Explore the wild frontiers of Oman

Welcome to Muscat. This enchanting port capital, with its low-rise buildings, colorful markets and traditional dhow boats, perfectly encapsulates a country that, in a region of boastful wealth, sits quietly confident in its identity and heritage. Check in to your hotel by the glistening Arabian Sea before meeting your group at sunset for a refreshing drink. Get to know your fellow travelers as you watch Muscat turn pink on the evening horizon, the moving sounds of the call to prayer echoing from nearby mosques. Later, you’ll go to a traditional Omani restaurant and enjoy Middle Eastern favorites such as Arabic bread and platefuls of wine-colored dates.

Today is a day of contrasts, taking you from man-made splendor to breath-taking natural landscapes. You’ll start at the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque, a masterpiece in modern architecture with Swarovski crystal chandeliers and hand-carved mosaic tiling. Afterward, jump into 4x4s and start your off-road adventure through the remote Hajar Mountains, passing rose fields and tiny sandstone hamlets as you delve further into a stunning wilderness. Stop for lunch at Balad Sayt, a picturesque Arabian village hidden in the shadow of the pistes, and then continue over the spine of Hajar and onwards to Jebel Shams. Oman’s highest peak looms at 3,000 meters, and your alpine retreat sits nearby on a craggy rock by Wadi Nakhr, Oman’s very own Grand Canyon.

Load up on breakfast this morning before you tackle the world-famous balcony walk around the rim of Wadi Nakhr. This four-hour loop leads from Khateem village to the abandoned hamlet of As Sab and back via a pathway that bands around the spectacular edge of the ravine. With sheer rock faces above and below, these are scenes that will take your breath away. After an authentic lunch at a local guest house and a brief insight into village life, you’ll jeep for an hour to Al Hamra and explore nearby Misfat al Abriyyi, a medieval-style village, before returning to your retreat at the foot of Jebel Shams.

After breakfast, you’ll drive to the regional capital of Nizwa, one of the oldest cities in the Sultanate, where you’ll stop off to explore a 17th-century fort that was once a crossroads for Omani traders. Then, you’ll jeep two hours south to the vast Wahiba Sands desert. With its billowing drifts and golden light, Wahiba Sands is the magical land of nomadic explorers. At a certain point on the drive, your group will disembark the jeeps and be left to navigate your own way across the infinite horizon. Channel your inner Lawrence of Arabia as you clamber over rippling dunes, looking out for your Bedouin camp that sits an hour’s walk away. You’ll arrive feeling triumphant and just in time to see the burnished landscape shimmering red at sunset.

Watch the wide skies turn lavender and crimson this morning with an optional sunrise walk, before preparing yourself for dune-bashing. Once onboard your 4×4, you’ll down the dunes at full throttle, pitching and turning with the movement of the sand. The thrill you’ll feel as you fly across these endless landscapes will be hard to forget. Afterward, you’ll head over to Wadi Bani Khalid, a cooling oasis. Take a short hike through pinkish cliffs dotted with palm trees before arriving at a clear green wadi. Shake off the desert dust with a dip in secluded lagoons and leap from natural cliff platforms. An ideal way to settle the dune-bashing-induced adrenaline pumping through your veins.

Today you’ll hit Oman’s best-loved beauty spot: Wadi Shab. Take a boat over to the park followed by an hour’s trek through date plantations and palm groves. At the summit lies a hidden grotto that you can only access by swimming through a narrow ravine. If you’re not comfortable with the tight entrance, there are plenty of other pools to bask in nearby. Afterwards you’ll make your way back to Muscat and catch a ride with local fishermen to a secluded beach where you can relax on the sand or snorkel in the crystal clear waters.

Today signals the end of your Arabian adventure, so after breakfast, it’s time to make your own way back to the airport. If you’re looking to extend your escape, take a look at our other adventures here and find your perfect pairing.