Trek Oman X 10 day itinerary
| Day description | |
| Day 1 Thu 6th Nov |
Arriving at Muscat International Airport you are met by our representative and transfer to the hotel (20 min). You now have a few hours to refresh, take lunch and relax by the pool. Then at 3pm we take a tour by coach of Muscat city. Highlights include visiting the fort, the Sultan’s Palace and the Bait Al Zubair Museum before stopping for dates and coffee and a walk along the corniche to explore the Muttrah souk. We finish the day with dinner back at the hotel. The City tour is by coach with the opportunity for short strolls around some city areas and the souk. |
| Day 2 Fri 7th Nov |
After breakfast we set off from the hotel in 4x4’s at 8am and drive north towards Barka and Nakhal Fort. Built on a large rock to help defend the farms of the plain, the fort is well worth a short stop. We then continue onwards to the Western Hajar mountains and enter Wadi Bani Awf. Leaving the blacktop road we quickly engage 4-wheel drive as we journey through this picturesque wadi lined with date farms and water pools (numbers vary depending on volume of recent rain). This is a steep and fun offroading experience and after one hour we reach the pretty village of Bilad Sait and take the opportunity for a photo stop. We then continue our wind up to 2000m and get our first views of the stunning Western Hajar mountain range. Our acclimitisation walk along the Col (Birkat Al Sharaf/Sharaf Alamein) enjoys unique panoramic views of onver 1000 square kilometres of the whole Jabal Akhdar area, with the villages of Bilad Sait off to the North and the village of Al Hamra to the South West. Around mid afternoon we will make our way towards Jebal Shams, the highest point in Oman at 3000m, where we make camp and settle down for a night under the stars. |
| Day 3 Sat 8th Nov |
From Al Kateen village we follow the balcony trail along the mountain edge to an abandoned village which clings to the rocks completely hidden from view from above and below. Just beyond the village we can see the traditional farm terracing where locals used to produce their food and a short walk further takes us to the small lake that feeds the terracing. The walk back along the balcony trail offers more breathtaking views of the canyon and we stop to further enjoy the views over a picnic lunch. We then set off in 4x4’s down the mountain to Wadi Ghul and Nakhr village to view the canyon in reverse – from the bottom up, which is equally as dramatic and stunning, as this journey takes us through more than half a billion years of geological time. Stopping for coffee and dates with the people of Nakhr village we see goat hair carpets being woven and dyed. We then head off to Tanuf, home to the famous Jabal Akhdar water bottling factory and a place steeped in history with its old abandoned village a sad relic of the 1950’s Jebal War. Tanuf makes an ideal resting place for our second night of wild camping. |
| Day 4 Sun 9th Nov |
Today sees us rising early and after a hearty breakfast we break camp and start our 7-8hr trek up Oman’s beautiful ‘green mountain’ Jabal Akhdar. The initial path is quite steep as we move over smooth rock slabs and quickly gain altitude covering much of the 1400m (from 700m to 2200m) in the first 3-4hrs to enjoy views at 1400m out over the village of Al Far and Wadi Al Qashah. A short detour brings us to an abandoned cliff village where we stop to enjoy our picnic lunch, before setting off for the gentler afternoon hike, aiming to reach camp on Sayq Plateau at 2200m by 4pm, allowing time to relax and to enjoy the sunset before dinner. |
| Day 5 Mon 10th Nov |
Another day when we are up and set off early after breakfast and breaking camp to trek down from the Al Jarir region of the plateau back to Tanuf. Although a shorter route down, with ~6-7 hours of walking, this is one of the most spectacular walks in Oman, at times quite challenging with some steep scrambling in parts offering fantastic aerial views. |
| Day 6 Tue 11th Nov |
Positioned alongside two wadis, Nizwa, the former capital city of Oman, is a fertile sea of green with an oasis of date plantations stretching 8kms from the town. Today, Nizwa is still the largest and most important town in this area of the interior and is noted for its 17th century fort and atmospheric souks full of silversmiths’ art, especially ornately engraved khanjars. A short drive takes us to the magnificent Jabrin Castle with its wall and ceiling decorations and secret passageways which is well worth a short visit. After lunch in a local restaurant we make the 3.5hr journey to Wadi Bani Khalid for an afternoon swim before making camp. |
| Day 7 Wed 12th Nov |
This morning we start our 2 day trek up and over the Selma Plateau and down to Wadi Tiwi. From dipping our toes in the cool wadi waters we walk through the lush coolness of this popular and breathtaking wadi ascending gradually to an altitude of 1655m. The rugged landscape provides a stark contrast to the greenness of the wadi and offers panoramic views out over the stunning Eastern Hajar mountain range. We make wild camp on the plateau and settle down for another night under the stars. |
| Day 8 Thu 13th Nov |
Up and off early we break camp after breakfast and begin our onward and down trek from the plateau to Wadi Tiwi. The rugged landscape continues until we start to descend and once more encounter the lush coolness of the wadi with its dramatic rock faces and palms. Once refreshed we walk the final gentle stretch to the cars and go on to our camp, just 15mins away at the stunning talcum powder soft White Beach. |
| Day 9 Fri 14th Nov |
After perhaps a quick swim and snorkel before breakfast we break camp and head to nearby Wadi Shab, just 15mins away by car. A gentle 1hr stroll up this beautiful wadi brings us to the swimming pools. Here we can relax and swim in the pools and onto the hidden cave. Once refreshed and after lunch we walk back to the cars and make our journey back to Muscat. |
| Day 10 Sat 15th Nov |
A morning to spend however you wish: at the pool or beach or last minute haggling in the souks. This is also your last opportunity to visit Muscat’s Grand Mosque before checking out and transferring to the airport for the homeward journey. |
Trip includes
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Trip excludes
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