Explore the wild frontiers of Oman
Hike through Oman’s very own Grand Canyon, navigate the dunes of Wahiba Sands in a thrilling desert challenge and wild swim in turquoise pools
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Trip Highlights
Life on the edge
Inch your way along the Balcony Walk over Oman’s Grand Canyon, with spectacular mountain view
Wonderful wadis
Wild swim in a series of emerald wadi pools, with banana palms, sheer pink cliffs and a hidden cave
Desert adventure
Test your navigation skills and channel your inner explorer with a hike through Wahiba Sands desert
Bedouin camping
Sleep under the stars in a remote desert campsite and go dune-bashing in 4x4s
Mountain of the Sun
Take an off-road drive up Oman’s highest peak, discovering age-old Omani villages and a land of ancient charms
City living
Discover bustling souks and ancient forts, and feast on Middle Eastern cuisine in cosmopolitan Muscat
What's included
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6 breakfasts, 5 lunches, 3 dinners
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6 nights’ accommodation in twin room hotels and a Bedouin desert camp
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All activities, from dune-bashing to wadi swimming, included. Local Flash Pack guide and driver
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Max 14 Flashpackers
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Private airport transfers anytime on Day 1, country travel in private 4x4 jeeps
About the trip
Ready for a group adventure to Oman?
An ancient land of peach trees and pomegranate groves, Oman is less showy than neighboring Dubai, and you can really feel its beating Nomadic soul. This is your chance to discover a Sultanate that’s riddled with history and culture, yet still relatively untouched by tourism. Tackle the legendary Balcony Walk overlooking Oman’s Grand Canyon and buckle up for an off-road ride around hairpin bends to Mountain of the Sun, the highest peak in Oman.
Channel your inner explorer as we challenge you to make your own way to a Bedouin camp in Wahiba Sands desert, amid vast rolling dunes, and bed down beneath the stars. Dune-bash in a convoy of 4x4s then wild swim your way through the green pools of Oman’s spectacular wadis, and waterfall-jump in a hidden turquoise grotto.
Adventurists, look alive: a world of bustling souks, grand forts and Arabian villages awaits.
Where you will stay
Nomadic Desert Camp, Wahiba Sands
Off-grid living in a Nomadic desert camp
Exchange electricity and wifi for an authentic Bedouin retreat, sleeping in huts made from palm trees, showering alfresco and dining by candlelight.
Why we stay here
Experience traditional Bedouin life and explore the vast, beautiful dunes with a team of local, knowledgeable guides. You can choose to stay in a hut or sleep in a tent, enjoying an unforgettable stargazing experience thanks to minimal light pollution.
Jebel Shams Resort, Jebel Shams
Beautifully located hotel on the edge of Oman’s Grand Canyon
Cozy up in this collection of simple chalets perched on Oman’s highest peak, Jebel Shams.
Why we stay here
The rooms are basic but the remote setting is unbeatable. This is the perfect base for exploring the peerless Wadi Ghul just a few minutes walk away. Relax with a swim in the mountain-side pool and then sit back and watch the sun dip below the peaks.
Crowne Plaza Muscat, Oman
Contemporary beach hotel by the rim of the Gulf of Oman
Overlooking the sea, with a swimming pool and rows of neat sun loungers in-between, this is a prime spot for relaxing after exploring the gems of Muscat.
Why we stay here
From unwinding in an outdoor swimming pool to feasting on fine Persian cuisine, this large but friendly hotel stands head and shoulders above Muscat’s competition thanks to its recent refurbishment.
The Flash Pack Promise
Here at Flash Pack, we’re committed to unique adventures that deliver great value for money. We pack our trips with epic experiences (unlike other companies, all activities are included), hand-pick stylish hotels and match you with like-minded people.
Itinerary
Day 1
Sundowners in Muscat
Flashpackers, welcome to Muscat! One of the Middle East’s most enchanting cities, this port capital boasts colorful markets and a harbor dotted with traditional dhow boats. A skyscraper ban means the horizon is dominated by a sweep of elegant white villas, framed by towering peaks and the Omani coast. Take a private transfer from the airport to your hotel by the Arabian Sea before we meet at sunset for a refreshing drink. Get to know your fellow Flashpackers and guide as you watch Muscat glow pink on the evening horizon, with calls to prayer echoing from nearby mosques. Later, we’ll head to a traditional Omani restaurant for a true taste of the culture . Tuck into Middle Eastern favorites such as spicy shuwa – a parcel of tender lamb wrapped in palm fronds and cooked underground – Arabic bread and platefuls of wine-colored dates. Here’s to the adventure ahead!
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Day 2
A bucket list road trip
We start today at the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque, a masterpiece in modern architecture with Swarovski crystal chandeliers and hand-carved mosaic tiling. Afterward, we’ll jump into 4x4s and travel west through the Hajar Mountains, passing olive trees, rose fields and tiny sandstone hamlets on a spectacular five-hour road trip. Step back in time as we weave up into the hills, tackling the beautiful Wadi Bani Awf. Compared to Bolivia’s notorious Death Road, this dramatic mountain comes with hairpin bends and extraordinary views. We’ll stop for lunch at Balad Sayt, a picturesque Arabian village in the shadow of the pistes, and then continue over the spine of Hajar past Al Hamra – a 400-year-old town – and onto Jebel Shams. Oman’s highest peak looms at 3,000 meters, and our alpine retreat sits nearby on a craggy rock by Wadi Nakhr, Oman’s very own Grand Canyon.
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Day 3
Life on the edge
Load up on a filling breakfast this morning before we 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 edge of the ravine with sheer rock faces above and below. Birds of prey swoop across the wispy blue skies and each new step brings massive views that even the best cameras can’t do justice to. Back at base, we’ll jeep for an hour to Al Hamra for lunch and explore nearby Misfat al Abriyyi, a medieval-style village. Then it’s onto the regional capital of Nizwa, one of the oldest cities in the Sultanate. Home to a 17th Century fort that was once a crossroads for Omani traders, Nizwa is is a fascinating place to discover. Spend the evening here feasting on local cuisine, from BBQ fish to cheese-stuffed flatbreads.
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Day 4
In the footsteps of desert nomads
Visit Nizwa’s fort and souk this morning to try out your bartering skills in a maze of winding backstreets, with stalls selling everything from silver jewelry to coffee pots, swords and sacks of brightly-colored saffron. Then we’ll jeep two hours south to Wahiba Sands desert, stopping for lunch in Ibra en-route. With its billowing drifts and golden light, Wahiba Sands is the land of nomadic explorers. What better way to pay homage to history than with a hiking challenge across the remote terrain? At a certain point on the drive, we Flashpackers will be turfed out of the jeep to make our own way across the infinite horizon. Channel your inner Lawrence of Arabia as you clamber over rippling dunes, looking out for our Bedouin camp an hour’s walk away. We’ll arrive in time to see the burnished landscape light up by sunset. Toast your bravery over a fireside Bedouin dinner, amid a tapestry of glowing stars.
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Day 5
Dune bashing and wadi swimming
Watch the wide skies turn lavender and crimson this morning with an optional sunrise walk. Then it’s time for a spot of dune-bashing, as we cruise down the dunes at full throttle in our 4x4s, pitching and turning with the movement of the sand. Afterward, we’ll head over to Wadi Bani Khalid, a cooling oasis 90 minutes’ drive away. We’ll 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. We’ll then drive to a nearby restaurant for a hearty lunch, before setting off for the coast. We’ll reach our coastal hotel by nightfall, with time to kick back and relax.
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Day 6
Turquoise waves and hidden caves
Today we’ll hit Oman’s best-loved beauty spot: Wadi Shab. We’ll take a boat over to the park followed by an hour’s trek through date plantations and palm groves shadowed by rose-tinted cliffs. At the summit lies a hidden grotto that you can only access by swimming through a narrow ravine. It leads to a cave of dreams; a hidden playground with sunshine casting a spotlight on an impossibly green pond and shimmering waterfall. If you’re not comfortable with the tight entrance, there are plenty of other pools to bask in nearby. Afterward, we’ll drive over to the pretty coastal town of Tiwi for lunch, with an option to explore the gleaming waterfalls and pools of Wadi Tiwi, the lush green sister of Wadi Shab. Then we’ll make our way on a two-hour drive back to Oman’s cosmopolitan capital, Muscat. After days exploring the wild outback, we’ll round off with a final farewell dinner in celebration of a great adventure.
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Day 7
Oh bye, Oman
Today signals the end of our Arabian adventure, so after breakfast, it’s time to make your own way back to the airport. Wherever you head to next, let the spirit of Oman fuel you on your way. You’ve unleashed your inner explorer in a land of rugged mountain passes and rippling golden dunes. You’ve conquered the sky-high Balcony Walk over Oman’s Grand Canyon and cruised the dunes of Wahiba Sands desert in 4×4 jeeps, with a remote desert hike to boot. You’ve seen the night sky come alive with stars at a Bedouin desert camp and toasted the dawn with a soul-stirring sunrise stroll. You’ve swum in emerald green waters in a series of beautiful wadis, framed by palm trees and pink-tinted cliffs. All this, with bustling souks, ancient forts and delicious Omani cuisine thrown into the mix. Flashpackers, we wouldn’t blame you if you simply grabbed a camel and disappeared off into the horizon – a true nomad once and for all…
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On the map
Important notes
- Fly into and out of Muscat International Airport
- Please aim to arrive by 4pm on Day 1, in time for our rooftop sundowners. You can depart anytime on Day 7.
- You’ll need a visa to visit Oman: check your country requirements and apply for a tourist visa before you travel
- Your passport needs to be valid for six months from the point of entry into Oman.
- The hotels we stay at in Oman are often quite basic and not up to Flash Pack’s usual high standards. If you have been on another Flash Pack adventure before, you may be surprised at the level of accommodation on this trip. However, rooms will always be clean and comfortable, and they are among the best available in the areas we visit. Also, they often boast spectacular locations (e.g. the summit of Jebel Shams, overlooking Oman’s Grand Canyon).
- The Balcony walk at Jebel Shams is one of Oman’s greatest walks. Although moderate in difficulty, the height and the vastness of the cliff edges makes this an exciting challenge.
- Please be aware that the itinerary, activities and hotels are subject to change. These changes can happen with little notice due to availability, poor weather, seasonal changes, or other circumstances beyond our control. From time to time we may also make changes to your itinerary to try out new ideas and keep things fresh.
- We take safety very seriously on Flash Pack adventures, click here to learn more.
