A week on the road through the Sultanate of Oman with a tour led by a local guide. An incredible country not only for its attractions, which let you move in just a few days from the modern authenticity of Muscat, to traditional villages of stone and mud with their falaj, to the sheer drops above 2000 metres of Jebel Sham, to the marvellous Wahiba desert, to the cold dips in the wadis, to the tropical blue of the Daymaniyat Islands... but also for its incredibly welcoming and smiling people. A country that wins you over in just a few days and treats you to a feast of memories.
For this trip too I used NBTS Travel and had a wonderful time. A small group of 9 people and an Omani guide.
Departure from Rome FCO with the Qatar flight direct to Doha. It had been a few years since I landed here and I take advantage of the stopover to go and see "The Orchard", incredibly nice if you haven't been to Singapore:)! Boarding the connection to Muscat where I land at 21:35. Transfer to the Golden Tulip Hotel with a driver.
This morning we meet the rest of the group and we immediately realise it will be a good group, few but good. The first stop is the Sultan Qaboos Mosque: a true marvel in white marble. Different and less lavish than the Emirati one but undoubtedly elegant and beautiful. Second stop the Royal Opera House: also a masterpiece of elegance. We reach the Corniche at Mutrah and stop at the fish market and the very lively Souq. We continue to Alam Palace and the Portuguese forts Jalal and Mirani. Return to the Hotel. In the late afternoon we decide together with our new companions to go and see a mall and treat ourselves to a first typical Omani dinner.
Today we set off early towards Jabal Shams. A stop along the route at the village of Birkat Al Mouz, then at the village of Tanuf, whose ruins of Tanuf are a very interesting place with the Al Hajar mountains in the background. After the visit to the ruins, we continue towards the ancient villages of the Hajar mountain range. Arriving at the village of Al Hamra we will take a walk through the "old town". Many of the mud houses found here date back 400 years and some of them are still standing. The ancient falaj systems are used for irrigation in these areas. We continue towards the village of Misfat Al Abriyeen, located at 1,000 m above sea level, with beautiful alleys and old houses. Finally we reach Jebel Shams, going above 2,000 metres, and we enjoy the view sheer over the canyon.
Tonight we stay at the nearby Sama Heights Resort and after check-in we have time to enjoy a spectacular sunset. The village is truly beautiful and staying in the Sultan Tent is without doubt an experience. We spend the evening in front of the fire, suddenly catapulted to just a few degrees above zero!
We leave the altitudes of the Canyon heading towards Nizwa. The first stop is its souk, an old traditional souk with several areas for vegetables, meat, souvenirs, spices. With a short walk we reach the Fort. Nizwa Fort with its huge round tower was built in the 17th century by Imam Sultan Bin Saif Al Ya'Aruba to defend the route to the interior. The fort dominates the entire area and the village grew up around it. From the top of the tower you can get a 360-degree panoramic view of the city of Nizwa. After lunch we set off again south towards the Wahiba desert. The "Wahiba Sands", often described as a perfect example of a sand sea, are made up of great chains of dunes stretching from north to south, some of which reach a height of about 100 metres. Near Al Mintarib we pick up the 4x4 vehicles and venture into the desert.
We settle in at the Arabian Oryx Camp, and continue with the vehicles through the desert until sunset, which we wait for from the top of the sand dunes. Pure emotions. Dinner and overnight stay at the camp.
Breakfast at the camp and departure from the desert. After changing the vehicle, we continue towards Wadi Bani Khalid, whose name in Arabic means "natural oasis". The place would be enchanting, with natural pools of emerald-green spring water, surrounded by palms and rock walls. It seems absurd that this corner of paradise is in full swing with the construction of hotels right on the edge of the canyon. We have time for a pleasant walk along the wadi and for a swim in this unique setting. We set off again south towards Sur, a coastal city famous for the construction of traditional dhow boats. In Sur we visit the port, the souk and the local market to immerse ourselves in Omani daily life. Accommodation at the Grand Hotel Sur. Dinner and overnight stay.
The day will be dedicated to exploring the picturesque coastal road to take for the return to Muscat. The first stop is a photo stop at Qalhalt, then we continue to Wadi Tiwi, a suggestive canyon where there is an ancient village immersed among plantations of bananas, papaya and other tropical crops. Despite the beauty of the place, we are a little disappointed because it doesn't match the wonderful spot seen in so many images.. so we discover that it is not Wadi Tiwi but Wadi Bimah, reachable only by 4x4 and after a long walk. One glance was enough for the unanimous mutiny of the small group...and with an agreement made on the spot we take a pick-up for the adventure that will be worth the trip. And so we fulfil the dream of a freezing swim beneath the waterfall of one of the most beautiful canyons.
Once we've picked up the guide again, we continue to the beautiful white sand beach of Fins and to the Bimmah Sinkhole, the spectacular limestone crater with water of an intense blue-green colour. Next stop Quriyat, a quiet fishing village located between the lagoon and the sea. We return to Muscat and, before going back to the Hotel, we have ourselves dropped off at the Mutrah Souk for the usual purchases. Tonight we all have dinner together at the Bait Al Luban restaurant and finally, sleep.
We set off early for the Marina di Al Mouj, where we board for the Daymaniyat Islands, reachable in just over an hour with an adrenaline-filled trip across the blue Omani sea. Here is the paradise you don't expect. The islands are a magnificent archipelago of nine uninhabited islands located in the Gulf of Oman, declared a protected nature reserve in 1996 and today recognised by UNESCO; they represent one of the most unspoilt and spectacular tropical paradises in the entire Middle East, famous for their fine white sand beaches, turquoise waters and an extraordinarily rich coral reef. Never have we seen so many sea turtles all together. Return to Muscat. Today is our last evening and we are lucky enough to be able to take part in the Muscat Festival at Qurum Park, a traditional event that allows us to bid farewell to Oman in the most festive and traditional way possible.
It is still night when I return to the airport to board the flight that will take me home via Doha.
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