Reasons to Visit
With all of these mountains, wadis and desert dunes, it is probably apparent that a saloon car isn't going to suffice for many of the journeys you take in Oman! A 4WD, piloted by a skilled local, is very often required and adds to the sense of adventure.
Oman's miles of coastline are a veritable haven of white-sand beaches and secluded coves. Whether you choose to stay in a downtown Muscat hotel where the beach is wide and open, or to head to somewhere like Musandam, where your hotel is likely to be the only thing for miles around, Oman's beaches are one of her major attractions.
The Wahiba Sands are easily accessible from Muscat and provide an insight into desert life. The tall dunes hide small Bedouin encampments, and a surprising array of wildlife. For the truly adventurous, the legendary sands of the Rub' al Khali, or Empty Quarter, beckon in the south of the country.
Although a clichéd phrase, much of Oman is relatively untouched by Western influences, and when you stand at Nizwa market watching the locals haggle over livestock, or admire the way fields have been terraced into impossibly steep mountainsides, you're appreciating a more traditional lifestyle.
The Hajar Mountains have kept the interior of Oman isolated for millennia , and the remote villages steeply terraced into the mountainsides seem little changed in that time. In Salalah the mountains have captured the moisture in the ocean air, allowing the liquid gold of frankincense to be grown on their slopes.
Cutting through heavily folded rock, with pretty streams and swaying palms nestled in their beds, the wadis of Oman are a major attraction, from the gentle and peaceful Wadi Bani Khalid through to the drama of Wadi Gul, with its 1 kilometre sheer sides.
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Isolated by the Hajar Mountains from the coast and the outside influences brought to the coastal cities through trade and conquest, Nizwa developed as a bastion of conservatism.
The ultraviolet index is a measure of the risk of skin damage due to exposure to the sun. Be aware that the potential damage caused by the sun varies from person to person as well as by time of day, altitude and several other factors. We recommend contacting your GP for further advice.
Wear sunglasses on bright days; use sunscreen if there is snow on the ground (which reflects UV radiation) or if you have particularly fair skin.
Wear sunglasses and use sunscreen, cover the body with clothing and a hat, and seek shade around midday when the sun is most intense.
Wear sunglasses and use sunscreen having SPF 15 or higher, cover the body with sun protective clothing and a wide-brim hat, and reduce time in the sun from two hours before to three hours after solar noon.
Wear sunscreen, a shirt, sunglasses and a hat. Do not stay out in the sun for too long.
Take all precautions, including: wear sunglasses and use sunscreen, cover the body with a long-sleeved shirt and trousers, wear a very broad hat, and avoid the sun from two hours before to three hours after solar noon.
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15 days from £4,050pp
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