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Let me just start off by saying that this is one of my most anticipated trips for 2020 (assuming that we get to go!). I recently stumbled upon the country of Oman while researching Bolivia. I know this seems super odd right?! Well, I was getting into a wormhole on youtube while watching different travel vloggers, when I stumbled upon Lost LeBlanc. I’m not sure if you’ve heard of him, but his videos are awesome quality! The only thing that I feel is lacking is a detailed itinerary to follow up on these epic trips that he takes. He does, however, have complete guides that you can purchase, which I’m sure are excellent, but unfortunately, nothing on Oman yet.
Anyways, so here I am researching Bolivia to potentially add onto our Peru trip was moved to August of next year, when I stumbled upon a video about Oman. I immediately was drawn to Oman because of the country’s diverse landscape and endless things to do. (Look it up, you will feel like you need more than a month to get everything in!)
Here’s the plan: We are (hopefully!) going on Safari in Kenya in September to see the great migration and then we plan to take a direct flight from NBO to DOH (Doha, Qatar). From there, we will take a short 1.5 hr flight from DOH to MCT (Muscat, Oman) to begin our 8 day journey in the northern part of Oman. I can’t wait for you guys to follow along with us!
ULTIMATE 1 WEEK OMAN ITINERARY
Here’s what our Oman itinerary looks like:
Daymaniat islands (1 night)
Muscat (2 nights)
Desert Lodge (2 nights)
Jabal Akhdar (2 nights)
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Total days: 8
ULTIMATE 1 WEEK OMAN ITINERARY
DAY 1:
Arrive into Muscat at 0635. We have a priority pass so I plan on accessing the amazing Primeclass Lounge that is inside the Muscat airport before heading out. They have showers and even beds that you can nap in!
Once we get freshened up, we are heading to the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque. The Mosque is open to the public everyday from 8 to 11 am, except Fridays. It’s required for both men and women to wear long sleeve tops and long pants to the ankle. For women, bring a scarf to cover your hair. The mosque’s entrance is free but I will link some great tour options here.
After exploring the Mosque, it is time to grab a quick lunch. We are going to try Kargeen based on some recommendations found in other itineraries. It is well located in the middle of the city so perfect for right after a half day city tour of Muscat.
At 1300, we meet Blue Wave Oman at the All Mouj marina for an overnight camping trip to the secluded beaches of Daymaniat islands. While here, we will experience an Omani style BBQ, sunset, and snorkeling - cannot wait!
Image C/O Dive Worldwide
DAY 2:
We will spend the morning snorkeling in the Daymaniat islands with Blue Wave Oman and they will return us back to Muscat around 2 pm.
Once arriving in Muscat, we are going to make our way to our hotel for the night, Al Bustan Palace. There were several hotels that looked amazing in Muscat, so it was very hard to choose just one. I will link the others under “My Favorite Hotels” down below.
After checking into the hotel and showering, the plan is to head over to Muttrah Soug (check out the guide attached by The Culture Trip), which is one of the local markets. We will explore for a little while and then grab dinner at Biat Al Luban for some traditional Omani food.
DAY 3:
Today is a super early day as we are heading out to the Bimmah Sinkhole followed by Wadi Shab.
Bimmah Sinkhole is a 90 minute drive from Muscat on the way to Sur. You can do this on your own or you can book a tour here.
Image C/O Bucketlistly
In order to get to Wadi Shab on your own, I would recommend going first thing in the morning for shade and to beat the crowds. You can do this by staying in Sur the night before or leaving extra early from Muscat. I will create a post after our trip detailing how to hike the trail on your own.
In between the Bimmah Sinkhole and Wadi Shab, grab lunch in Sur. We are looking at Zaki but will probably ask the hotel if there is another place they recommend. If you have time, you can check out Sur, otherwise, head on to your desert camp hotel for the next couple nights. You can stop by Wadi Bani Khalid and go for a dip if you haven’t had your fill of swimming for the day!
We are staying at Desert Nights Camp for 2 nights. While you can get to the camp with a 4x4, you can also have transfers arranged by the camp that includes a sunset along with dune bashing while you’re on your way to the camp.
DAY 4:
Enjoy your full day in the desert today. We plan to go sand boarding, camel riding, and have a dinner underneath the stars.
DAY 5:
Today is a super early start! Get up and head back to Muscat to meet for a canyoning expedition! We are partnering with Twenty3Extreme for a canyoning adventure and also via Ferrata. They have several awesome canyoning adventures. It makes me want to stay in Oman for like 5 or 6 more days so I can do them all!
We are looking at doing their Snake Canyon 2.0 or their brand new Jungle Book adventure.
After a full day abseiling, jumping from cliffs, and swimming, make your way to the mountains where your accommodations for the next two nights await. We booked two nights at the Alila Jabal Akhdar Oman. This property is so gorgeous with amazing mountain views. We decided on the half board rate as I’m sure that there are not very many restaurants in such a remote location.
DAY 6:
Another early morning today as we are heading to Jebal Shams for a hike. There are so many things to do here: via Ferrata, balcony walk, day hikes, canyoning, abseiling, etc. If you have an adventurous spirit, then the world is your oyster!
When you get back to the hotel, have a starlit dinner cliffside to help bring such a wonderful trip to an end.
DAY 7:
This morning, we plan to either do another hike or sleep in and then head back into Muscat. Once arriving into Muscat, check into your last hotel and do some exploring of things that you missed around the city.
End the night with a sunset dinner cruise around the Omani shores. We will have an early night as our flights leaves at 4 am the next morning!
MY FAVORITE HOTELS
MUSCAT HOTELS:
Al Bustan Palace, A Ritz Carlton Hotel
Shangri-La Al Husn Resort & Spa
DESERT LODGES:
JABAL AKHDAR HOTELS:
KNOW BEFORE YOU GO:
Visiting Oman requires a Visa. You can get this on arrival at the airport or you can get one online via this website.
The only vaccine that is required is Yellow Fever and that is if you have traveled recently to countries where the disease is rampant. We will be coming from Nairobi so we plan to bring our vaccine information with us. We had to get one before traveling to Ecuador a few years back so we are covered!
If there are any other questions, be sure to check out the US State Department’s website regarding travel to Oman.
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