The Chedi Muscat

Sultanate in Style

Romantic Luxury + 1 more + 2 more

Oman’s finest landscapes and most luxurious stays.

20 days

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Dubai & Dhows

Oman, Dubai

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

13 days

from £6,140 pp

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Ultimate Oman

Wildlife & Nature Ultimate + 3 more + 3 more

Our most comprehensive 16-day grand tour of Oman.

16 days

from £6,580 pp

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Musandam Moments

Wildlife & Nature Adventure + 1 more + 2 more

Explore the Musandam Peninsula, Oman's 'Norway of Arabia'.

12 days

from £4,745 pp

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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

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Go Local in Oman

Wildlife & Nature Go Local + 2 more + 3 more

Experience the real Oman, with locals leading the way.

11 days

from £5,320 pp

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Quirky excursions

View all excursions in Oman

Muttrah to Riyam Park Hike

Just set back from the main road that snakes along Muscat's coastline at Muttrah, you'll find a hiking trail that takes you up into the hills behind the corniche, revealing beautiful views over the more scenic parts of the capital and over the water. The path is only two and a half kilometres long, so it would take just an hour or two to complete and is fairly accessible to hikers of all abilities. There are some steeper and rocky sections, so sturdy footwear is recommended, but you'll still find local families and people of all ages along the route. You can either start at Muttrah and finish in Riyam Park, or walk the other way around - either route is a pleasant way to link up two beautiful parts of the city. It's labelled as the C38 trail on Google Maps, so that should help you find the starting point, and the path is very straightforward to follow and complete independently without a guide.

The Sumail Gap

The Sumail Gap has always been the key strategic link between the interior of the country, dominated by the town of Nizwa, and the coastal plain, dominated by Muscat. It’s the only easily passable route through the Hajar Mountains and controlling it was vital to anyone with pretentions to rule. Although it is now graced by a sweeping modern highway, this historic importance is evident in the forts and watchtowers that litter the route. Towns like Fanja are ringed by walls and linked by bridges over rocky wadis that turn into racing torrents when rain falls. It’s a wonderful drive and a great way to introduce yourself to the interior of the country.

The Sur Coastal Road

The tarmac road linking Muscat and Sur is a relatively new development and has dramatically shortened this journey. You still pass sweeps of stunning white sand beaches, and through the picturesque wadis of Shab and Tiwi, where streams trickle out from steep, mighty canyons and through small fishing villages down to the sea. A short way from the road you can also stop at the ruins of ancient Qalhat, most notable for the distinctive tomb of a local saint, Bibi Maryam. At Bimmah you’ll find a sinkhole, a large collapsed cave dropping some 20 metres from the limestone surface to the clear water below. Just outside Sur the modern world intrudes in dramatic fashion, with the vast mechanical workings of the LNG plant, exporting gas, Oman’s most precious natural resource.

The Batinah Plain

To the north of Muscat and lying between the coast and the Hajar Mountains, lies the Batinah Plain, a fertile area providing much of Oman’s food and agriculture. For those interested in the history and architecture of Oman, it is worth a visit, either as a day trip from Muscat, or perhaps on the way to Bani Awf, the off-road route through the mountains to Nizwa. Dotted along the base of the mountains are a series of springs and wadi mouths. These had great strategic importance historically, and magnificent forts, notably Rustaq and Nakhl, were built to defend them. These forts have been built on plugs of rock, incorporating the naturally impregnable slopes into the design of the walls. The walls and fabric of the forts has been restored to its exact original state, and the various bits of furniture and weaponry on display give an accurate idea of what life was like in these forts.