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Heroes and Heroines Souqs of Muscat
Spend some time in Muscat to explore the forts and museums.
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Our Team Steppes Travel is made by the people who work here. Incredible holidays are made possible because of their vast travel experience and the great enthusiasm they bring to their work.
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Our Tour Experts We carefully select our experts based on their knowledge, companionship and influence, ensuring that you can travel with the most knowledgeable leaders in the field.
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Heroes and Heroines The people who lead the way when it comes to those things which matter to us: exploration, the environment, women’s empowerment and education.
Highlights of Oman
Home to almost unbroken sunshine, beach bliss, a friendly and fascinating culture, scattered with forts, deserts, green wadi’s and granite grey mountains, this holiday idea to Oman offers a huge variety and is only a seven-hour flight from the UK.
Once in Oman, getting around the country is straight forward, so much so, we are confident to offer a self-drive option in addition to fully guided experiences.
Key Highlights of this Itinerary
1
2Nizwa and Mountains
Nizwa Fort is one of Oman’s largest and oldest forts.
3Wahiba Sands
Experience the thrill of dune driving amidst the desert sands of Wahiba.
4Masirah Island
Search for sea turtles and dolphins from your private boat.
Why we like it
Oman offers more bang for your buck and can easily be explored with limited time. Walk the old walled town of Muscat, spend a night or two under the stars at Wahiba Sands, and marvel at the pretty villages embedded into the Al Hajjar mountain range. Top this off with a few days of beach bliss to ensure you have the perfect balance of awe-inspiring culture with world-class beaches and diving. All of this in the knowledge that you are travelling in a safe, tourist-friendly destination.
Day 1-3
Muscat
Day 4
Muscat - Wahiba Sands
Day 5
Wahiba Sands - Masirah Island
Day 6
Masirah Island
Day 7
Masirah Island - Jebel Akhdar
Day 8
Jebel Akhdar
Day 9
Jebel Akhdar - Muscat
Day 10
Muscat
Day 1-3
Muscat
Spend some time to explore old and new Muscat. See the ancient forts and Sultan’s Palace. Visit the wonderful Bait Al Zubair museum which showcases Omani heritage, and visit the mightily impressive Grand mosque. Wander along the corniche at sunset, haggle in the lively Muttrah souq or enjoy a night at the Opera where some of the most famous names in opera and ballet have performed
Day 4
Muscat - Wahiba Sands
Experience the thrill of dune driving amidst the desert sands of Wahiba. Try your hand at sand boarding, take a camel ride through the desert, visit a local Wadi or simply enjoy the tranquility of your camp and the desert star-lit skies.
Day 5
Wahiba Sands - Masirah Island
Search for sea turtles and dolphins from your private boat and see over 400 different species of birds that come to Masirah island to rest and eat in its’ endless mudflats, beaches and wadis.
Day 6
Masirah Island
Day 7
Masirah Island - Jebel Akhdar
Day 8
Jebel Akhdar
It is around 10 degrees cooler in the these mountain ranges, which reach as high as 3000 metres. The scenery dramatically changes here, where grand canyons meet with steep farming terraces, abandoned villages, date palms and wild wadis. Hike the spectacular balcony walk that offers some of the best views of Oman, or visit nearby Nizwa with its spectacular round tower fort and Friday cattle market.
Day 9
Jebel Akhdar - Muscat
Spend some time in Muscat to explore the forts and museums, wander along the corniche and haggle in the lively souq.
Day 10
Muscat
More details
Experience Muscat
During your stay in the city, we can arrange for tickets to see world-class performers grace the stage at the Royal Opera House. Arrange access to private museums to be shown unsurpassed collections of currency, paintings, and photographs. Organise a private boat charter to spend the day snorkelling or diving in the glorious reefs along the coast. Alternatively, join a boat trip to dolphin or whale watch.
Dramatic Canyons and Endless Dunes
Wahiba Sands is a desert region home to the Bedouin Tribes, known for their hospitality and knowledge of the dunes. A night can be spent sleeping under the stars or in the great comfort of a luxury camp. During your stay in the desert, hike up huge dunes, hire a sand board and surf these orange giants or try your hand at dune bashing, driving 4×4 vehicles through exciting terrain.
Turtle Conversation on Masirah Island
The Secret of Masirah Island
Oman’s largest island is located 15 kilometres off the south-east coast of Oman, reached by a short ferry ride. Masirah Island is a good alternative to Ras Al Jinz, for turtle watching. Ras Al Jinz has received negative feedback from some travellers, due to overcrowding at the turtle sites.
Masirah Island Resort provides comfortable accommodation, allowing you to focus on exploring the beaches and finding the nesting sites. The island is home to four of Oman’s nesting species of turtles including the largest population of Loggerhead Turtles in the world.
In addition, Masirah Island is one of the best places in Oman to see birdlife. Explore the east coast beaches which are wild and windy and swim in the waters off the west coast which are calmer. Go diving to explore some of the dhow wrecks which are all around the island, or snorkel in the pristine offshore waters.
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Explore the Ancient Market Town of Nizwa and Al Hajjar Mountains
Visit the UNESCO market town of Nizwa and, if your visit falls on a Friday, you will have the chance to witness the atmospheric goat and cattle auction. People from the surrounding countryside come to buy or sell goats, sheep, and cows under the date palms. The enormous 17th-century Nizwa Fort is not to be missed. Venture up to the Alila Jebel Akhdar Hotel for panoramic views of the mountains. It is also around 10 degrees cooler in the mountain ranges, which reach as high as 3000 metres. The scenery dramatically changes here. You will see fruit orchards laid out on the mountain terraces, with small villages dotting the landscape. Trekking and organised activities are well catered for in the mountain range.
What Can I See in Southern Oman?
If time constraints aren’t an issue, extend this trip to include Salalah, the second largest city in Oman, reached by a short flight from Muscat. A visit to this southern region offers further insight into Oman and gives a deeper understanding of its history and landscapes, which feel somewhat tropical with coconut groves and banana plantations. Home to frankincense trees, souqs, historical sites, the vast Empty Quarter and even the ‘Lost City of Ubar’ originally discovered by NASA, the south is well worth adding onto a longer itinerary.
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A note on price
Prices will vary depending on the time of year you are travelling. Prices do not include international flights. Please ask one of our Travel Experts for an accurate quote. Flights purchased through Steppes Travel departing from the UK are ATOL protected.
This Itinerary
Low Season
From $3,879 Per person
High Season
From $7,634 Per person
When to travel
Oman in January
Oman will generally experience cooler temperatures and occasional rainfall, making both January and February an ideal time to visit for comfortable sightseeing but as a result, some regions may become busier.
Oman in February
February is an ideal month to travel to Oman with over 10 hours of daily sunshine and average temperatures of 24°C, perfect for some winter sun.
Oman in March
As temperatures start to rise, March is a preferred time to travel to Oman in order to experience a warm climate, but without the intense humidity, that summer can bring.
Oman in April
Slightly warmer than March but cooler than the peak summer months of July and August, April can be a good time to travel to Oman with the country experiencing average temperatures of 35°C.
Oman in May
As May brings the start of summer, temperatures will be high throughout the country with marginally lower levels of humidity than the peak summer months.
Oman in June
Frome June through to August, the southern region of Dhofar catches the Indian Ocean monsoon rains, known as Khareef. This can be a welcome break from the intense summer heat, but makes Salalah, the capital city of Dhofar, very busy during this time.
Oman in July
Due to the high temperatures experienced in Oman during the months of July and August, this can be a less comfortable time to travel to the country unless you visit the Southern regions.
Oman in August
With Oman experiencing Khareef, the country’s monsoon season, visit the South of the country where the monsoon rains have created lush, green vegetation across the landscapes.
Oman in September
With both the monsoon season over and as summer draws to a close, September experiences high temperatures with very little rainfall.
Oman in October
The best time to visit the country is from late October through to mid-March with Oman experiencing temperatures ranging from 25°C to 35°C, with cooler balmy evenings.
Oman in November
The best time to visit the country is from late October through to mid-March with Oman experiencing temperatures ranging from 25°C to 35°C, with cooler balmy evenings.
Oman in December
December is the coolest time to visit Oman with a maximum average of 26°C. Mountainous regions, however, can experience considerably lower temperatures at night.
Holiday Inspiration
Our experts have created and curated these tailor-made holiday ideas to get you started. Take the time to search through them and find something that is the spark for your unique adventure.
Why Choose Steppes?
Our knowledge and expertise set us apart. So too our curiosity. It is this that drives us to create a journey that is really bespoke to you, all the while ensuring we travel and operate sustainably.
Are you ready to discover extraordinary once again?
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