DusitD2 Naseem Resort

Gentle Oman

Classic Wildlife & Nature + 3 more + 3 more

A relaxed journey through Oman’s desert, mountains, and culture.

9 days

from £3,345 pp

including flights

Ultimate Oman

Wildlife & Nature Ultimate + 3 more + 3 more

Our most comprehensive 16-day grand tour of Oman.

16 days

from £6,580 pp

including flights

Oman Family Holiday

12-Day family adventure with deserts, beaches, mountains & wildlife.

Family Wildlife & Nature + 3 more + 3 more

from £3,775 pp

including flights

Unexplored Oman

Experience Oman, beyond the usual tourist trail.

Wildlife & Nature Off-the-beaten-track + 2 more + 3 more

from £4,065 pp

including flights

Dhofar Delights

Discover Oman’s southern treasures on this 13-day holiday.

Wildlife & Nature Culture & History + 1 more + 2 more

from £4,780 pp

including flights

Dubai & Dhows

Oman, Dubai

From Dubai’s skyline to Musandam’s fjords, this is Arabia at its best.

Luxury Beach + 1 more + 2 more

from £6,140 pp

including flights

Quirky excursions

View all excursions in Oman

Wadi Bani Awf

Wadi Bani Awf is a large wadi south of Muscat that makes for one of the more impressive drives in the country if you're travelling from the capital down to the mountains. You'll start out heading north along the coastline from Muscat, and you may want to visit the attractive fishing village of Barka and the dramatic forts of Rustaq and Nakhl along the way. You then begin your drive up the canyon of Wadi Bani Awf – the valley floor is dense with palms whilst higher up the mountainsides are terraced fields and villages built of traditional mud-brick. The exposed mountains reveal layers of rock repeatedly folded and shaped by tectonic forces, to the point where they appear to have shattered. After reaching a plateau, you begin the descent of the far side of the mountain range, through more dramatic scenery, before re-joining tarmac roads that take you to Nizwa or your mountain hotel. This adventurous way to cross the mountains to Nizwa and the interior requires a 4x4 vehicle. We actually recommend you only do this route with an experienced driver guide who knows the road well as it can get tricky to navigate in places, which is what makes it so spectacular!

Misfah Village

In the mountains above Nizwa, Misfah is an old village and its uniqueness is best appreciated from a distance, because its only from the opposite side of the valley where you can see just how precariously the village is balanced on the edge of a sheer slope. A riot of palm trees burst up the canyon side, and sprouting from them, hanging over the valley side is a still-inhabited village of narrow houses piled one on top of the other. After taking your photos and drawing your breath, you can drive round to the village and take a walk between the mud brick buildings, catching glimpses of brightly dressed children running down narrow streets whilst their parents glide by like ghosts in the pale dishdashas (traditional ankle-length garment for men) and abayas (black over-garment for women) every adult wears.

Nizwa Fort

The town of Nizwa was for a while the capital of Oman and has always been a centre of Islamic learning. The fort is its most prominent structure, completely overshadowing the town. The vast central tower is packed with stones and rubble and penetrated only with the odd room and staircase: as such it has proven virtually indestructible since its construction in the 17th century, a trait that was borne out when it survived an RAF bombing during a revolt in 1955. The fort is a fascinating and impressive structure to explore, and the views over the palm plantations and mountains from the ramparts are a major attraction as well.

Nizwa Souq

In the shadow of the vast fort, Nizwa souq has been a focal trading point for as long as the town has been around; recently the buildings themselves have been restored, making this one of the best-looking souqs to tour. However it’s on a Friday morning that the place really comes alive for the weekly livestock auction. Goats and calves are led in a ring around a central dais, with buyers shouting out prices until a sale is agreed – like a rowdy auction with no auctioneer. It’s a wonderful place to people-watch: everyone is in traditional dress (as they are the whole time) and venerable men with grey beards and ageing weapons haggle alongside local women, their colourful shawls offset by the distinctive black face masks of the region. In amongst everyone’s legs, children run, shout and play, much as they do anywhere in the world. It’s as genuine a slice of traditional Omani life as you’ll find anywhere.