses, meals which are not specified etc. are NOT INCLUDED in the package.

IMPORTANT NOTES
– The itinerary is subject to change based on arrivals/departures timings.
– Forts & museums are generally closed on Fri & Sat and on all National Holidays. Please check with us once exact dates of operation of tour are known.
– Schedule and visits are subject to change depending on delays caused by border formalities (if
any) as well as weather, traffic, and other elements.