Introduction » When to Visit Oman » Attraction in Oman » Off the Beaten Track » Reaching Oman » Tour Packages of Oman

• Oman Tour Package

Destinations :

Tours in Oman– Natural Wonders
Desert, Wadis, Mountains, Caves, Beaches, Wild Life.


From the ancient fjords of Musandam, to the lush green hills and waterfalls of Dhofar, from the deep wadis to the peaks of the dramatic Hajar Mountains, across the drifting desert dunes of A'Sharqiyah (Wahiba) Sands and the untameable Empty Quarter, to the endless unspoilt beaches along the Arabian Sea: the Sultanate of Oman is a country rich in diverse natural beauty. All just waiting to be explored...



Desert
Ash-Sharqiyah Sands (also known as Wahiba Sands) offer the romantic visitor desert in the accepted sense of the word. Rolling sand dunes, varying from deep red to a rich honey colour sands stretching as far as the eye can see.

The Sands stretch for 180 Km from north to south and 80 Km from east to west. They consist of grains of various eroded rocks and marine sediments blown into the area.

Sand driving requires skill, boards for digging out and a long tow rope in case one gets stuck. It is recommended thus to take one of the organised tours from Muscat which are led by knowledgeable guides.




Wadis
A wadi is a dried up riverbed found in the mountain valleys. Wadis come into their own after heavy rains, when the rivers start running again and the vegetation is restored. However, some wadis have year-round running water, with deep, cool pools in which it is quite safe to swim if the currents are slow as in Wadi Bani Khalid (A'Sharqiyah). On the whole, wadis are only accessible with a four-wheel drive vehicle, as the terrain can be extremely bumpy.

Wadis are green, lush oases of palm trees, grasses, and flowering shrubs. The villagers often take their cars down for washing and groups of people have great fun splashing around in the clean water. It is always safest to visit wadis in a group or with a tour guide. Although they are beautiful places, they are often remote and car breakdowns can happen to anyone.

Visitors must also be on the alert for rain clouds, as sudden downpours can lead to flash floods, which are highly dangerous when in the gorges. Some of the pupular wadis in Oman include:

Wadi Dayqah
Known as the Devil's Gap, Wadi Dayqah was described by explorer S. B. Miles in 1896 as "the most singular piece of earth sculpture in Arabia". The wadi runs through a narrow winding vertical-sided canyon that looks as though the mountain has been split in two. The walls soar to 1,700 meters and close in to 12 meters in some places.

When it rains, the waters of the surrounding wadis and tributaries drain and pour through the canyon that can sweep away everything in its path. Swimming, or at the very least, deep wading, is usually necessary, especially when crossing deep pools and channels that lie beyond the huge boulders. The alterantive would be to scramble around these boulders.

Wadi Darbat
The most popular wadi in Dhofar. The wadi is a place of true natural beauty with caves, pools, waterfalls, wildlife and lush green vegetation. The wadi has also a number of gorgeous caves that have been cut by the wadi, leaving them in halves.

Wadi Shab
The Wadi is 76 Km from Qurayyat–Muscat. The road to the wadi dips as it crosses the bed of the ravine and rises steeply on the other side where the houses of Tiwi cling to the cliffs. At the mouth of the wadi is a single beach dotted with fishing boats.

Water flows all year round. The wadi runs through a narrow gorge with date plantations, restful pools and lush vegetation. Oleander bushes attract butterflies and the singing of the birds is delightful.



Mountains
Al-Jabal Al-Akhdar
At about 10,000 feet above sea level, Al-Jabal Al-Akhdar (The Green Mountain) is the highest peak in the Eastern Hajar mountains and one of the highest points in the Sultanate. The thrilling views from the Jabal, as well as its balmy climate, are among the qualities that distinguish it as one of the top tourism spots in Oman.

The summer does not exceed 30 C° on the Jabal, while in winter the temperature can plunge below 5 C°. The Jabal receives an annual average of 303 mm of rainfall. The higher planes of the mountain are densely populated with lush vegetations comprising fruit trees, flowers and shrubs, which gives rise to the name. Some 54 nuclear communities sprinkled over different levels on the mountain, have clusters of farms growing pomegranates, apricots, peaches, cherries and walnuts.

The Desert Rose whose sweetly scented flowers are used in the making of rose water is unique to the Jabal. A great part of the Jabal consists of woodland, with Junipers, constituting the dominant species. Their leaves, soaked in locally made massaging oils, are very effective for the treatment of muscular pain and headache. Another commonly occurring tree in the woodland section of the Jabal is the Thorn Bush (Acacia Tortilis) whose leaves and pods provide livestock with regular fodder.

Springs are the main source of water supply for inhabitants, with the entire breadth of the area being linked with a network of aflaj. There are many ancient settlements in the Jabal, but the stone hamlets in Dhan Al-Bisateen are the most popular.

Jabal Harim
At 2,087 m, Jabal Harim is the highest peak in Musandam. Along the ridge are breathtaking views down into the wadis and foothills. Small settlements precariously balance on the mountain sides where every possible piece of land has been utilised. Green fields are enclosed by stone walls which protect the crops from livestock and trap precious water that runs off the rocky surface. The mountain people grow their crops in the rainy season, usually from December to March. In spring the range of wildflowers is surprising for such seemingly barren area. Tiny Iris and Gladioli can be seen along with many other varieties.




Caves
There are many caverns in Oman and the country is home to one of the largest caves in the world recently discovered; Teyq Cave, which is 250 m in depth, 300 million m3 in size. It is thought that the cave was formed as a result of several chambers collapsing due to erosion. Other caves of interest include:
Al-Hoti Cave

Located in A'Dakhliyah region, the cave is a 2.7 Km tunnel which runs in a north-south direction through the Hajar Mountains and comprises an underground cavern and subterranean lake system. There are many offshoots to the main tunnel, but so far, only approximately 5 Km have been charted by experienced cavers. Beware of the main bath though.

The subterranean lake is home to unusual species of aquatic animals such as Blind Fish which sense their way around the lake with feelers. The main lake within the cave system is around 800 m long, but please do not be tempted to swim in the waters and disturb the delicate eco-system.

The main chamber of Hoti Cave is around the size of the ballroom of Al-Bustan Palace Hotel and contains some magnificent cave formations, stalactites, stalagmites, and columns which have evolved over millions of years. These beautiful structures are delicately coloured in shades of pink, yellow, gold, beige and grey.

Majlis Al-Jin

the second largest subterranean cave chamber known in the world–big enough to fit ten jumbo jets into the floor space and tall enough to stack them four high. Situated on a plateau of Jabel Bani Jabir (A'Sharqiyah), the entrance is through one of three inconspicuous openings in the ground. The longest drop into the cave is 158 meters and not to be undertaken without specialist equipment and expertise.




Beaches
With a coastline of 1,700 Km, Oman offers some of the cleanest, most stunning beaches a visitor could hope to see. Weekend picnics and barbeques are popular on the beach. Many coves are perfect for snorkelling and with fairly gentle shelves, are good for children. Popular beaches in the Capital Area include:

Qurum Beach
Starting below the Crowne Plaza Hotel stretching around Qurum area, the beach is well set up for visitors and has a number of picnic areas and palm shades.

When the tide is low, one can take a 4 Km walk towards the Embassies' area in Shati Al-Qurum. Approximately half way along this stretch of beach is the Muscat InterContinental hotel. Around this area are many jetski rentals.

Bandar Jissah
Located near Qantab, on the way to Al-Bustan Palace Hotel. The bay is quite secluded and the rocks at the foot of the cliffs can be good for exploring when the tide is out. Snorkelling is popular here. There is also a children's playground and snack shop. The beach is the home of Oman Diving Centre.

As-Sawadi Beach
The Sawadi region is home to some of the most beautiful long, white beaches in the north of the Sultanate and off this peninsula are As-Sawadi Island and Dimaniyat Islands, which host many migratory birds and breeding turtles.

A wide variety of recreational pursuits and water sports are offered by As-Sawadi Beach Resort located in the area, such as jetskiing, waterskiing, banana boat rides and turtle watching as well as snorkelling trips.

Built on the summit of As-Sawadi Island is a watchtower. Access to this watchtower is by means of a steep and long flight of stairs. There are shelters on this island erected by the municipality for the benefit of picnickers.

Others
In addition to Muscat beaches, Oman's costline is rich with wide bays, rocky caves and inlets. Dolphins and turtles are often seen close to the shore in some areas, and the lagoons are resting spots for many migratory birds along the coastline.

The characteristics of the beaches differ however from one area to another: some are rocky and shingled; others are of clean, white sand such as Khaluf (Al-Wusta) and Al-Ashkharah; the jewel of the eastern Sharqiyah. Some beaches have a landscape scattered with rocks of spectacular forms and colours shaped by erosion as in Ra'as Duqm (Al-Wusta) and Ra'as Al-Hadd (A'Sharqiyah).

The Khawrs of Dhofar coast possess many unique features such as the rocky outcrops on the beach of Mughsayl that contain many blowholes which burst dramatically during high tide; a unique phenomenon not found anywhere else in Oman. These Khawrs are valuable resources with an abundance of wildlife, and have been thus declared a natural reserve.




Wild Life
Oman has a surprisingly varied wildlife, both on land and in the surrounding waters. Strict laws have been established to ban hunting as a number of indigenous animals have now become endangered, such as the Arabian Leopard and the Arabian Oryx. Nature Reserves have been set up throughout the Sultanate to protect the natural habitats of mammals like the Leopard, Oryx, Gazelle, Taher, Ibex, Desert Foxes and Wild Cats.

As-Saleel Park is a nature reserve located in the town of Al-Kamil Wal-Wafi (A'Sharqiyah), and was established to protect gazelles and plantations of Samr and Ghaf trees (Acacia tortilis and Cineraria).

Jiddat Al-Harasis Reserve is home to the Arabian Oryx and the area is listed on the World Natural and Cultural Heritage register by UNESCO.

The warm waters are home to 22 species of Whale and Dolphin. Oman is a member of the International Whaling Commission and follows the Convention of International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) guidelines in preventing the trade of endangered animals.

Seaturtles are attracted to Oman's shores and turtle breeding reserves are located at Ras Al-Hadd and the Dimaniyyat Islands. Oman has a profusion of exotic marine life and some of the best dive sites in the world. In particular, the Hallaniyat Islands and the Dimaniyyat Islands offer chances to see beautifully coloured tropical fish and unusual hard and soft corals.




Click here for Reservation