When flight routes changed and headlines raised a few questions about how safe it is to travel to Oman right now, Holiday Architects' client, Adrian, discovered that Oman remains every bit as welcoming, rewarding and safe as he'd hoped. Below, he shares his experience, all helped, of course, by our Emma's expert support every step of the way. (A huge thank you to HA client, Adrian Jones, for sharing the kind words and fantastic images below!) Travelling to Oman during the Iran crisis I have just returned from a 12-day fly-drive holiday to Oman . The 1st thing to say is that you should not be put off from visiting due to the crisis in Iran/Straight of Hormuz. Not for a moment did I feel that my safety was compromised. If Oman is your preferred destination, then my strong advice is for you to go, and enjoy yourself(s). Photo by Adrian: The main chandelier in Muscat's Grand Mosque Expert support, every step of the way I had originally booked this back in January, before the crisis broke out. Emma was my point of contact, and throughout the planning process, kept me updated along the way with phone calls and detailed emails. I never felt that the crisis was over running the planning that Emma was organising on my behalf. In fact, during an email to her, I commended her for her efficiency in dealing with what was, at times, a fluid situation beyond her control and her subsequent transparent communications with me. My original routing of Edinburgh-Dubai-Muscat was changed to Edinburgh-Istanbul-Muscat, and there were some minor changes in the itinerary, that frankly made no difference to the original plan. Behind the scenes: A note from Emma Emma Higgins "It was an absolute pleasure to put together Adrian’s wonderful Oman trip. From our first conversation, I could tell he was the adventurous type! So, we kicked things off with the possibility of a self-drive trip around the country, over two weeks. After a lot of conversation around what matters to Adrian, we landed on a route between Muscat, the mountains and the desert. Adrian is a keen photographer, so I absolutely knew the mountains would be a highlight for him. With this in mind, I suggested two different locations here so he could get as many pictures as possible of the incredible canyons and landscapes that dominate this part of the country. We also included a couple of nights in the desert too, so he had ample opportunities to capture the sunrises, sunsets, and the night sky over the dunes. Adrian actually ended up taking over 3,000 photos on his trip, all showcasing the stunning beauty of Oman. (He’s shared a handful with you here!) Adrian was travelling alone, so we also chatted about all the support he’d receive from our fantastic team in Oman too, meaning all he had to do was focus on having a great time. Our clients find this especially reassuring at a time like this, when people are a little nervous to travel to this part of the world. You have a team on hand in Oman to assist any time, day or night, and the HA team is at the end of the phone back in the UK 24-hours a day should you need us! Fortunately, Adrian felt extremely safe throughout his holiday, as I feel his wonderful review testifies. I was so happy to receive some delightful feedback from such a great client exploring one of my favourite countries, and can’t wait to see where we’ll help him discover next!" Emma, HA Oman expert A tailor-made holiday through Oman The itinerary was what I had requested; a fly drive with multiple stop overs. The accommodation ranged from basic but clean and functional to top end, high class hotels. In the more remote areas such as Jebel Shams and the Desert Camps, it was “glamping pod” type of sleeping and bathing arrangements. Food at these locations was served buffet style with numerous dishes. The luxurious hotels had everything you could wish for with menus to match. Very high end. Photo by Adrian: Sama Al Wasil Desert Camp Photo by Adrian: The dunes of Sama Al Wasil Desert A highlight of the journey: Jebel Akhdar There were numerous highlights along the way. The Hotel Indigo Jabal Akhdar Resort & Spa is noteworthy as it is only accessible via a drive up a 2,000 metre mountain, consisting of a ribbon smooth, winding, three lane road. At the base is a 24/7 police checkpoint to ensure that driver and vehicle are up to the task. Great fun! Superb driving conditions, and views that you are unlikely to have ever seen before, all in complete safety. Check out Google Earth to get a good visual of what I'm trying to describe in this paragraph! Photo by Adrian: Quite the view from a bedroom from Hotel Indigo Jabal Akhdar Resort & Spa Tradition meets modern Oman Oman has, over the last 50 years, been modernised to the extent that every convenience known in the western world, has been fused with the culture and traditions of Oman that still prevail, and which travellers love to experience when visiting foreign countries. Travelling solo with complete peace of mind I could go on. But this is to say Holiday Architects looked after me extremely well, and as an aged solo traveller, I was cocooned with emergency phone numbers and numerous contacts that, should I ever have required to use them, would have ensured my safe recovery. Highly, highly commended. Thinking about visiting Oman? If an Oman holiday has been on your wishlist but recent headlines have left you feeling uncertain, either Cat (our other Oman specialist) or I would be more than happy to chat through any concerns you may have. I've travelled extensively in Oman myself and remain in regular contact with our partners across the country, so I can give you an honest picture of what it's like on the ground and whether it's the right time for you to travel. Oman remains one of my favourite destinations to recommend. And regardless of whether you're heading for the mountain roads, sleeping under the stars in the desert camps, exploring the beautiful coastline or a combination of it all, you're sure to have a brilliant holiday. Feel free to get in touch, and we can start planning your own tailor-made Oman adventure today. We'd love to help. Chat to an expert Oman holidays Emma recommends ZEN_HOLIDAY_PACK_YOUR_BAGS ZEN_HOLIDAY_SPEAK_TO_SPECIALIST ZEN_HOLIDAY_GET_A_QUOTE ZEN_HOLIDAY_TEL ZEN_HOLIDAY_OPEN_HOURS