Oman Trekking

Arrive in Muscat, the capital of Oman; a modern, clean and laid-back city that is less high-rise than most cities in the Gulf. Surrounded by the Gulf of Oman and dramatic mountains that naturally restricted its growth the modern city has spread out into neighbouring valleys and up the coast, and orientation can be confusing. Old Muscat is dominated by the Portuguese fortresses of Merani and Jalali built in 1587 and the Sultan's Palace.

For those arriving on time today our Leader plans to meet you in the hotel reception at 12pm for the welcome meeting and to take us on a guided tour of Muscat and our first walk. We start with the Bait Al Zubair Museum, proceeding to see Al Alam Sultan's Palace from the outside. To get our legs moving after the flight we plan a short and beautiful guided walk from Riyam Park to Muttrah with great views over the old town. We will also have the chance to visit the bustling souk in Muttrah. If you would like a transfer today, you'll need to arrive into Muscat International Airport (MCT), which is a 30-minute drive from the airport. Please note that if you wish to join the tour of Muscat today, you must arrive at the hotel by 12pm. If you are booking your own flights, we recommend giving yourself at least 90 minutes to clear the airport, so the latest your flight can arrive is 10am. Should you miss this, your Leader will inform you of any essential information as soon as you catch up.

Today's easy 3 kilometre/1.90 mile trek is expected to take around two hours with 200 metres/656 feet of ascent and descent. Stay: Ramee Guestline Hotel (Comfortable)

After an early start we visit the impressive, modern Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque. Photography is permitted. Woman are required to cover their arms, ankles and hair (head scarf required - not opaque). Men are required to cover their legs. We then leave Muscat and start our 3 hour scenic drive into the Western Hajar Mountains. The Al-Hajar Mountains run through the spine of north-eastern Oman, separating the high desert plateau from the coastal plain. After a picnic lunch near Al Khatim village we start our trek along the spectacular balcony walk to the abandoned village of As Sab and return the same way. This dramatic introduction to Oman is probably the most famous hike in the country, winding around the cliffs high above the Wadi Ghul-Nakhar Valley (Oman's own Grand Canyon) a kilometre below. The path winds around the cliffs, with stunning views into the canyon and the little villages at the bottom. As Sab village is positioned under a large rock overhang, remains of the simple stone houses and crop terraces can be seen. We return the same way to our first campsite (about 1,900 meter/6234 feet) near Al Khatim village on the Al Qannah Plateau in time for dinner under a star-filled sky. Tonight is our first wild camping experience and each time will be supported by a dedicated crew who will prepare our delicious food and make and break camp. The seating will be in traditional Omani style with cushions on the floor and toilets are al-fresco! Today's moderate grade eight kilometre trek is expected to take around four hours with 100 metres/328 feet of ascent and descent. On rocky terrain, the uneven rim path is narrow at times with drop offs on one side . Although these are never sheer and it is possible to keep away from edge, this hike is not recommended for vertigo sufferers. Stay: Igloo Tent - Al Quwatt village (Simple) (B/L/D)

This morning after breakfast, we meet our trusty 4WD vehicles that we will use over the following week to traverse the wild mountainous interior on a mixture of unsurfaced and surfaced roads. We head off towards Wadi Ghul Dam, leaving camp early allows us time to drive through the canyon, it's impressive to see from the bottom looking up, contemplating the sheer magnitude of the Wadi.

Today's hike will follow the OMAN by UTMB® (an international ultra-marathon running competition in the mountains) trail from the Wadi up to Hayl Al Shas. The ascent is quite steep for the first hour, with narrow sections, crossing Wadi Al Naqa to reach the plateau and village. Now on top we are rewarded with stunning panoramas of the surrounding valley. Continuing we pass near to The View Oman, a luxury eco resort and quite the contrast to the local goat keeper houses and traditional livelihoods we see along the way. Crossing the dry Al Mlah Wadi we will walk through Al Quwatt village to reach the camping spot (1,500 meter/4922 feet)

Today's moderate grade 12 kilometer/7.5 mile trek is expected to take around six hours with 500 metres/1641 feet of ascent. Stay: Igloo Tent - Al Quwatt village (Simple) (B/L/D)

After breakfast at the camp, we drive an hour to the beautiful village of Misfat al Abriyyin, notable for its traditional architecture and farming practices. A true mountain oasis, the village is a splash of green in the otherwise barren landscape, with terracing and gardens fed by ancient irrigation systems and mud houses built on solid rock. For thousands of years self-sufficient oases have flourished in the folds of rocks, using an ancient irrigation system known as falaj. These are water channels that never dry up, often contoured round wadis or tunnelled through the cliffs in order to tap the water table. Upkeep of the life-giving falaj is a community responsibility and contributes to maintaining harmony within a village.

Our hike today follows old donkey trails from the village at 900 metres/2953 feet, and we make our way steadily ascending stopping occasionally to take in the views behind us as the landscape opens up. As we reach the plateau at around 2,000 meter/6562 feet we gain spectacular views over Wadi Bani Awf and Balad Sait village a thousand metres below. The final 4 kilometres/2.5 mile are towards the edge of the plateau and we are spoilt with dramatic views to the north and south. Finally, our hike ends at Sharaf al Alamayn (2,050 meter/6726 feet) where the trail intercepts the HAAT road and our 4WDs are waiting. We drive for around an hour to our hotel (with its welcoming shower and comfortable beds!) on the outskirts of Nizwa, the capital of Oman from 751 to 1154 AD and still regarded as the cultural capital.

Today's challenging grade 13 kilometre/8.1 mile trek is expected to take around 6 to 7 hours with 1,050 metres/3445 of ascent. The trail is steep in places on the initial ascent, with some sections climbing up old stone staircases. Stay: Al Diyar Hotel (Comfortable) (B/L)

We start the day with an exploration of Nizwa including the centuries-old Friday cattle auction, a fascinating insight into Omani rural life that draws villagers from all around. The souqs are also worth a visit and local craftsmanship is particularly famous for the khanjar - a curved dagger originating from Oman still worn by men for ceremonial occasions. We continue to the 17th century fort, built to guard the Sumail Gap during the struggle between the Sultan and the radical Imams. Nizwa was the centre of Imam Resistance right up until the 1950s when the Sultan had to call upon the help of the British to quell the rebels.

We then drive (1.5hrs) into the mountains for our hike in the spectacular limestone massif of the Jebel Akhdar. The trail starts at the top of a mountain in Al Jaria and leads us to the abandoned village of Bani Habib. We pick our route carefully descending into the wadi, keeping our eyes peeled for Gazelles. The mountain views are excellent and we finally reach the bottom of the wadi and our camp near the abandoned village.

Today's moderate grade 12 kilometre/7.5 mile trek is expected to take around four hours with 250 metres/820 feet of ascent and descent. The descent into the wadi is steep in places, navigating down old stone steps. Stay: Igloo Tent - Jabala Akhdar (Simple) (B/D)

A short drive after breakfast brings us to the start of today's short and easy hike. The Jebel Akhdar is centred on the Saiq Plateau - an extensive plateau ringed by craggy summits and cut by deep wadis. The temperate climate here allows the cultivation of crops that cannot survive the heat elsewhere: peaches, walnuts and pomegranates all flourish, along with scented Damask roses which are used to produce the region's celebrated rose water. From Saiq village we walk to Al Aqor, through a beautiful scenery of terraced farmlands, between traditional villages where we gain further insight into local life, with great views into Wadi Muhaydin. The trail leads uphill to a summit before descending. After an early lunch, we enjoy village walk through the traditional village of Bikat al Mouz. Wandering through the banana and palm plantations, entering the abandoned houses of the tribes that once lived in these mountains and seeing the traditional Flaj irrigation system.

This afternoon we drive south for 3 hours and gradually the Wahiba Sands begin to rise before us. A vast sea of sand stretching 180 kilometer/111.90 mile by 80 kilometer/49.70, the Wahiba is an alluring landscape of undulating red and white dunes rising up to 200 metres/656 feet, home to the Bedu nomadic tribesmen. Time permitting we plan a short trek through the dunes in the late afternoon light, the emv ver-changing patterns of the dunes are a photographer's delight. Finally we reach our camp and enjoy a night under an Arabian desert sky.

This morning's easy grade 4 kilometre/2.5 mile trek is expected to take around 2 hours. The 4 kilometre/2.5 mile walk around Bikat al Mouz is expected to take around 1 hours and 30 minutes. Stay: Igloo Tents - Wahiba Sands (Simple) (B/D)

Despite its barren appearance, the desert is actually home to a rich variety of life that is sustained by heavy mists that descend at night. At first light you should be able to see myriad tracks of dung beetles, snakes, birds and other small mammals. Fauna found in the Sands includes dragonflies, wolf, 2 species of Ruppell's fox, wild cats and white-tailed mongooses. Some 115 species of birds have been recorded here and it is one of the few remaining refuges for the elusive Arabian and Sand Gazelles.

At first light (approx. 7am) we leave the desert and drive for an hour to Wadi Bani Khalid where we start our 2-day classic traverse of the Salma Plateau to the Gulf of Oman. Located deep in the Eastern Hajar mountain range, Wadi Bani Khalid is one of the largest and most picturesque wadis in Oman. Today is our longest and most challenging hike as we are mostly ascending to our wild camp on the 2200 meter/7218 feet Salma Plateau. We start the hike from 650 meter/2133, walking through the mighty wadi, picking our way along the canyon above the rock pools and watercourse fed year-round by spring water. As we gain height the gradient becomes steeper reaching the high point at 2,157 meter/7077 feet. Setting out across the Selma Plateau we take in the views of of Wahiba Sands to the south and the Gulf of Oman to the north. We are meet by the 4WDs once we reach the road and drive to the camp location (800 meter/2625 feet) Tonight we enjoy our last night under the stars.

Today's challenging grade 18 kilometre trek is expected to take around nine hours with 1,650 metres ascent and 275 metres descent. The terrain is rocky underfoot, gradually ascending for the majority of the day. Once on the plateau there is little shade. Stay: Igloo Mobile Tents - Majlis Al Jin (Simple) (B/L/D)

Early this morning we leave the rugged high plateau and start our descent along ancient donkey tracks into the stunning Wadi Tiwi. At first we wind our way, gradually descending the upper slopes and the welcoming sight of the deep blue sea should come into sight. The wadi then opens up beneath you, 1,000 meter/3281 feet deep, and we carefully pick our way zig-zagging through the upper reaches down into the canyon. At the wadi bottom the spring water flows year round, from pool to pool, feeding the verdant vegetation and crops of mangos, bananas, date palms and figs. Finally we meet our 4WDs at the village of Al Aqur and drive the short distance to Wadi Shab or Sur and our hotel for tonight. We bid farewell to our 4WD drivers.

Today's challenging grade 14 kilometre/8.7 mile trek is expected to take around eight hours with 150 metres/492 feet ascent and 1,550 metres/5086 feet descent, which is steep in places. Stay: Tiwi Sunrise Hotel (Comfortable) (B/L)

After breakfast we travel by bus to the start of our last walk; a beautiful hike up the Wadi Shab gorge where we discover an oasis with natural swimming pools, turquoise rock pools and caves - all surrounded by steep canyon walls. To complete the final section (optional) you need to swim through several pools to reach a peaceful cavern dramatically lit from above. We return the same way.

A 2 hour drive on the coastal highway brings us back to Muscat. Upon return to the city this afternoon, we have the opportunity to take an optional trip on a timeless dhow vessel, thus appreciating the beauty of Muscat's coastline from the sea. Departing from the marina in Old Muscat the dhow returns after a glorious sunset. Dolphins can often be spotted in abundance in the waters just off Muscat's shores year-round.

Today's easy grade 8 kilometre/5 mile trek is expected to take around four hours with 200 metres/656 feet ascent and descent. Stay: Ramee Guestline Hotel (Comfortable) (B/L)

The trip ends after breakfast at our hotel in Muscat.

There are no activities planned today, so you are free to depart from Muscat at any time. If your flight is departing later in the day, luggage storage facilities are available at our hotel. If you would like a transfer today, you'll need to depart from Muscat International Airport (MCT), which is a 30-minute drive from the hotel. (B)