A Hiking Tour in Oman with Al Maalam Tours, how does it work?
First a short semantic clarification : “trekking” means hiking long distances in several days without car driving in between (only to reach the starting point, and to leave from ending point) ; a hike it’s only for a day…
We offer Trekking and Hiking Tours, or, of an easier level, Discovery Tours.
So practically, a Hiking Tour, how does it work?
The progress
The idea of a hiking tour is to discover one or several regions mainly by foot, doing almost every day day hikes from 4 to 8 hours. On tours visiting several regions, there are also some days visiting cities, villages , and driving.
But in opposite to “trekking”, part of the is performed driving (4WD) either to travel longer distances in order to visit different regions, or to travel short distances in the same region in order to do only the most interesting hikes.
However, we often include in our hiking tours several days hiking successively without car transfer inbetween : mini-trekking inside a hiking tour…
Oman’s specificity : aquatic hiking in the wadis
Oman is a desertic country but has quite many valleys (wadis) where water is flowing all year long. Some of them are perfect for hiking and we can stop on the way to swim in the river. Other valleys, often beatiful and wild ones, are more steep and we cannot hike through without having at one point to swim ; this is what we call aquatic hiking (alternately walking and swimming) ; if there are mandatory jumps, then we call it “canyoning“.
Our hiking tours might include aquatic hikes and easy canyoning (mandatory jump of not more than 3m high)
Difficulty level
Our hiking tours are mainly of Level 3 and Level 4 :
- On tours of level 3, the height gain every day is maximum +700m ; terrain might however on some short parts be a bit difficult (we cannoot change the topography of a country : Oman is a country with rocky and steep mountains…). these tours might include aquatic hikes.
- On tours of level 4, the height gain every day can reach up to +1200m. They might include aquatic hikes and easy canyoning.
We also have a level 2 & 3, for tours that are between Discovery and Hiking : they might include a few hikes of level 3, but not every day. Then the tour can still be interesting for someone who would not like to do these hikes. It allows for example a group of freinds or a couple to travel on the same tour even if they do not all have the same expecations in terms of hiking level.
We use also this level 2 & 3 for our Desert trips : indeed, in, the desert, the difference of level inside a group is not so much a problem ; and we experiences that our way of dealing with a desert trip allows persons with different expectations in terms of hiking to be satisfied.
Overnights
As for accomodation overnight, our hiking tours usualy offer an alternation of hotels, guesthouses, and wild-camping…
On some itineraries, we might also include a bivouac or a homestay.
And a typical hiking day with Al Maalam Tours, how does it look like?
Our ethics about hiking
First, we like to hike in the mountain, in the wadis, on the coastline, or in the desert, because we love nature, and hiking is the best way to discover it : walking, we access much wilder places, and we have time to contemplate the nature in its details as well as in its extent.
These are also environments where human being, through watching and understanding nature, developped with ingenuity traditional lifestyles totally incluenced by it. Facing this beautiful and generous, but also sometimes rugged and harsh nature, they have delopped values of humility, courage, and solidarity. This heritage reached to us, and when we visit these wild places, we make these values ours.
The progress of a hiking day
The progress of a hiking day is slightly different according to the environment :
Exemples of Hiking Tours
4/8 days
Western Hajar
6 days
Level 3
Hiking to the Roots of the Western Hajar
Available in JanFebMarsNovDec
1 x Camping
2 x Bivouac
2 x Accomodation
8 days
Level 4
Hiking to the top!
Available in JanFebMarsNovDec
5 x Camping
2 x Accomodation
Eastern Hajar
5 days
Level 3
Wadis and Oasis of the Eastern Hajar
Available in FebMarsNovDec
2 x Camping
2 x Homestay
Western Hajar, Wahiba Sands, and Eastern Hajar
7 days
Level 4
Oman Hiking Express
Available in JanFebMarsNovDec
3 x Camping
3 x Accomodation
Jebel Al Qamr (Dhofar, South)
4 days
Level 3
Hiking in Jebel Al Qamr
Available in JanFebNovDec
2 x Camping
1 x Accomodation
10/15 days
Level 3 – Western Hajar, White Desert, and Eastern Hajar
12 days
Level 3
Hiking in Oman
Available in JanFebNovDec
7 x Camping
1 x Homestay
3 x Accomodation
Level 3 – Jebel Al Qamr and Rub Al Khali (Dhofar, South)
10 days
Level 3
Hiking in Dhofar
Available in JanFebDec
6 x Camping
4 x Accomodation
Level 4 – Western Hajar, Wahiba Sands, Eastern Hajar
12 days
Level 4
Hiking in Hajar Mountains
Available in JanFebNovDec
6 x Camping
5 x Accomodation
Do you prefer to join a small group?
We offer schedule tours in small groups from October to April. Itineraries are especialy designed for the season when they are planned.
Some pictures
