TOUR LATIFA� | 6 Day Tour

Sinkhole - Fins Beach - Wadi Shab - Ras Al Hadd - Wadi Bani Khalid - Wahiba Sands - Nizwa Misfath - Jebel Shams - Wadi Bani Awf

Day 1
The tour departs Muscat in the morning towards Ras al Hadd . After a photo stop at the Bamah sinkhole (swimming in the sinkhole lake is possible) and the long white Beach of Fins, we arrive in Wadi Shab.This Wadi is a enormous canyon gorge that is lined with palm trees and impressive indications of what the power of the water

coming down from the mountains can do in nature.

With a 45 minute hike up through the canyon Wadi, we arrive at one of several crystal clear water pools. Tourists can swim on through the warm waters from pool to pool. Eventually we come to the last pool where an opening among the enormous rocks allows us to swim into an incredible crevice cave with a small waterfall. Inside, the sunlight filters in from the outside, turning the water into a beautiful turquoise blue whilst water showers down one side of the cave from the wadi beyond.

The tour continues to Ras al Hadd. In the evening we take you to the Turtle sanctuary at Ras Al Jinz. Here we will go on a guided beautiful walking tour on the beach at night under the stars, where we have a high chance of seeing Omans great sea turtles stumbling on to the beach to build a nest and lay the eggs. If you are lucky, you can even see baby turtles hatching from some nests.

Overnight in Ras al Hadd Hotel/Camp.

Day 2
In the morning we will show you the City of Sur with some old fortresses and the famous Arabian Dhow Factory, where you can see traditional wooden Dhows being built.

After Lunch we will drive onwards to Wadi Bani Khalid, one of the biggest and most beautiful Wadis in Oman. Here you can swim, sunbath, relax and have a picnic in the beautiful scenic Wadi canyons.

In the late afternoon we continue to our desert camp in the Wahiba Sands desert, where you relax or take part in an adventurous 4x4 drive in the sand dunes. Then we will watch the stunning sunset of the desert  on one of the big sand dunes. We finish the day with a Dinner at the camp and a nice romantic time around a campfire.

Overnight in Desert Camp.

Day 3
In the morning we drive to city of Ibra. There we will visit the colourful the local Market (Souq) and the old ancient Village of Ibra. After Lunch we drive on towards Nizwa, the old capital city of Oman. We will arrive there in the afternoon, and after the Hotel check-in you have free leisure time for the rest of the day.

Overnight in Nizwa Hotel.

Day 4
We start the day early to visit the Nizwa Souq. It is among the largest of its kind in Oman. A wide variety of vendors offer their goods in the streets of the souk from 05:00 am to about 10:00 am each morning. Here you can find fish, meat, vegetables, pottery, jewellery, handicrafts and souvenirs which are sold in authentic old market halls that few places can boast. Especially interesting is the Friday cattle market, when the locals from the nearby Villages come to sell their donkeys, goats, cattle, sheep and chickens in a circus style open market place.

Next to the Souq is Nizwa Fortress. The fort is a museum today and offers splendid views of this ancient town and the surrounding mountains. You can walk around in this impressive fortress and visit its many rooms, passages and towers.The fort is an architectural testimony to the economic and military achievements of the early Yaruba dynasty from the mid-17th century. It was a military stronghold designed to withstand even the strongest of attacks at the time. Even along the corridors, many traps were laid to deter any intruders that might have penetrated the defences.

From Nizwa we drive to Misfath al Abreen. This pictures village lies on a steep slope at the foot of Jebel Shams, a few kilometres from the village of Al Hamra and consists of old homes and narrow streets. It has a large Falaj system which supplies water for many orchards, date palms and vegetables. It is worth to spend spend at least 1 ½ hours walking around the village.There are marked footpaths through the village and surrounding area.

For the next stop you can choose to either visit the Al Hoota Caves (This cave is one of the largest cave systems in the world and is now a major tourist attraction in Oman. It consist of large underground rivers with the Al Hoota cave as the entrance to the cave system) or the Jabrin Castle (The castle was originally designed as a residential palace in 1670 by Sultan bin Saif Al in the Ya'arubi Dynasti . An extensive renovation was carried out in 1984. The interior includes various furniture and traditional utensils to provide visitors with a taste of period castle lifestyle. The building itself is decorated with elaborate wood carvings, ceiling paintings and stucco work. The castle is open to visitors).

Overnight in Nizwa Hotel.

Day 5
Today we are driving up the Jebel Shams Mountain. On the way there we make a stop in the ancient village of AL Hamra to visit a cute little museum which has opened up in one of the old restored houses within the village. Some Omani woman will show you around a traditional 7 bedroom house. They also demonstrate you how they used to make coffee, food and pottery in the old days. After the small tour you will be lead into a Majilis (Omani living room) to have Omani coffee/Tea and dates.

From there we start the drive up the Jebel Shams Mountain to the Resort where we spend the night. After our check-in, you have leisure time the rest of the day. You can spend the afternoon walking around the famous Grand Canyon of Oman. There are many different walking paths to choose from (easy short or difficult and long). The Canyon edge offers spectacular views of the Wadis and valleys below.

Overnight in Jebel Shams Resort.

Day 6
In the morning we drive down the mountain the other side (east) into the Wadi Bani Awf. This mountain road drive is an exciting offroad experience and offers fantastic views into dramatic canyons and Wadis, as it winds down several kilometre before connecting with Wadi Bani Awf. Once we reach the Valley (Wadi Bani Awf), the road leads us through the Wadi for about 1 � hours while passing numerous small villages. From the end of the Wadi it takes a 1 hour drive back to Muscat.

INCLUDES:      

• accommodation
• breakfast/dinner (depending on hotel)
• English speaking driver/car
• water/soft drinks
• entrance fees