A month in Oman: the slow 4x4 loop from Muscat to Salalah and back

Coast · Desert · Dhofar · Mountains

Photo: Arian Zwegers · CC BY 2.0

Photos

Route map

1. ★Start and end: Muscat International Airport or your hotel in Muscat
2. 1Bimmah Sinkhole (Hawiyat Najm Park) · Day 1
3. 2Wadi Shab · Day 2
4. 3Wadi Tiwi · Day 2
5. 4Sur dhow yard and Al Ayjah lighthouse · Day 3
6. 5Ras al Jinz Turtle Reserve · Day 3
7. 6Wadi Bani Khalid · Day 4
8. 7Al Wasil · Day 4
9. 8Ibra · Day 5
10. 9Al Ashkharah · Day 7
11. 10Sugar Dunes · Day 8
12. 11Duqm Rock Garden · Day 9
13. 12Ras Madrakah · Day 10
14. 13Salt lagoons near Al Kahil · Day 12
15. 14Wadi Shuwaymiyah · Day 13
16. 15Mirbat · Day 14
17. 16Jebel Samhan viewpoint · Day 14
18. 17Wadi Darbat · Day 15
19. 18Marneef Cave and the blowholes · Day 17
20. 19Job's Tomb (Nabi Ayoub) · Day 18
21. 20Al Baleed Archaeological Park and the Museum of the Frankincense Land · Day 18
22. 21Wadi Dawkah · Day 19
23. 22Haima · Day 19
24. 23Nizwa Fort and souq · Day 21
25. 24Jabrin Castle · Day 22
26. 25Bat · Day 23
27. 26Al Ayn beehive tombs · Day 23
28. 27Balcony Walk (W6) · Day 24
29. 28Misfat al Abriyeen · Day 25
30. 29Wadi Bani Habib · Day 26
31. 30Nakhal Fort · Day 27
32. 31Rustaq Fort · Day 28
33. 32Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque · Day 30

Day by day

1. 

   Day 1
   Muscat to Bimmah Sinkhole and Fins Beach

   Muscat International Airport or your hotel in Muscat → Fins Beach · About 175 km · About 2.5 hours

   • Supermarkets in Al Amerat
   • 1Bimmah Sinkhole (Hawiyat Najm Park)
   • Fins Beach

   Details

   Collect your car at the airport or at your hotel. Before you leave, ask our team to show you the rooftop tent, the electric fridge and its separate freezer, and the compressor. This is a month-long trip, so take time to pack the car well. Buy food and water in Muscat, because the shops get smaller further south. Then take the A2 (Route 17) out of the city. The highway crosses bare mountains and reaches the coast near Quriyat. Swim in the Bimmah Sinkhole in the afternoon and arrive in Fins before sunset.

   Roads: Sultan Qaboos Street (N5), then the Muscat–Quriyat–Sur highway A2 (formerly Route 17); local road L350 to Bimmah and Fins. All paved.

   • Supermarkets in Al Amerat — Large supermarkets on the A2 as you leave Muscat. Buy food and drinking water for at least three days and fill the tank.
   • 1Bimmah Sinkhole (Hawiyat Najm Park) — A limestone sinkhole with clear blue-green, slightly salty water inside a small park, between the villages of Dibab and Bimmah. Concrete steps lead down to the water, and you swim at your own risk: there is no lifeguard. The park has toilets, shade and picnic tables. In recent reports entry was free or about 500 baisa, so carry small cash and check before you go. Swim in modest swimwear or a T-shirt and shorts.
   • Fins Beach — White sand and dark rocks along the sea. Walk along the shore at sunset.

   Where to sleep: On firm ground behind the beach at Fins, at least 10 m back from the shoreline and at least 100 m from houses, away from fishermen's boats. Fins is in Muscat Governorate: you may camp for up to 48 hours without a permit, longer stays need a Muscat Municipality permit, and fires and barbecues are not allowed on the beach. Weekends (Friday and Saturday) are busy. You stay here two nights: if you leave on the morning of Day 3, you stay within the 48 hours.

   Tip: Open and close the rooftop tent once at the handover, in daylight. Then it takes only a few minutes on the first evening.

2. 

   Day 2
   Wadi Shab and Wadi Tiwi

   Fins Beach → Fins Beach · About 50 km · About 2 hours of driving, plus 3 to 4 hours at Wadi Shab and about 2 hours in Wadi Tiwi

   • 2Wadi Shab
   • 3Wadi Tiwi

   Details

   A day for the two best-known wadis on this coast, with very little driving. Be at the Wadi Shab car park around 8:00, when the boats start running: in the morning the wadi is quiet and cool. After lunch, drive a few kilometres south to Tiwi and turn inland into Wadi Tiwi. A narrow road climbs between palm gardens, small villages and green pools towards Mibam, about 10 km up the wadi. Drive slowly, stop in the lower villages and walk. Return to Fins for a second night by the sea.

   Roads: The A2 (formerly Route 17) between Fins and Tiwi; the narrow road up Wadi Tiwi, mostly concrete, very steep and narrow in its upper part.

   • 2Wadi Shab — Park under the highway bridge near Tiwi. A small boat takes you across the first pool: 1 OMR per person return in 2026, cash only, usually from about 8:00 to 17:00. The walk up the gorge to the deep pools takes 45–60 minutes each way. Strong swimmers can swim through a narrow gap into a cave with a waterfall. Wear water shoes, keep your phone in a dry bag, and do not go in if rain is forecast. Start the walk by 14:00 at the latest.
   • 3Wadi Tiwi — A green wadi next to Wadi Shab, with palm gardens watered by aflaj, old villages and pools. Leave the A2 at the Tiwi exit, just after the bridge over Wadi Tiwi. A narrow road, mostly concrete, runs about 10 km up the wadi to the village of Mibam, where there are pools and a small waterfall. The upper part is very steep, with tight bends and narrow village lanes where you must give way to oncoming cars, and it can be slippery where water runs across it. Ask us before you drive the steep upper section to Mibam. In the lower wadi, park where you do not block the road and walk. Stay on the road: never drive into the wadi bed or into flowing water, and do not go in if rain is forecast.

   Where to sleep: The same spot at Fins as last night, at least 10 m back from the shoreline, at least 100 m from houses and away from fishermen's boats. Fires and barbecues are not allowed on the beach.

   Tip: Both wadis are busiest on Fridays and Saturdays. If you start on a Saturday, Day 2 is a Sunday and both are quieter. Swim in a T-shirt and shorts, and keep your phone in a dry bag.

3. 

   Day 3
   Qalhat, Sur and the turtles of Ras al Jinz

   Fins Beach → Ras al Jinz (outside the turtle reserve) · About 125 km · About 2 hours of driving, plus time in Sur and the night tour

   • Qalhat and the Bibi Maryam Mausoleum
   • 4Sur dhow yard and Al Ayjah lighthouse
   • 5Ras al Jinz Turtle Reserve

   Details

   A short driving day with time to look around. Stop at Qalhat, then drive on to Sur, an old trading port where wooden dhows are still built by hand. Watch the carpenters in the boatyard by the lagoon, then cross the bridge to Al Ayjah for the lighthouse and the view back over the old town. Fill the tank and buy fresh food and water in Sur, which has large supermarkets. In the late afternoon, drive on to Ras al Hadd at the eastern tip of Oman. Choose your spot for the night in daylight, have dinner and arrive at the reserve by 20:30 for the night tour.

   Roads: A2 (old Route 17) to Qalhat and Sur; road S40 from Sur via Al Ayjah to Ras al Hadd and Ras al Jinz. All paved.

   • Qalhat and the Bibi Maryam Mausoleum — A short exit from the A2. This domed tomb from the early 14th century is the only building still standing in the old port city of Qalhat, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2018. The site has been closed at times in recent years for excavations, but you can see the mausoleum from the barrier. Check before you go.
   • 4Sur dhow yard and Al Ayjah lighthouse — Watch wooden dhows being built at the open-air yard by the lagoon, next to the bridge to Al Ayjah; a small fee may be charged. See the restored Fatah Al Khair dhow, then cross the bridge to the white lighthouse of Al Ayjah and walk the lanes of old houses. Ask before you photograph people.
   • 5Ras al Jinz Turtle Reserve — Guided night tour from 21:00 (arrive by 20:30). A reserve guide leads small groups onto the beach to watch green turtles nest. Plan about 1.5 to 2 hours. The guides use red torches only: no flash and no phone lights. In October 2026 the reserve's website listed OMR 12 per tourist adult and OMR 6 per child aged 6 to 12 (under 6 free). Times can change with the season, so confirm them when you book.

   Where to sleep: Not on the beach. The coast from Ras al Hadd to Ras al Jinz is a protected turtle reserve: camping on the nesting beaches at night and driving on the beach are prohibited, and at night you may go onto the nesting beaches only with a reserve guide. Choose your spot in daylight, before the tour: flat gravel ground several kilometres inland, right next to the paved road, outside the reserve and away from villages, farms and wadi beds. Drive there slowly after the tour and stay on the paved road: our cars may not drive off-road after dark. If you prefer not to drive after dark, book a room or eco-tent at the reserve (room rates include the night and dawn turtle tours) or a hotel in Ras al Hadd.

   Tip: Book the turtle tour before your trip, online, by phone or by email; the contacts are on the reserve's official website. Places are limited, so book early for weekends and holidays.

4. 

   Day 4
   Ras al Jinz to Wadi Bani Khalid and the Wahiba Sands

   Ras al Jinz → Wahiba Sands, near Al Wasil · About 230 km, including 5–15 km of sand track · About 4 hours, plus time at Wadi Bani Khalid

   • Ras al Jinz dawn tour (optional)
   • 6Wadi Bani Khalid
   • 7Al Wasil

   Details

   If you saw no turtles last night, join the dawn tour at 5:00 (a separate ticket unless you stay at the reserve). Then drive back to Sur and take the N4 inland across wide gravel plains. A side road climbs into the hills to Wadi Bani Khalid, where green pools lie between palm trees and large boulders. Swim there in the late morning. In the afternoon, return to the N4 and drive west to Al Wasil. Lower your tyre pressure there and follow the marked track into the orange dunes of the Wahiba Sands, now officially named the Sharqiya Sands.

   Roads: Road S40 back to Sur; the N4 (Sultan Turki bin Said Road, old Route 23) inland; a paved side road of about 30 km to Wadi Bani Khalid and back; the N4 west to Al Wasil; then a marked sand track to the camp. Do not take the gravel mountain road from the coast near Qalhat to Wadi Bani Khalid, even if your sat-nav suggests it.

   • Ras al Jinz dawn tour (optional) — Starts at 5:00; arrive by 4:45. You may see the last turtles going back to the sea and, in season, hatchlings.
   • 6Wadi Bani Khalid — Entry is free, and most 2025–2026 reports say parking is free too. The car park toilets cost about 400 baisa and the changing tents about 100 baisa, in cash. The first pools are less than 5 minutes' walk from the car park, and Muqal Cave is about 1 km further up the wadi. Bring a head torch for the cave. Signs ask swimmers to cover upper arms and knees.
   • 7Al Wasil — Fill the tank at Al Wasil, the last fuel before the sand. Lower the tyres to about 18–20 psi (1.2–1.4 bar) with the gauge in your kit before you leave the tarmac. Small tyre shops in the area can also help.

   Where to sleep: Option 1: a desert camp on a marked track from Al Wasil or Al Mintirib. Prices vary a lot. In 2025–2026 listings, simple camps started at roughly OMR 15–25 per person with dinner and breakfast, and luxury camps cost OMR 100 or more per tent per night. Prices change with the season, so check before you go. You can also ask a camp if you may sleep in your own rooftop tent and pay for dinner and showers. Option 2: the edge of the dunes. Stop on firm, flat ground, out of sight of houses, farms, camel pens and other camps. Reach your spot in daylight: do not drive on sand after dark. Book three nights.

   Tip: Plan to reach Al Wasil by 15:30. From mid-November to January the sun sets between about 17:20 and 17:50, and our cars may drive on sand only in daylight. If you are late, skip the walk to Muqal Cave.

5. 

   Day 5
   Ibra and Al Mudayrib from the sands

   Wahiba Sands camp → Wahiba Sands camp · About 90–110 km, including the sand track both ways · About 2 hours

   • Sunrise dune walk
   • 8Ibra
   • Al Mudayrib

   Details

   Walk up a dune for the sunrise, then leave camp by 7:30. If you started on a Saturday, today is a Wednesday, the morning of the women's souq in Ibra. Pump the tyres back to road pressure in Al Wasil and drive to Ibra, about 40 km away. After the souq, walk through the old quarter. On the way back, stop in Al Mudayrib. Fill the tank, lower the tyres again in Al Wasil and be back at camp by mid-afternoon. Spend the evening on the dunes, on foot.

   Roads: Marked sand track to Al Wasil and back; the N4 (old Route 23) and road D411 to Ibra; the N4 back via Al Mudayrib. Paved after Al Wasil.

   • Sunrise dune walk — Start walking up the nearest high dune about 30 minutes before sunrise, which is between about 6:10 and 6:45 from November to January. Walk, do not drive: our rental rules allow driving on the dunes only in daylight.
   • 8Ibra — Walk through the old quarter with its large mud-brick houses, many now in ruins. On Wednesday mornings, from about 6:00 until late morning, the women's souq sells fabrics, clothes, crafts and food. It is for women only, so men cannot go in. Dress modestly and ask before you take photos of people. Ibra has supermarkets and fuel stations.
   • Al Mudayrib — A short detour from the N4, about 20 km from Al Wasil towards Ibra. Walk the lanes of the old town to the fort, the hilltop watchtowers and the remains of the old souq.

   Where to sleep: The same camp or the same spot at the edge of the dunes. Drive the marked track in daylight: never drive on sand after dark.

   Tip: Each time you go from sand to tarmac, pump the tyres back to the pressure on the driver's door sticker, and lower them again to about 18–20 psi (1.2–1.4 bar) before the sand. If your Day 5 is not a Wednesday, go anyway: the old quarters of Ibra and Al Mudayrib are worth a visit on any day.

6. 

   Day 6
   A slow day in the Wahiba Sands

   Wahiba Sands camp → Wahiba Sands camp · About 30–50 km · About 1–1.5 hours

   • Al Mintirib
   • Camel ride or Bedouin visit
   • Guided dune trip

   Details

   Stay a third night in the desert. There is nothing to pack today. Walk up a dune for the sunrise and have a slow breakfast. In the cooler morning, drive out on the marked track to the old town of Al Mintirib on the northern edge of the sands. Back at camp, rest in the shade during the hot hours. Your camp can arrange a camel ride or a visit to a Bedouin family. Return to the dunes on foot for the sunset and a dark, clear night sky.

   Roads: Marked sand track to Al Wasil and back; N4 and local paved roads to Al Mintirib.

   • Al Mintirib — An old town about 9 km from Al Wasil, with a large mud-brick fort, palm gardens and old houses. Reports on the fort differ: some say it opens only on weekday mornings, others that it is closed for restoration. Check locally; you can always see it from outside.
   • Camel ride or Bedouin visit — Ask your camp. Prices vary a lot between camps, so agree the price before you start.
   • Guided dune trip — If you want to see the high dunes up close, book a trip with a licensed local driver in their own vehicle. You may also drive on the open dunes yourself in daylight: lower the tyre pressure, use low range and, if you have never driven on sand, start with small dunes.

   Where to sleep: Stay at the same camp or the same spot at the edge of the dunes. If you move to another camp, use its marked track and arrive before dark.

   Tip: The sand is very hot at midday and the light is flat. Plan walks for the first and last two hours of daylight, and drink often even when it feels cool. Desert nights from December to February are cool, often around 10–15 °C and sometimes colder, so keep warm layers ready.

7. 

   Day 7
   Wahiba Sands to Jalan Bani Bu Ali and Al Ashkharah

   Wahiba Sands, near Al Wasil → Al Ashkharah · About 145 km, including the sand track · About 2.5 hours

   • Al Wasil
   • Jalan Bani Bu Ali
   • 9Al Ashkharah

   Details

   An easy day after the desert. Drive out on the same track in the cool morning and pump the tyres back to road pressure in Al Wasil. The N4 runs south-east to Al Kamil. From there, road S42 leads to the old town of Jalan Bani Bu Ali and on to the coast at Al Ashkharah, a fishing town on the Arabian Sea. Spend the afternoon by the sea.

   Roads: Marked sand track to Al Wasil; the N4 (old Route 23) south-east to Al Kamil; road S42 via Jalan Bani Bu Ali to Al Ashkharah. Paved after Al Wasil.

   • Al Wasil — Use the compressor in your kit to pump the tyres back to the pressure on the driver's door sticker. Do not drive fast on tarmac with soft tyres.
   • Jalan Bani Bu Ali — Old town with a crumbling fort and Jami al Hamoda, a mosque with 52 small domes. Non-Muslims may not enter the mosque; see it from outside.
   • 9Al Ashkharah — Fishing harbour and kilometres of sandy beach on the Arabian Sea. The coast is often windy: swim only when the sea is calm.

   Where to sleep: On firm ground behind the beach south of Al Ashkharah town, out of sight of houses and away from fishing boats and nets. Park above the high-tide line, and drive on the beach only in daylight. If you see turtle tracks, move further away and keep your lights off towards the sea.

   Tip: Fill the tank in Al Ashkharah. Further south the coast road has only two small stations (near Ras Jibsh and Al Khuwaymah, about 55 and 70 km south), then none for about 130 km until Hij (Mahout).

8. Day 8
   Al Ashkharah to the Sugar Dunes of Al Khaluf

   Al Ashkharah → Sugar Dunes near Al Khaluf · About 330 km, including the dirt track from the south · About 5.5 to 6 hours

   • Hij (Mahout)
   • Al Khaluf
   • 10Sugar Dunes

   Details

   A long day, so leave Al Ashkharah by 8:00. Today you leave the busy coast. Road S42 runs for about 200 km between the edge of the Wahiba Sands and the Arabian Sea, past small fishing villages. In Hij, fill the tank and buy fresh food and water. Then follow Route 32 south and turn off at the salt works: a dirt track leads to the dunes without using the beach. Before the soft sand near the dunes, lower the tyre pressure to about 1.4 bar (20 psi). A beach route also runs from Al Khaluf. Our cars may take it in daylight and at low tide, but the southern track is easier. The Sugar Dunes are dunes of very fine, almost white sand right next to the sea.

   Roads: Road S42 along the coast through Hij (Mahout) to the Al Jouba roundabout, paved; Route 32 (A8) south to the Duqm Salt turn-off, paved; then a dirt track past the salt works to the dunes. The beach route from Al Khaluf is also allowed in daylight and at low tide, but it is harder, with soft sand in places.

   • Hij (Mahout) — The last town with shops and several fuel stations before the dunes.
   • Al Khaluf — A small fishing village north of the dunes, on the paved road L712, with a small fuel station that keeps irregular hours. At low tide you can walk to Humrat Cave on the nearby coast. From here a 4x4 route with about 15 km on the beach also leads to the dunes. If you take it, check the tide times, drive in daylight at low tide, lower the tyre pressure first and keep to the firm sand, out of the water.
   • 10Sugar Dunes — Park on firm ground at the edge of the dunes and walk up, or drive onto the dunes in daylight with lowered tyre pressure. If you are new to sand, keep off the steep slip faces. The light is best at sunset and sunrise. Swim only when the sea is calm.

   Where to sleep: On firm sand between the dunes and the beach, well above the high-tide line, with a dune between you and the wind. Choose your spot and park before dark: our cars may not drive on sand after dark. There are no facilities: take all rubbish with you, including toilet paper.

   Tip: Reach the salt works turn-off by early afternoon, so you drive the track and the soft sand in daylight. If you take the beach route from Al Khaluf instead, check the tide times first and drive it at low tide.

9. 

   Day 9
   Sugar Dunes to Duqm and the Rock Garden

   Sugar Dunes near Al Khaluf → Duqm · About 125 km, including the dirt track and the Rock Garden · About 2 to 2.5 hours

   • Sugar Dunes at sunrise
   • Duqm
   • 11Duqm Rock Garden

   Details

   Watch the sunrise from the top of a dune, then leave by the same southern track in daylight. Inflate the tyres again before the asphalt. The A8 runs south across flat, empty desert to Duqm, a new port town in a large special economic zone. Check in at your hotel, fill the tank and buy food and water for the next five days. In the late afternoon, when the light is soft, walk through the Rock Garden.

   Roads: The dirt track back past the salt works to Route 32 (A8); the A8 south to Duqm. Paved after the track.

   • Sugar Dunes at sunrise — Walk up the nearest dune about 30 minutes before sunrise. Walk, do not drive: our cars may drive on the dunes only in daylight.
   • Duqm — The last large town before Salalah, with supermarkets, several fuel stations and hotels. Buy food and drinking water for at least five days: shops on the coast road further south are few and small.
   • 11Duqm Rock Garden — A field of soft limestone rocks with a harder cap, shaped by wind and water into strange forms over millions of years, spread over several square kilometres near the town. The site is fenced, with gates and a car park. In February 2025 visitors reported free entry. Since 2019 visitors have been asked to register online on the Duqm Special Economic Zone website (duqm.gov.om), so check before you go. Walk between the rocks, do not climb them, and take nothing away.

   Where to sleep: We suggest a hotel in Duqm tonight: after eight nights of camping, a shower, a bed and clean clothes help before the coast road. Ask at the hotel about laundry. Book ahead. If you prefer to camp, choose open public ground well outside the town, away from the port, industrial areas, building sites and fenced land.

   Tip: Fill the tank in Duqm. After Duqm, the last station before Ras Madrakah is in Dhahar. From Dhahar to Haitam there is none: about 150 km with the detour to Ras Madrakah. Fill up whenever the tank is half empty.

10. 

    Day 10
    Duqm to Ras Madrakah

    Duqm → Ras Madrakah · About 85 km · About 1.5 to 2 hours

    • Dhahar
    • 12Ras Madrakah

    Details

    A short day on the coast of Duqm. If you missed the Rock Garden yesterday, go early, in the soft morning light. Then drive south on the A11 and fill the tank in Dhahar. After Dhahar, the L726 turns off to Ras Madrakah, a fishing village where headlands of dark rock separate bays of white sand. Spend the afternoon walking along the shore and choose your spot for the night in daylight. In the morning, sea mist is common.

    Roads: The A11 Duqm–Hasik–Salalah road south past Dhahar; then the L726 Ras Madrakah road. All paved.

    • Dhahar — A small village on the A11 south of Duqm with a fuel station. Fill up here: after Ras Madrakah the next fuel is in Haitam, about 120 km away.
    • 12Ras Madrakah — A fishing village about 80 km by road south of Duqm, at the end of a paved road. Headlands of dark volcanic rock meet soft white sand, and the bays are popular for camping and fishing. The weather is pleasant from about September to March. Rubbish washed up by the sea is a problem on some bays: take yours with you.

    Where to sleep: On firm ground above one of the bays near Ras Madrakah, well above the high-tide line, out of sight of houses and away from fishermen's boats and nets. The ground above the main beach is rocky, which suits a rooftop tent. In daylight you may drive on the beach and on sandy tracks, but check the tide first. Do not take the rocky tracks to the headlands: ask us which tracks you may use. There are no facilities: take all rubbish with you, including toilet paper. You stay here two nights.

    Tip: Fill the tank in Duqm or Dhahar before the detour. From Ras Madrakah to the next station, in Haitam, is about 120 km.

11. 

    Day 11
    A lazy day at Ras Madrakah

    Ras Madrakah → Ras Madrakah · About 0–10 km · None, or a few minutes

    • Bays and headlands on foot
    • Sunset over the bays

    Details

    Stay a second night by the sea. Walk along the bays and over the dark headlands in the cool morning, swim when the sea is calm and rest in the hot hours. Sort the food, dry the bedding and check the water: the next shops are in Haitam, about 120 km away.

    Roads: No driving needed. The beach and the sandy tracks are allowed in daylight, but do not take the rocky tracks to the headlands.

    • Bays and headlands on foot — Headlands of dark volcanic rock separate bays of soft white sand. Walk from bay to bay along the shore. Swim only when the sea is calm, and stay away from the fishermen's boats and nets.
    • Sunset over the bays — Walk up one of the low headlands near your camp in the last hour of daylight and watch the light on the rocks and the sand.

    Where to sleep: The same spot above the bay as last night. There are no facilities: take all rubbish with you, including toilet paper.

    Tip: There is no shade on the beaches, so plan walks for the first and last two hours of daylight and rest in the shade of the car at midday. In the morning, sea mist is common.

12. 

    Day 12
    Ras Madrakah to the salt lagoons of Al Kahil

    Ras Madrakah → Near Al Kahil · About 170 km · About 2.5 hours, plus stops

    • Haitam
    • 13Salt lagoons near Al Kahil

    Details

    Leave Ras Madrakah after a slow breakfast. The A11 crosses white plains beside the sea. Villages are far apart, and camels often walk along the road. Fill the tank and buy water in Haitam. In the afternoon, walk along the pink salt lagoons near Al Kahil, where flamingos and other birds feed in winter, and choose your spot for the night in daylight.

    Roads: The L726 back to the A11; the A11 (Route 41 on older maps) south-west along the coast through Haitam to Al Kahil. All paved.

    • Haitam — A small town on the A11 about 120 km from Ras Madrakah, with a fuel station and a supermarket. Fresh food is limited.
    • 13Salt lagoons near Al Kahil — Pink salt lagoons a short detour from the A11, where flamingos and other birds feed in winter. They can be almost dry. Do not drive onto the salt flats, which can be soft, and ask us which tracks you may use. Al Kahil has a fuel station.

    Where to sleep: On firm gravel ground near Al Kahil, right next to the paved road or a well-used graded track, out of sight of houses and away from fishermen's camps. Stay well back from the lagoons and do not drive onto the salt flats, which can be soft. Never camp in a wadi bed. There are no facilities: take all rubbish with you, including toilet paper.

    Tip: From Ras Madrakah, the next station is in Haitam, about 120 km away. Fill up there, and again in Al Kahil if the tank is half empty.

13. 

    Day 13
    Al Kahil to Ash Shuwaymiyah

    Near Al Kahil → Ash Shuwaymiyah · About 190 km · About 2.5 hours, plus breaks

    • Al Lakbi and Shalim
    • 14Wadi Shuwaymiyah

    Details

    Another easy day on the A11. After Al Lakbi, the A11 climbs about 200 m onto the Jiddat Arkad plateau and crosses it to Shalim, then drops back to the sea. Fill up in Al Lakbi and Shalim, and take a break every two hours. In the early afternoon the road reaches Ash Shuwaymiyah, a fishing village below high white limestone cliffs. Walk into the mouth of the wadi in the late afternoon, when the cliffs turn gold.

    Roads: The A11 (Route 41 on older maps) south-west through Al Lakbi and Shalim, then down to the coast. All paved.

    • Al Lakbi and Shalim — Fishing villages with fuel stations, about 90 km and 200 km after Haitam. Fill up in both if the tank is half empty.
    • 14Wadi Shuwaymiyah — A wide wadi between white limestone cliffs behind the village, with acacia trees. The palm oasis and the pool below a small waterfall, which is only a trickle outside the khareef, are about 11 km up the wadi on a gravel track along the wadi bed. Driving in wadis is not allowed with our cars, so do not drive this track. Instead, walk a short way into the mouth of the wadi from the village; the waterfall is too far for a short walk.

    Where to sleep: On firm ground behind the beach at Ash Shuwaymiyah, well above the high-tide line, out of sight of houses and away from fishing boats. Never camp in Wadi Shuwaymiyah or in any other wadi bed. If you see turtle tracks, move further away and keep your lights off towards the sea. Take all rubbish with you.

    Tip: After Al Lakbi the stations are in Shalim and Ash Shuwaymiyah. Fill up at each one if the tank is half empty, and carry food and water for an extra day.

14. 

    Day 14
    Ash Shuwaymiyah to Hasik, Mirbat and Jebel Samhan

    Ash Shuwaymiyah → Jebel Samhan viewpoint · About 265 km · About 4 hours, plus stops

    • Hasik
    • Sadah Castle
    • 15Mirbat
    • Wadi Hinna baobabs
    • 16Jebel Samhan viewpoint

    Details

    For many travellers this is the finest part of the coast road. After Ash Shuwaymiyah the A11 climbs through the mountains towards Hasik, then drops back to white beaches and fishing villages. Visit the castles of Sadah and Mirbat. West of Mirbat, turn north onto the road to Tawi Attair, stop at the baobab trees of Wadi Hinna and climb into the hills. Arrive at the Jebel Samhan viewpoint in the late afternoon and watch the light change over the coast far below.

    Roads: The A11 (Routes 42 and 49 on older maps) via Hasik, Sadah and Mirbat; then the road to Tawi Attair (D804) and the Jebel Samhan road (D802) up to the viewpoint. Paved, with long climbs and tight bends in the mountains.

    • Hasik — A fishing village with the ruins of an old town and harbour nearby. Sea turtles and migrating birds are often seen along this coast. Hasik has a fuel station.
    • Sadah Castle — The easternmost fort on the Dhofar coast, restored in 1991. The official hours are Sunday to Thursday 7:30 to 14:30 and 15:00 to 18:00, Friday 9:00 to 12:00 and 14:30 to 18:00, and Saturday 9:00 to 13:00 and 14:30 to 18:00. Check before you go.
    • 15Mirbat — Mirbat Castle overlooks the old harbour and the traditional market. The official tourism website gives daily hours of 8:00 to 19:00; tickets are sold at the entrance. Walk past the old merchant houses with carved wooden doors near the beach. Strong currents make the beach unsafe for swimming. Fill the tank here before the climb.
    • Wadi Hinna baobabs — A grove of baobab trees about 15 km west of Mirbat, on the road to Tawi Attair. A footpath leads from the car park into the grove.
    • 16Jebel Samhan viewpoint — A public viewpoint on the Jebel Samhan road (D802), about 19 km east of Tawi Attair, high above the coastal plain. Further east the road enters the Jabal Samhan Nature Reserve, one of the last wild homes of the Arabian leopard. Most of the reserve is closed to the public. Where visits are allowed, they are only at the permitted times, and camping, staying overnight and flying drones need a permit from the Environment Authority. Respect signs and fences.

    Where to sleep: At the Jebel Samhan viewpoint, on flat ground well back from the edge. Do not drive on into the nature reserve to camp: camping or staying overnight inside the reserve needs a permit from the Environment Authority. Where the reserve starts may not be signposted, so check before you go. If you are not sure, decide in Mirbat and drive on to a hotel in Salalah (about 1 hour), so you do not drive the mountain roads after dark. Keep away from farms and camel enclosures, cook only on the gas stove and do not drive over plants. Nights up here are cooler than on the coast. Take all rubbish with you.

    Tip: Watch for camels on the mountain roads, especially around bends. Plan to leave Mirbat by about 15:00, so you drive the mountain road in daylight and can choose your spot before sunset.

15. 

    Day 15
    Tawi Attair, Wadi Darbat, Khor Rori and Taqah to Salalah

    Jebel Samhan viewpoint → Salalah · About 95 km · About 2 hours, plus stops

    • Tawi Attair
    • 17Wadi Darbat
    • Khor Rori and Sumhuram
    • Taqah

    Details

    Start with the sunrise over the mountains. On the way down, look into the huge sinkhole of Tawi Attair. Then drive to Wadi Darbat, a green valley with pools and small lakes above a wall of travertine. In winter there is little water in the falls, but the valley is quiet and the pools are clear. Below the wadi, visit the ruins of Sumhuram by the lagoon of Khor Rori and the fort of Taqah. Reach Salalah in the afternoon and check in for four nights.

    Roads: The Jebel Samhan road (D802) and the Tawi Attair road (D804); local mountain roads to Wadi Darbat; the A11 west past Khor Rori and Taqah to Salalah. All paved.

    • Tawi Attair — A sinkhole more than 200 m deep, also called the Well of Birds. A short paved path leads from the car park to the rim. Going down needs a guide.
    • 17Wadi Darbat — Pools, small lakes and travertine falls in a green valley about 40 km east of Salalah. Parking is free and there are public toilets and a café. Swimming is not allowed: the current can be strong and the water carries bilharzia, so do not drink it either. In busier periods you can hire a kayak or pedalo (about OMR 3 for 30 minutes in recent reports; check before you go). Do not drive the tracks further up the wadi: driving in wadis is not allowed with our cars.
    • Khor Rori and Sumhuram — The ruins of Sumhuram, a fortified frankincense port founded in the 3rd century BC and abandoned in the 5th century AD, above the lagoon of Khor Rori. It is part of the UNESCO Land of Frankincense, and an information centre and a small museum tell its story. Entry was OMR 2 in older listings. In March 2026 a company signed an agreement to develop and run the park, so prices and access may change: check before you go. The lagoon is a nature reserve: in winter you may see flamingos.
    • Taqah — A seaside town with a restored 19th-century mud-brick fort, now a small museum, and a wide white-sand beach. Older listings give the fort's hours as Saturday to Thursday 9:00 to 16:00 and Friday 8:00 to 11:00, with a fee of about 500 baisa; check before you go.

    Where to sleep: No camp for the next four nights: we suggest a hotel or a holiday apartment in Salalah. If you want to camp near Salalah, choose open ground well away from the town, farms and houses. Never camp at the khawrs (coastal lagoons) such as Khor Rori and Al Mughsail: they are nature reserves, and camping or staying overnight there needs written permission.

    Tip: From October to April Salalah is dry and warm, with average highs of about 27 to 32 °C. The hills are greenest in the khareef, the monsoon season from June to September; in our season they are drier and the sea is usually calmer.

16. 

    Day 16
    A slow day in Salalah

    Salalah → Salalah · About 10–40 km · Under 1 hour

    • Al Haffa souq
    • Salalah beaches
    • Supermarkets and laundry

    Details

    After four days on the road from Ras Madrakah, rest. Sleep in, walk on the beach and shop for frankincense in Al Haffa souq. Do the laundry, restock the food and water, and check the car.

    Roads: City roads in Salalah.

    • Al Haffa souq — The market near the sea, known for frankincense, incense burners, halwa and clothes. Shops open until midday and again from about 16:00 until late. Parking costs money at certain times.
    • Salalah beaches — Long sandy beaches at Al Haffa and Al Baleed. There are no sun loungers for hire, so bring a blanket. Sunbathing in swimwear is not considered appropriate on public beaches: cover up between swims. The sea off Salalah has strong currents and the seabed drops steeply, so swim only when the sea is calm and stay close to the shore.
    • Supermarkets and laundry — Large supermarkets, such as Lulu, and many fuel stations in town. Ask at your hotel about laundry.

    Where to sleep: Your hotel or apartment in Salalah.

    Tip: Go to Al Mughsail early tomorrow, before the midday heat, and keep Al Baleed for the late afternoon of Day 18: both published schedules show it open every day from 16:00.

17. 

    Day 17
    Salalah west: Al Mughsail, Marneef Cave and the mountain road

    Salalah → Salalah · About 140 km (about 155 km with Fazayah) · About 2.5 hours, plus stops (Fazayah adds about 1.5 to 2 hours)

    • Al Mughsail beach
    • 18Marneef Cave and the blowholes
    • The mountain road west of Al Mughsail
    • Fazayah Beach (optional)

    Details

    Drive west along the coast in the morning. The road crosses the plain to Al Mughsail, a long white beach below the cliffs, with Marneef Cave and its blowholes at the western end. Just past Al Mughsail, the N9 climbs nearly 1,000 m up the cliffs in steep hairpin bends, with views back over the bay and into deep wadis. Turn back at the army checkpoint a few kilometres past the Fazayah turn-off. Return to Salalah for a late lunch and a rest.

    Roads: The N9, the Salalah–Dhalkut road (Route 47 on older maps), west to Al Mughsail and up the hairpin bends as far as the army checkpoint; back the same way. All paved. The track to Fazayah is optional: ask us first.

    • Al Mughsail beach — A long white-sand beach about 45 km west of Salalah, with shaded picnic shelters. In winter the water is often clear. Swim only when the sea is calm, and dress modestly. The lagoon behind the beach is a nature reserve for birds.
    • 18Marneef Cave and the blowholes — A large rock overhang above the sea at the western end of the beach; follow the path from the car park. Holes in the rock below throw up spray when the sea is rough, best at high tide. In winter the sea is often calm, so the blowholes may be quiet.
    • The mountain road west of Al Mughsail — Known as the Sarfait road, the N9 climbs nearly 1,000 m from the coastal plain in 14 steep hairpin bends. Yucca-like plants and succulents grow on the limestone ledges, and frankincense trees in the lower wadis. Stop only in safe parking areas, and use a low gear on the way down. A few kilometres past the Fazayah turn-off the N9 reaches an army checkpoint, so carry your passports and turn back there. Do not continue towards the Yemen border: it is closed to tourists, and our cars may not leave Oman.
    • Fazayah Beach (optional) — A remote beach below high cliffs, about half an hour west of Al Mughsail: about 15 km on the N9, then a graded track of about 6 km down the cliff. Ask us whether you may use the track before you go, and drive it in daylight. If you drive onto the sand, check the tide first and park above the high-tide line. There are no shops: take shade, food and water. A few kilometres past the Fazayah turn-off the N9 reaches an army checkpoint, so carry your passports and turn back there. Do not continue towards the Yemen border: it is closed to tourists, and our cars may not leave Oman.

    Where to sleep: Your hotel or apartment in Salalah.

    Tip: On the long descent to Al Mughsail, use a low gear (L or manual mode in an automatic) and let the engine hold the car. Do not keep your foot on the brake: brakes overheat on long steep roads.

18. 

    Day 18
    Job's Tomb, Ain Razat and Al Baleed

    Salalah → Salalah · About 105 km · About 2 hours, plus stops

    • 19Job's Tomb (Nabi Ayoub)
    • Ain Razat
    • 20Al Baleed Archaeological Park and the Museum of the Frankincense Land
    • Supermarkets and fuel

    Details

    A last easy day in Dhofar. In the cool morning, drive up into the Jebel Qara hills behind Salalah to Job's Tomb, with views over the plain and the sea. Then cross the plain to Ain Razat, a spring with pools and shaded picnic areas at the foot of the hills north-east of the city. Rest in the hot hours. After 16:00, walk through Al Baleed, the ruins of the medieval port of Zafar, and visit its museum. In the evening, get the car ready for the drive north: fill the tank, check the tyre pressure, refill the water and buy food for two days.

    Roads: Road S45 north-west into the Jebel Qara hills to Job's Tomb and back; road D809 east to Ain Razat and back; city roads to Al Baleed. All paved.

    • 19Job's Tomb (Nabi Ayoub) — A white-domed shrine with a small mosque on Jebel Qara, about 30 km by road north-west of Salalah, revered by many as the tomb of the prophet Job (Ayoub). Dress modestly, women should cover their hair, and take off your shoes before you go in. Older listings give a fee of about 500 baisa; check before you go. There is a small restaurant nearby.
    • Ain Razat — A spring at the foot of the hills about 25 km by road north-east of Salalah, with pools, lily ponds, shaded picnic areas, parking and public toilets. Swimming is not allowed: the water carries bilharzia, so do not drink it either. Opening days are not clearly published, and one guide says the fenced garden opens only on Thursdays and Fridays outside the khareef, so check before you go. Bring insect repellent.
    • 20Al Baleed Archaeological Park and the Museum of the Frankincense Land — The ruins of Zafar, a port city from about the 6th to the 17th century, on the coast of Salalah, part of the UNESCO Land of Frankincense. The museum has a history hall and a maritime hall. Opening hours differ between sources, but both published schedules include every day from 16:00 to 20:00. Entry was about OMR 2 to 3 per adult, including the museum, and some reports say only cards are accepted; check before you go.
    • Supermarkets and fuel — Large supermarkets and many fuel stations in town. Buy food and drinking water for at least two days.

    Where to sleep: Your hotel or apartment in Salalah.

    Tip: Check the tyres for cuts and set the pressure on the driver's door sticker before the N3. If a warning light comes on, call us before you leave Salalah.

19. 

    Day 19
    Salalah to Wadi Dawkah and Haima on the N3

    Salalah → Haima · About 500 km · About 5.5 to 6 hours of driving, plus breaks

    • 21Wadi Dawkah
    • Thumrait
    • Qitbit
    • 22Haima

    Details

    The longest day of the trip. Leave Salalah by 7:00. The N3 climbs over the mountains behind the city. About 45 km north of Salalah, stop at Wadi Dawkah to see the frankincense trees. After Thumrait the road crosses a flat, empty gravel plain for hundreds of kilometres. Take a break every two hours, and fill up whenever you pass a station and the tank is half empty. Reach Haima, the capital of Al Wusta, by mid-afternoon.

    Roads: The N3, Sultan Said bin Taymur Road (Route 31 on older maps), north over the mountains to Thumrait and across the desert via Qitbit to Haima. Paved. Between Thumrait and Haima it is mostly a single carriageway shared with lorries, and work to make it a dual carriageway is planned to run until about 2028, so expect roadworks and diversions.

    • 21Wadi Dawkah — A protected valley about 45 km north of Salalah, just off the N3, and part of the UNESCO Land of Frankincense. More than 1,200 old frankincense trees grow here, and thousands of young trees have been planted along the valley. There is a car park, an information panel and toilets, and entry is free. Do not cut the bark or take the resin.
    • Thumrait — A town about 80 km from Salalah with several fuel stations. Fill the tank here.
    • Qitbit — A fuel station on the N3 about 275 km from Salalah. Between Thumrait and Haima, OpenStreetMap shows stations about 70 km north of Thumrait, at Qitbit, near Muqshin and about 95 km before Haima; the longest gap is about 120 km. Remote stations can be closed, so never pass one with less than half a tank.
    • 22Haima — The capital of Al Wusta, a small town at a crossroads of desert roads, with several fuel stations, shops and a few simple hotels and motels.

    Where to sleep: Option 1: one of the simple hotels or motels in Haima; check before you go. Option 2: a desert camp north of Haima, only if you arrive well before sunset. Leave the N3 only on an existing track, and ask us if you are not sure about one. Stop on firm gravel right next to the track, out of sight of the road, houses, camel camps and fenced oil and gas sites. Do not drive cross-country or onto soft sand. Take all rubbish with you.

    Tip: Do not drive the N3 after dark. Camels walk onto the road, there are no lights, and between Thumrait and Haima you share a single carriageway and roadworks with lorries. If you are tired, stop for the night in Haima rather than push on.

20. 

    Day 20
    Haima to Adam and Nizwa

    Haima → Nizwa · About 385 km · About 4.5 to 5 hours

    • Fuel north of Haima
    • Adam

    Details

    Start early again. North of Haima the gravel plain goes on for a long time. Closer to Adam, low hills appear, and then the Hajar Mountains. Adam, the first oasis town after the desert, has palm gardens watered by aflaj and old mud-brick quarters. From Adam, Nizwa is less than an hour away. Check in for two nights and rest: tomorrow is a slow day.

    Roads: The N3 (Route 31 on older maps), a dual carriageway from Haima, north via Adam to the Nizwa interchange; road S30 into Nizwa. All paved.

    • Fuel north of Haima — OpenStreetMap shows stations about 105 km and 200 km north of Haima, then in Adam, about 320 km from Haima. Fill up at each one.
    • Adam — An oasis town at the southern gate of the Dakhiliyah region, on the Nizwa–Salalah road, with palm gardens, aflaj and old mud-brick quarters. Fuel and shops.

    Where to sleep: We suggest a hotel or guesthouse in Nizwa for the next two nights, after two long desert days. Book ahead for Thursday and Friday nights.

    Tip: This is the second long day in a row. Take a break every two hours, and do not drive the N3 after dark.

21. 

    Day 21
    A slow day in Nizwa

    Nizwa → Nizwa · About 10–20 km · Under 1 hour

    • Nizwa goat market (Fridays)
    • 23Nizwa Fort and souq
    • Falaj Daris

    Details

    If you started on a Saturday, today is a Friday. Start at the goat market in the souq, then climb the round tower of Nizwa Fort and walk through the souq before the Friday midday break. Rest in the afternoon, do the laundry and restock. In the late afternoon, walk beside Falaj Daris in a small park north of the town.

    Roads: City roads in Nizwa.

    • Nizwa goat market (Fridays) — On Fridays from about 6:30 to 9:30, farmers trade goats and cattle in the auction ring at the souq. Arrive by 7:00 and dress modestly.
    • 23Nizwa Fort and souq — Climb the round tower of the 17th-century fort, 34 m high, for a view over the palm oasis. The fort opens daily at 8:00, with a midday break on Fridays from about 11:30 to 13:30. Closing time is given as 18:00 or 20:00 depending on the source, so check before you go. Entry is about 5 OMR per adult (2025-2026). Then walk through the souq next to the fort.
    • Falaj Daris — One of the five aflaj (water channels) on the UNESCO World Heritage list, often described as the largest in Oman. A short section north of Nizwa runs through a small public park with shade and picnic areas. Stay out of the channel when the water runs fast after rain.

    Where to sleep: Your hotel or guesthouse in Nizwa.

    Tip: Nizwa Fort has a midday break on Fridays, from about 11:30 to 13:30, so go straight after the goat market.

22. 

    Day 22
    Nizwa to Bahla, Jabrin and Ibri

    Nizwa → Ibri · About 160 km · About 2 hours of driving, plus visits

    • Bahla Fort
    • 24Jabrin Castle
    • Ibri and As Sulaif

    Details

    Be at Bahla Fort when it opens at 8:00, then visit Jabrin Castle, about 10 km away. Then take the N2 north-west across gravel plains to Ibri, the main town of Al Dhahirah. In the afternoon, walk through As Sulaif, an abandoned walled village on a rocky hill at the edge of the town. Fill the tank and buy food and water for two days in Ibri.

    Roads: Road S30 west to Bahla; local roads to Jabrin; the N2 (Sultan Thuwaini bin Said Road) north-west across the plain to Ibri; local roads to As Sulaif. All paved.

    • Bahla Fort — The first site in Oman on the UNESCO World Heritage list (1987): a large mud-brick fort above a palm oasis, inside an old town wall more than 12 km long. The official site gives 8:00 to 19:00 daily, but visitors in 2025 reported closing at 16:00 and Friday mornings only, so arrive early. Entry is OMR 4–5 per adult; check before you go. Bahla is also known for its potters.
    • 24Jabrin Castle — A palace completed in 1675 for Imam Bil'arab bin Sultan, with painted wooden ceilings, carved doors and the Sun and Moon room. Open daily 7:30 to 21:00; entry about 3 OMR per foreign adult, check before you go.
    • Ibri and As Sulaif — Ibri is a large oasis town. Its fort, restored and opened to visitors in 1995, stands by the old souq in the centre, and the town has fuel stations and large supermarkets. As Sulaif, about 5 km from the centre, is an abandoned walled village of mud-brick houses on a rocky hill, with a fort from the early 18th century, seven towers, a large mosque and the remains of an old souq. Walk carefully: many of the old houses are crumbling. Cover shoulders and knees.

    Where to sleep: Option 1: a hotel in Ibri; book ahead. Option 2: open public ground outside Ibri, only if you arrive well before sunset. Stop on firm gravel next to the paved road or a well-used graded track, out of sight of houses, farms and camel pens, and never in a wadi bed. Take all rubbish with you.

    Tip: Al Dhahirah borders Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Our cars may not leave Oman, so do not drive towards the borders or beyond any army or police checkpoint.

23. 

    Day 23
    Bat, Al Ayn and up to Jebel Shams

    Ibri → Jebel Shams canyon rim, Al Khitaym · About 205 km · About 4.5 to 5 hours, plus visits

    • 25Bat
    • 26Al Ayn beehive tombs
    • Wadi Ghul viewpoints

    Details

    A full day, so leave Ibri by 7:30. At Bat, stone tombs and round towers from the 3rd millennium BC lie on low ridges beside a palm grove. About 40 km away by road, the beehive tombs of Al Ayn stand in a row on a ridge below the cliffs of Jebel Misht. Then drive back to the N2 and east to Bahla and Al Hamra. Fill the tank at the Shell station in Al Hamra: there is no fuel station on Jebel Shams. The mountain road climbs past Ghul in steep bends. Near the top, parts of the road are graded gravel, and a two-year upgrade of the road started in January 2026, so expect roadworks, diversions and changing surfaces. Arrive before sunset, which from November to January is between about 17:25 and 17:55.

    Roads: The A6 and local road D617 to Bat; local roads to Al Ayn; road D623 to the N2 and east to Bahla; S30 and D510 to Al Hamra; then the Jebel Shams road via Ghul: steep and mostly tarmac, with gravel sections near the top and roadworks during the 2026-2027 upgrade.

    • 25Bat — Part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Bat, Al-Khutm and Al-Ayn (1988). Around 3000 BC, people here traded copper and stone with Sumer in Mesopotamia. The necropolis has about 100 stone tombs, and there are large round stone towers whose purpose is not known. There is no visitor centre and no official entrance: in 2023 reports, visitors went in through a gap in the fence marked by a small archaeological-site sign. A visitor reception centre was put out to tender in December 2023, so access may change: check before you go. Do not climb on the tombs and take nothing away.
    • 26Al Ayn beehive tombs — The best preserved of the three sites: about 20 stone beehive tombs in a row along a ridge, with Jebel Misht behind. Park by the road near the village, opposite the small mosque, and walk about 10 minutes across the dry wadi bed and between the farms, then up the hillside. There is no fence and there are no facilities. Do not go after heavy rain, keep to the paths between the farms, and do not climb on the tombs.
    • Wadi Ghul viewpoints — Stop near Ghul to see the ruined old village on its rocky hill at the mouth of the canyon. Higher up, several parking areas look down into the gorge, which is about 1,000 m deep.

    Where to sleep: On the canyon rim between the Jebel Shams Resort and Al Khitaym, where the road ends, or on the open plateau before the resorts. Park on a flat spot well back from the edge and away from village houses. There is no water and no free toilet; the resorts and the walking trail have small paid toilets. Keep food and rubbish inside the car, because goats roam the rim and eat whatever is left out. Building work for a new visitor area is under way on the mountain, so some spots may be fenced off. The rim is windy, and from December to February the nights can drop to around or below 0 °C. You stay here two nights.

    Tip: Leave Al Hamra by about 15:00: the drive up to the rim takes about 1.5 hours, and you want daylight to choose your spot. If you are late, skip Bat: Al Ayn is the better preserved site.

24. 

    Day 24
    Jebel Shams: the Balcony Walk

    Jebel Shams canyon rim, Al Khitaym → Jebel Shams canyon rim, Al Khitaym · About 0–10 km · None, or a few minutes on the rim road

    • 27Balcony Walk (W6)
    • Canyon rim viewpoints

    Details

    A day on foot. Watch the early light on the canyon walls, then start the Balcony Walk early, while it is still cool. Back at camp, rest in the afternoon, dry the tent and sort the food. At sunset, walk to the edge of the rim and look down into the canyon.

    Roads: No driving needed: the walk starts at Al Khitaym, where the road ends.

    • 27Balcony Walk (W6) — The signposted path starts at Al Khitaym and follows a ledge along the canyon wall to the abandoned village of As Sab. It is about 8 km there and back. You lose a few hundred metres of height on the way out (sources give 200 to 350 m) and climb it again on the way back. Allow 3 to 5 hours. Most of the path has no railings, so it is not for people with vertigo. The small toilets at the start and along the path cost a few hundred baisa (about 0.3 to 0.5 OMR), so carry coins.
    • Canyon rim viewpoints — Several parking areas along the rim road look down into the gorge of Wadi Ghul, which is about 1,000 m deep. There are no railings: stay well back from the edge, especially with children.

    Where to sleep: The same spot on the rim. Keep food and rubbish inside the car, because goats roam the rim and eat whatever is left out.

    Tip: Start the walk by 8:00, while the path is still in shade, and carry at least 2 litres of water per person.

25. 

    Day 25
    Jebel Shams to Misfat, Al Hamra and Jebel Akhdar

    Jebel Shams canyon rim, Al Khitaym → Saiq plateau, Jebel Akhdar · About 170 km · About 3.5 hours, plus visits

    • 28Misfat al Abriyeen
    • Al Hamra
    • Birkat al Mawz
    • Jebel Akhdar checkpoint

    Details

    Drive down the mountain in a low gear in the cool morning. Walk through Misfat al Abriyeen and the old quarter of Al Hamra, two old villages above palm gardens. Then pass Nizwa and continue to Birkat al Mawz, an oasis town at the foot of Jebel Akhdar. About 7 km up the D518 is the police checkpoint. Only 4x4 vehicles may continue, so have your passports, driving licences and the car registration card (mulkiya) ready. From the checkpoint, the road gains about 1,200 m in some 30 km to the Saiq plateau, at around 1,900 to 2,000 m. Aim to arrive by mid-afternoon, so you choose your camp spot in daylight.

    Roads: The Jebel Shams road down to Ghul (gravel sections and roadworks, then tarmac); a local road to Misfat; D510 and S30 via Nizwa to Birkat al Mawz; then the D518 mountain road to Saiq (steep tarmac).

    • 28Misfat al Abriyeen — Park at the village entrance, or in the car park further back when it is full, and walk down the lanes beside the falaj to the gardens. Allow 1 to 2 hours. Cover shoulders and knees, do not pick fruit, do not swim in the falaj pools, and stay out of private houses and the mosque.
    • Al Hamra — The old quarter is one of the best-preserved mud-brick quarters in Oman, with rows of houses several storeys high. In Bait al Safah, a restored family house run as a small museum, local women show how Omani bread, coffee and other traditional products are made.
    • Birkat al Mawz — Walk through the palm gardens and the ruined old quarter below the mountain. Falaj Al Khatmeen, one of the five aflaj (water channels) on the UNESCO World Heritage list, runs through the courtyard of Bayt Ar-Ridaydah, a 17th-century fortified house that is open to visitors. Buy fuel, food and water here before the climb.
    • Jebel Akhdar checkpoint — About 7 km up the D518 from Birkat al Mawz. Only 4x4 vehicles may continue, and the rule is enforced. Have your passports, driving licences and the car registration card (mulkiya) ready.

    Where to sleep: Plan two nights on the plateau. Camp on open public ground, well away from houses, farms, terraces and hotels. Several popular spots with views into the gorges are on the rocky western part of the plateau, towards the Alila hotel. Park on a flat gravel spot and do not drive over plants. Jebel Akhdar became a UNESCO biosphere reserve in 2025, and part of the mountain is the Al Jabal Al Akhdar Scenic Reserve, where camping or staying overnight needs a permit from the Environment Authority. Respect any signs and fences, and if you are not sure, ask at your hotel or at the checkpoint. Take all rubbish with you and cook only on the stove. From December to February the nights are cold, sometimes close to freezing.

    Tip: Fill the tank in Birkat al Mawz. There is only one fuel station on the plateau (Al Maha, in Saiq), and the climb uses more fuel than usual.

26. 

    Day 26
    A day on foot on Jebel Akhdar

    Saiq plateau, Jebel Akhdar → Saiq plateau, Jebel Akhdar · About 20–30 km on plateau roads · Under 1 hour of driving, plus 4 to 6 hours of walking

    • Al Aqur, Al Ayn and Ash Shirayjah (path W18b)
    • 29Wadi Bani Habib
    • Sunset over the terraces

    Details

    Leave the car parked for most of the day and explore on foot. In the cool morning, walk the path through the terraced villages on the edge of the gorge. After lunch, drive to the end of the D518 and walk down into Wadi Bani Habib. Return to the rim for the sunset over the terraces. From about mid-March to early May, the damask roses on the terraces are picked to make rosewater.

    Roads: Short plateau roads around Saiq and the D518 to Wadi Bani Habib (steep tarmac)

    • Al Aqur, Al Ayn and Ash Shirayjah (path W18b) — A signposted path links three villages on the edge of the gorge, about 4 km one way, with many steps and some rocky parts. The terraces grow pomegranates, walnuts and the damask roses used for rosewater. Allow 3 to 4 hours for the full path there and back. Stay on the path, and do not walk on the terraces or pick fruit or flowers.
    • 29Wadi Bani Habib — The D518 ends here. From the car park, stone steps lead down into a green valley with walnut and other fruit trees and the ruins of an abandoned village of mud and stone houses. Allow 1 to 1.5 hours there and back.
    • Sunset over the terraces — Diana's Point is inside the grounds of the Anantara resort, but there is a free viewpoint with a similar view over the terraces next to the Layali Al Jabal restaurant nearby.

    Where to sleep: The same spot as last night, or another on open public ground on the plateau, away from houses, farms, terraces and hotels, and outside the scenic reserve unless you have a permit. There is no drinking water at the camp spots, so bring enough up from Birkat al Mawz.

    Tip: The air is cool at 2,000 m, but the sun is strong. Carry at least 2 litres of water per person on the village path, wear a hat, and start by about 8:00.

27. 

    Day 27
    Jebel Akhdar to Nakhal and Rustaq

    Saiq plateau, Jebel Akhdar → Rustaq · About 240 km · About 3.5 hours, plus visits

    • 30Nakhal Fort
    • Ain al Thowarah

    Details

    Drive down from the plateau in a low gear after breakfast and take the N2 towards Muscat. Before the city, turn north across the plain to the A7, which runs along the foot of the mountains on the Batinah side. Nakhal Fort stands on a rocky outcrop above the palm groves. A few kilometres further, the warm spring of Ain al Thowarah flows out of the rock into a green wadi. Have a picnic there, then drive west on the A7 to Rustaq.

    Roads: The D518 down to Birkat al Mawz; S30 to the N2 (Sultan Thuwaini bin Said Road) towards Muscat; local roads D221 and D219 north to the A7 Barka–Rustaq road; the A7 west to Nakhal and Rustaq. All paved.

    • 30Nakhal Fort — A fort built on a large rocky outcrop above the palm groves of Nakhal, rebuilt in the 17th century and last restored in 1990, with six towers, the wali's rooms and wide views from the walls. The national tourism site gives 8:00 to 22:00 daily, with tickets at the reception; older guides give shorter hours and only a Friday morning. Go in the morning and check before you go.
    • Ain al Thowarah — A warm spring a few kilometres past the fort, along a narrow road through the palm gardens. The water flows all year from the rock into a stream and the falaj channels that water the date gardens, and a small concrete pool lets you sit in the warm water. There are picnic tables, and it is busy in the evenings, at weekends and on holidays. Where water runs across the road, park and walk: never drive into flowing water. Swim in a T-shirt and shorts.

    Where to sleep: Option 1: one of the few small hotels in Rustaq; book ahead and check before you go. Option 2: open public ground in the gravel foothills off the A7, only if you arrive well before sunset. Stop next to the paved road or a well-used graded track, out of sight of houses and farms, and never in a wadi bed. Take all rubbish with you.

    Tip: Wadi Al Abyad, near Nakhal, is known for its white pools, but the tracks into it run mostly along the wadi bed, and driving in wadis is not allowed with our cars. It is not part of this route. For warm water in a green wadi without leaving the road, stop at Ain al Thowarah, on today's route.

28. 

    Day 28
    Rustaq Fort, Al Hazm and Wadi Bani Kharus to Muscat

    Rustaq → Your hotel in Muscat · About 255 km · About 4 hours, plus visits

    • 31Rustaq Fort
    • Al Hazm Fort
    • Wadi Bani Kharus

    Details

    If you started on a Saturday, today is a Friday, when Rustaq Fort opens only in the morning: be there by 8:30. Then drive north to Al Hazm Fort. Late in the morning, turn into Wadi Bani Kharus at Al Awabi. A good tarmac road follows the wadi for about 24 km past terraced palm gardens and small villages to Al Alya, the last village. Walk a little, then drive back down and take the A7 and the expressway to Muscat. Check in at your hotel for the last two nights.

    Roads: The A7 and A6 north to Al Hazm and back; the A7 east to Al Awabi; road D226 up Wadi Bani Kharus to Al Alya and back; the A7 to Barka and the N1 Batinah and Muscat expressways into Muscat. All paved.

    • 31Rustaq Fort — A large fort first built around 1250 and largely rebuilt by the first Ya'ariba imams in the 17th century, with four towers, the tallest more than 18 m high. Hours differ between sources: on Fridays it opens only in the morning, from about 8:00 or 8:30 until about 11:00, and on other days from about 8:30 or 9:00 until 13:00 or 16:00. Entry was about 500 baisa in 2023. Check before you go.
    • Al Hazm Fort — A square fort from the early 18th century, built by Imam Sultan bin Saif II, with two towers, arched stone ceilings, tunnels and old Portuguese and Spanish cannons. The national tourism site gives Saturday to Thursday 7:30 to 18:00 and Friday 9:00 to 18:00, with tickets at the reception; an older guide gives Friday 8:00 to 11:00 only. Check before you go.
    • Wadi Bani Kharus — A green valley that starts at the fort of Al Awabi. A tarmac road (D226) runs about 24 km up the wadi past terraced palm gardens and villages such as Stal to Al Alya, the last village. From there you can walk for 1 to 2 hours to palm gardens and pools higher up the wadi; enter the gardens only if a villager invites you. Stay on the tarmac: about 8 km from Al Awabi a road turns off into Wadi Al Hijir, and from there a steep track climbs over a pass to Wadi Bani Awf. Neither is part of this route, and our cars may not drive in wadi beds or on wadi tracks. Do not walk into the wadi if rain is forecast.

    Where to sleep: No camp tonight. Book a hotel in Muscat for the last two nights, for example in Qurum, between the Grand Mosque and Mutrah, or in Mutrah, by the souq. In Muscat Governorate, camping is allowed only at sites set by the municipality, away from beaches and homes, and stays over 48 hours need a municipal permit.

    Tip: On Fridays, forts and many shops close for the midday prayer, so visit the forts first. On other days they stay open longer, but the same order works.

29. 

    Day 29
    A lazy day in Muscat

    Your hotel in Muscat → Your hotel in Muscat · About 20–40 km · Under 1 hour

    • Qurum Beach
    • Royal Opera House Muscat
    • Mutrah corniche and souq

    Details

    The last full day, with almost no driving. Spend the morning on Qurum Beach, a long public beach in the city, and have lunch at one of the cafés on the promenade. See the Royal Opera House from outside and walk through the Opera Galleria next to it. Back at the hotel, sort and clean the camping kit for tomorrow's handover. In the evening, walk the Mutrah corniche and the souq, which is liveliest after dark.

    Roads: Sultan Qaboos Street (N5) and city roads. All paved.

    • Qurum Beach — A long public sandy beach in Muscat, with plenty of parking, public toilets, showers and drinking water, and cafés along the promenade. Watch out for rip currents and swim only when the sea is calm. Bikinis are not appropriate on public beaches: cover at least shoulders and knees, and swim in a T-shirt and shorts.
    • Royal Opera House Muscat — The opera house of Muscat, in Shati Al Qurum, with the Opera Galleria shopping arcade next to it. See it from outside. If you want to go in, house tours run from Saturday to Thursday, 8:30 to 17:30, when the auditorium is free; in October 2026 the official site listed OMR 3.15 per adult. Check before you go.
    • Mutrah corniche and souq — The old harbour front of Muscat, with a covered souq of narrow lanes behind it. In 2025-2026 the souq was open Saturday to Thursday from 9:00 to 13:00 and 16:00 to 23:00, and on Friday from 9:00 to 11:00 and 16:00 to 23:00; hours change during Ramadan and on public holidays. Dress modestly.

    Where to sleep: Your hotel in Muscat.

    Tip: Qurum Beach is busiest in the evenings, especially on Thursdays and Fridays, so go in the morning.

30. Day 30
    Muscat: the Grand Mosque, then return the car

    Your hotel in Muscat → Muscat International Airport or your hotel in Muscat · About 40 km · Under 1 hour

    • 32Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque
    • Return the car

    Details

    On the last morning, visit the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque, about 13 km from the airport. Then return the car at the airport or at your hotel. Leave time to empty the car and hand back the camping kit to our team.

    Roads: Sultan Qaboos Street (N5) and Muscat city roads.

    • 32Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque — Non-Muslim visitors are admitted from Saturday to Thursday in the morning, from about 8:00 or 8:30 to 11:00, and not on Fridays. An entry fee of about OMR 8 was introduced in January 2025. Some 2026 guides say it was withdrawn after a few weeks and entry is free, but the national tourism site still lists OMR 8, so check before you go. Cover shoulders and knees (men in long trousers) and wear loose clothing; women must also cover their hair.
    • Return the car — At Muscat International Airport or at your hotel in Muscat, between 08:00 and 20:00.

    Where to sleep: No camp tonight. The trip ends in Muscat.

    Tip: If Day 30 is a Friday, the mosque is closed to visitors. Walk the Mutrah corniche in the morning instead.

Which car?

Over a month you drive about 4,450 km and live out of the car for about 17 nights, so comfort and space matter. The Toyota Land Cruiser Prado (OMR 75 per day, available from January) is the better fit: it is quieter and more comfortable at highway speed on the long A11 and N3 days, and it has more space for food and water for several days. Its Family tent sleeps 2 adults + 2 children, or 3 adults. The Jeep Wrangler 4-door (OMR 55 per day) also handles every part of this route, including the sand tracks, the Sugar Dunes sand, the Jebel Shams gravel and the Jebel Akhdar checkpoint, and suits a couple who want a lower price.

Practical tips

Questions

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Distances and driving times are approximate. Check road conditions, tides, weather and opening times before you go. Photos are licensed stock photos of the places, not of our cars.