Welcome to the vibrant port city of Muscat, the capital of the Sultanate of Oman.

Muscat is home to over two thirds of Oman’s population and lies on the Al Batinah coast overlooking the Gulf of Oman. Bordered by mountain ranges to the west, with a scenic coastline and a natural harbour, Muscat is a wonderful mix of old-world charm and everything you would expect from a world-class city. It is not uncommon to see authentic old shops and stalls next to a brand-new building with modern Omani architecture.

Explore Muscat on a city tour this morning, starting at the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque. The Mosque was only completed in 2001 after taking six years to build and has a distinctive appearance with a central dome that rises 50 metres from the ground and a minaret connecting to the walls and internal courtyard inscribed with verses from the Koran. The Grand Mosque is so large it can fit up to 20,000 worshippers within the courtyards and prayer rooms. It is also home to the world's second largest single Persian carpet, handmade with over 1.7 million knots and covering 4,200 square metres in the Mosque's prayer hall. The chandelier hangs 14 metres high above the prayer hall, weighs 8.5 tons and has 600,000 crystals.

Next we visit the Mutrah Souq, thought to be one of the oldest marketplaces in the Arab world with an intoxicating mix of sights, sounds and fragrances.
Your final stop is to the Bait Al Zubair Museum which is privately owned by the Zubair family and displays their collection of Omani artefacts. The collection is made up of selected inherited and donated pieces which include traditional clothing, jewellery, art and firearms.

Following lunch at a local restaurant, we will enjoy views of the Sultan’s Palace, flanked by the 16th century Portuguese forts of Jalali and Mirani. The remainder of the afternoon is at leisure for you to explore at your own pace.

Travelling by 4WD along the spectacular coastline, stop to visit the fishing village of Qurayyat and the Bimah sinkhole.

Then continue to Wadi Shab where you will take a hike to discover the beautiful turquoise pools nestled between stone cliffs. Located on the Sur coast, the Wadi is where the fresh water from the mountains meets the salty water of the Arabian Sea. After stopping at a local resort for some lunch, you’ll continue to the old African Port of Sur, one of the country's oldest ports that linked it to the rest of the world. Sur is one of the famous cities in the Gulf region for building wooden ships.

This afternoon you’ll reach Ras Al Hadd and check in to the Ras Al Jinz Scientific Research Centre. An important nesting site for the green sea turtle, each year 30,000 turtles come here to lay their eggs. Later this evening venture down to the beach to witness their nesting habits. Amazingly these turtles return to the same beach where they were born to lay their eggs. It is said that out of 1,000 eggs that are laid only 1 green turtle will survive. Once the mother lays the eggs (approximately 100) she leaves the baby turtles to fend for themselves which results in the low survival rate.

Today's adventure takes you to enchanting Wadi Bani Khalid, one of Oman's most scenic wadis. We first drive to Sur and visit Al Ayjah village with a photo stop of the watch tower before continuing the drive to Wadi Bani Khalid. Here you’ll be able to swim in the incredible emerald pools before enjoying lunch in a local restaurant. In the afternoon head inland to the vast desert of Wahiba Sands, named after the Bedouin Wahiba tribe.

Travelling off-road by 4WD, explore the mesmerising landscape of endless dunes and witness a breathtaking sunset.

Tonight, you’ll sleep under a blanket of stars in a typical Bedouin desert campsite.

Wake up to the sun rising over the desert dunes, a truly amazing experience.

This morning, visit a Bedouin house and experience the warm Omani hospitality with a cup of kahwa (Arabic coffee) and dates.

You’ll then make your way to Nizwa via the old abandoned mercantile village of Al Mansfah, located in Ibra. Al Mansfah’s forts and towers were constructed in the traditional Omani way, combining plaster and cement. Whilst many of the buildings are falling into ruin, the decorations and inscriptions are still visible today.

Next, stop to visit the beautiful oasis village of Birkat Al Mouz.

Upon arrival in Nizwa, take a city tour including the 17th century round tower fort and the Nizwa Silver Souq. The most renowned pieces to be found here are the hand crafted Khanjars (curved daggers) that are decorated in a unique style and pattern. You can also shop for pottery, leather goods, coffee pots and copperware here.

Travel back towards Muscat today.

Along the way stop at Bahla, and visit the beautiful UNESCO World Heritage Fort, built on stone foundations with walls and towers made from unbaked bricks. Bahla is also famous for its pottery and the town's souq is the best place to see the works of art on display.

From Bahla you’ll visit Jabreen-Castle, one of the best-preserved forts and castles in Oman. Built in 1670, the fort offers some of the most spectacular views of the surrounding plains with the Hajar Mountains at the far end of the horizon.

You’ll have a chance to explore the village of Misfat Al Abriyeen, built on the side of a large mountain. Walking through its narrow streets can feel like time has come to a standstill. Here in the village you’ll find dates, bananas, mangoes, papayas, oranges and limes, all grown locally in the rich surrounding plantations.

Return to Muscat this afternoon.

Today marks the completion of your adventure through Oman. We hope you leave with fantastic memories!