You'll find more precise information in the PDF document "Detailed Program" (Tab "More Infos", section "Documents to download")

      Transfer to a foothill wadi (180 km - 2h)

      Small walk in a valley of the foothills

This is a nice very typical valley of the foothills. On our way, we'll see magnesic springs which colour some of the pools in white. This valley runs in the middle of unsual rocks, called ophiolite and which originate from the oceanic floor : a journey up this valley is like a trip to the depth of the earth. The water is here flowing all year long, and we find some small pools to refresh..

- Level 1    
- Duration : 2 hours
- Walking time : 1 to 2 hours

      Transfer to a mountain guesthouse (35 km - 1h 30)

      Short hike to a mountain village

We first walk in the wadi bed and then find a good path that climbs to the village.

- Level 2    
- Duration : 2 hours
- Height difference : +300m/-0m
- Walking time : 1 to 2 hours

We sleep in the house of our friend in a mountain village which is now not inhabited full time. We have 3 rooms where we can sleep and a newly built bathroom. We can also sleep outside under the stars…

Dormitory Room

      Transfer to a mountain village (20 km - 0h 45)

      Walk in a mountain oasis

We start from the main valley and head to a narrow gorge. This part of the walk is just wonderfull! At the end of the gorge, we discover the village. Built in a small hill and surrounded by cliffs, this village is one of the most beautiful of Oman. We walk through the village and the ardens and come back through an other branch of the small gorge.

- Level 1    
- Duration : 2 hours
- Height difference : +50m/-50m
- Walking time : 1 to 2 hours

      Transfer to a mountain oasis (55 km - 2h)

This drive off-road let us climb some 1000 meters in less than 10 km. It provides us with stunning views over the valley.

      Short walk in a mountain oasis

This is one of the most beautiful mountain village of Oman. It is located on the slope of a canyon. The gardens were built all around the old village on man-made terraces. Laying at an height of 800 meters, we find their a wide variety of tropical fruits : bananas, papayas, oranges, limes, dates, pomogranates, etc…

- Level 1    
- Duration : 2 hours
- Height difference : +100m/-100m
- Walking time : 1 to 2 hours

      Transfer to Jebel Shams plateau (50 km - 1h 20)

1800m high

Individual camping tent

      Transfer to a wadi flowing down from Jebel Shams (70 km - 1h 30)

      Short Walk and swimming in a wadi

Located on the west flank of the Jebel Shams range and in front of the Jebel Misht, this valley has all year long flowing water. The first pools to swim in are reached after only 10 mintes walk. The further ones need half an hour walk. The water clear and swimming their is just wonderful!

- Level 1    
- Duration : 2 hours
- Walking time : 1 to 2 hours

      Transfer to an archeological site (25 km - 0h 30)

      Visit of the tombs of Al Ayn

We stop to have a look at the tombs : these tumulus date from the 3rd Millenary B.C. They are located at the foot of the Jebel Misht, one of the most impressive mountain of Oman because of its 1000 meter high cliff.

- Duration : 0 hours 30

      Transfer to Nizwa (100 km - 1h 30)

A beautiful hotel located in an old quarter of Nizwa, just behind the souk. It's a complex of several old houses which have been renovated with a lot of taste.

Standard Room
. Breakfast taken at the hotel

      Souq of Nizwa

Nizwa is a major city of Oman located at the foot of the mointains in the interior. In the past it was the capital of the country and remains the cultural center of the country for mountain people. The Souq was rehabilitated some 15 years ago. Friday is the market day, called 'Souq Al Jumaa', and brings visitors from the nearby mountains as well as bedous from the desert side. The livestock souq is particularly worth a visit. But you find also the fish souq, vegetable souq, meat souq, as well as some people saling moutain honey, dates, incense, and anything you might need.

- Duration : 1 hours 30

      Transfer to a salt desert (300 km - 3h 30)

We drive a boring road, but we see oil and gaz plants on the way.

      Stop in the Salt Desert of 'Umm As Sammim'

In arabic, 'Umm As Sammim' means 'the mother of poisons'. It is a very dry and plane stretch of salt. It is very unhospitable for life and there is no vegetation. We stop in this weird place to have a look at the salt crust.

- Duration : 0 hours 30

      Transfer to Rub Al Khali (80 km - 1h)

We enter the Rub al Khali. The further we drive, the higher are the dunes which form a wonderful landscape.

      Short walk in the sands to sea the sunset

We go have a walk across the high dune of the Rub Al Khali (Empty quarter in arabic), the huge and arid desert of Saudi Arabia that crosses Oman's border. We'll walk up a dune to see sunset in this unbelievable landascpe…

- Level 2    
- Duration : 1 hours
- Height difference : +150m/-150m
- Walking time : 1 to 2 hours

We set our camp at the foot of the huge dunes of the Rub Al Khali

Individual camping tent

      Hiking in Rub al Khali

Morning, we start walking from our camp. We climb several high dunes which surround us : the ascent is sometimes exhausting, but the descent is quick and fun and gives us sometimes the opportunity to have the dune sing. Around noon, we walk back to our our camp and have lunch and rest under a shady place. Late afternoon, we climb another huge dune to get to its summit and enjoy a wonderful sunset at the top.

- Level 2 & 3    
- Duration : 8 hours
- Height difference : +250m/-250m
- Walking time : 4 to 6 hours

We set our camp at the foot of the huge dunes of the Rub Al Khali

Individual camping tent

      Transfer to a limestone escarpment (225 km - 3h 30)

      Short walk in a rocky chaos at an escarpment

We stop at the foot of the cliffs made of white lime stone. We then walk across the many small gorges which. It is a very exclusive place with unbelievable landscapes. Rocks are having very particular shapes...

- Level 1    
- Duration : 2 hours
- Walking time : 1 to 2 hours

      Transfer to Mahut (200 km - 2h 30)

Simple but comfotable hotel in Mahut

Standard Room
Spacious room with TV, A/C, table and chairs, as well as tea and coffee facilities

      Transfer to a fishing village (70 km - 1h 30)

      Stop in a beduin coastal village

This is a very picturesc fishing beduin village : feelings to be t the far end of the world where old 4WD cover with algaes and shells tow small boats coming back from fishing.

- Duration : 1 hours

      Transfer to the white desert, on the seaside (20 km - 0h 20)

At low tide, all the way can be done on the beach and we see thousands of birds.

      Swimming in the Indian Ocean

Hard to say if we are on the bech or in the desert, since the dunes arrive in the sea… Here endless beaches strech along the Indian Ocean. The bath is just great!

- Duration : 2 hours

      Walk to see sunset in the white desert

We walk a little to enjoy the sunset light on this surrealistic landscape.

- Level 1    
- Duration : 2 hours
- Walking time : 1 to 2 hours

Unusual landscape : on one side we have pure white dunes, whereas on the other side we have the Indian Ocean…

Individual camping tent

      Transfer to the white desert, among rocks and sand (75 km - 1h 30)

      Day in a rocky and sandy desert

We spend the full day in this so beautiful and unsual place where rocky hills of various colours are covered with red or cream sand. We go for a walk early morning and come back to our camp late morning when it starts to get hot to have lunch and take rest under the shade. Late afternoon, when the light becomes beautiful and the heat decreases, we go for another walk until sunset.

- Level 2 & 3    
- Duration : 7 hours
- Walking time : 2 to 5 hours

Varied landscape : sand dunes, rocky hills, and an accacia "forest"

Individual camping tent

      Transfer to our campsite in the desert (280 km - 5h)

A spectacular crossing of the Wahiba desert by 4WD. The track is usually well marked, but sometimes sand blown by the wind covers it. We start at the sea and cross the desert towards the North. The more we drive, the higher are the longitudinal dunes.

      Sunset in the dunes

We start a walk across the dunes in late afternoon. The heat isn't too strong anymore and the sunlight is the more beautiful. The setting sun always gives changing colour to the sand and the shades. This a great unforgetable time.

- Level 1    
- Duration : 1 hours

A very nice camp which lays in the middle of the sand dunes, in a quiet and wild area.

Arabic Tent with private bathroom
Arabic tent nicely equiped as an hotel room : bed, carpets, tabe, chairs. Private bathroom.. Breakfast & dinner taken at the hotel

      Transfer to a wadi (80 km - 1h 30)

      Hike to waterfalls and swimming

The lower part of this valley forms a narrow and wild canyon. We start from a lovely village in the valley and cross its palm garden to access the entrance of the canyon. We hike in the canyon between big boulders (the way is not very easy but doesn't last long) until we arrive to a splendid pool with waterfall. We have rest here and enjoy a swim. For those who like jumping, a very nice 10 meters jump is possible there… According to the rains and floods which change the river course, it can happen that we need to swim or hike in the water to reach the waterfalls

- Level 2    
- Duration : 3 hours
- Walking time : 1 to 2 hours

      Transfer to a foothill village (80 km - 1h 30)

Individual camping tent

      Transfer to a mountain village (120 km - 4h)

We drive off-road for a wonderful crossing of the eastern Hajar. We first drive across the low colourful hills and then start climb up the plateau. Once we arive up drive through amazing behive tombs built 2000 B.C and several shepperd's hamlets.

      Walk in a mountain oasis

We discover this remote and secluded (the access dirt track was built only in 2013!) village set in a spectacular location. It's a lush green oasis in the middle of on arid mountain!

- Level 2    
- Duration : 3 hours
- Height difference : +100m/-100m
- Walking time : 1 to 2 hours

Individual camping tent

      Transfer to a wadi (110 km - 2h 30)

      Walk and swim in a wadi

We start with a refreshing swim in the vast pool down the village where we park. We then walk up the wadi around large boulders and across water pools until the canyons narrows to form very long pools. We swim there and go back the same way. Warning : in some places, you might have to step in the water ; you shoes and pants might get wet…

- Level 2    
- Duration : 4 hours
- Walking time : 2 to 3 hours

      Transfer to Muttrah (130 km - 1h 30)

www.omantrekkingguides.com, website of AL MAALAM TOURS , company registered under Commercial Register Number (1087801), and with
(local tour operator licence)
AL MAALAM TOURS - PO BOX 917 - Post Code 611 - NIZWA - SULTANATE OF OMAN