Explore the map below for adventure ideas, organized by hiking/adventure, wadi exploration, and castles/ruins . . . and peruse the stories!

Here you can find the best hiking trails in Oman, the best wadis to explore, and some cool ruins, forts, & castles to check out!!!

General tips:

• Oman is an overwhelmingly beautiful and hospitable place – a superb travel destination that offers a wonderful combination of culture/history, adventure, and connecting with local people.  
• Everywhere we went we felt welcome and very safe. 
• Rental cars often have 250km/day limits on 4×4, but we found a reasonable one through Rhino Cars that didn’t have a mileage restriction.  It’s worth having 4×4 as it presents a lot of options for exploring, and takes some stress out of getting places.  
• Waze/google maps are mostly reliable but Oman is one of the only places I’ve been that the GPS is actually wrong.  It’s worth getting a good old-fashioned road map if you can find one so you can truth check Waze/google maps
• AirBnB is a great option.  Much cheaper than hotels and some really cool places.  
• Camping is legal pretty much anywhere – private property is pretty obvious given privacy walls and fencing.  Most natural attraction areas have defined camping spots, and it’s quite popular among locals.
• Eating in International hotels is probably 3-5 times more expensive – if you’re on a budget, seek local places!
• How to buy butane in Oman: Butane can be purchased at hypermarkets (Lulu) although it has a different connection than US stoves, so we ended up buying a stove locally as well.  We did see a camping store in the Wave in Muscat that might have had different/better options, but we didn’t go in to verify. For actual backpacking trips, this could be a somewhat limiting factor as the stove didn’t seem overly robust.  
• The ministry of tourism publishes trekking guides – sure wish we knew about this before our trip vs. figuring it out after!!!  
• Laundry in Muscat seems to be all dry cleaning – we were able to negotiate overnight service

A week in Oman 

In April of 2018, my friend Adrienne and I spent a week exploring Oman . . . we put in a lot of miles and covered some really cool territory.  Here’s the itinerary in case it helps you plan your own adventure road trip!

A week in Oman Day 1 – Bimah Sinkhole and Wahiba Sands

A week in Oman – Day 2 – Wahiba sands to Nizwa, including Wadi Bani Khalid, Al Mudhareib, overnight in Nizwa

A week in Oman – Day 3 – Nizwa souq/fort and Al Hamra

A week in Oman – Day 4 – Muscat to Jabal Al Akhdar via Wadi Qurai

A week in Oman – Day 5 – Jabal Al Akhdar trekking to Jabal Al Shams

A week in Oman – Day 6 – Jabal Al Shams to Bahla to Ibri/Al Araqi

A week in Oman – Day 7 – Daminiyat Islands SCUBA, exploring the expat community of The Wave, camping in the Sawadi Islands

A week in Oman – Day 8 – Rustaq Fort, Wadi Bani Auf – Little Snake Canyon, back to Muscat

Jabal Al Shams

• While there’s no checkpoint like Jabal Al Akhdar, a 4×4 is very beneficial on this drive!  It starts paved and then turns to dirt. It’s ultimately much longer than we expected, but if you keep going up and following the signs (when you see them – don’t expect to see them as often as you’d like!), then you’ll ultimately arrive. It’s about an hour and 20 mins to where the road ends.
• To find the W-6 Canyon Rim trail, continue driving past the crafts booths and onto the dirt road, following it as it descends to a village and ‘parking lot.’  You’ll pass the camping area on the way, which is quite worthwhile to sleep at! With all the goats and the wind, I wouldn’t setup camp and leave it though. So, it could be difficult if it’s crowded to get a spot late in the day.
• We did the canyon rim trail in the last 2 hours of the day, and it took us just over 2 hours to get all the way to the cave and back, at an enjoyable pace.  Doing this in the last light of the day meant we had the trail to ourselves and truly amazing light over the Grand Canyon of Arabia/Wadi Ghul, which is a truly spectacular place
• We actually had no idea there was a cave at the end, until some other hikers told us about it . . . totally worthwhile.  The trail markers/worn trail essentially end at the village, but continue as long as you can until you start to see some traveled paths up and to your left . . . Look for goats in trees!
• from the cave, there’s actually a via ferrata the can be done, although lacking climbing gear (and daylight) we didn’t try.  We met some expat tourists that said it was pretty cool, once you got above the horrible scree field from the cave area.
• The village ruins are super interesting and a really cool bonus to an already stunning hike.  This is totally worthwhile, especially since it’s not overly challenging (that said, it’s still a hike, so don’t get sucked into thinking it’s just an easy walk!)
• We camped on the canyon rim, which was stunning.  We kept most things in the car (including all food) due to the goats, but since it’s car camping it was no issue.  We were there midweek so crowds weren’t a problem, but I could see how it would get crowded and compromise the nature experience a bit.  That said, there were so many locals, it might make for a cool cultural experience instead.
• The next morning, we started up the W-4 trail to the summit, but actually quit 1.5 hours into it because an option to visit friends came up.  That said, it’s not much of a trail and I’m not sure it felt totally worth the investment of a whole day if you’re on a short trip. If a resident, then I’m sure it would be worth it!

A week in Oman – Day 6 – Jabal Al Shams to Bahla to Ibri/Al Araqi

Bahla Fort

• A UNESCO World Heritage site, we couldn’t help but stop for a quick exploration on our way to Ibri and it was well worth it
• What it lacks in the exhibits like Nizwa Fort, Bahla offers lack of infrastructure which manifests as authenticity
• We explored like children, following maze-like hallways, imagining how spaces were used with just enough signage to give us a hint but not enough to stifle imagination with all the ‘facts’. There is no restricted access, so climbing ladders and stairs to the top of the fort is possible and worth it!
• It felt like an actual fort.  Totally go here. And yet, a solid hour was pretty much enough to get our exploration fix and not get over-saturated with forts!

Al Araqi with an Omani family

• Since I work in Oman, I was fortunate that a friend offered the invitation to come to his home, enjoy Omani meals, meet his family, and be shown the general area.  It was a gem of a day, in all the ways a day can be a gem.
  • The extended family joined, and were all so warm and friendly
  • We ate amazing food, maybe too much, but couldn’t stand to refuse considering how amazing it all was!
  • Adrienne and the children played a very festive game of ‘rock paper scissors’ – another classic way we are more similar than different.  
• Mohammed (my friend) took us on a great tour of the area, showing us his land with a garden, the sand dunes nearby town, more camels than we saw all trip, more amazing ruins, lessons of history – both the long-ago kind and the kind that’s actually occurred in his lifespan.  
  • Oman is an amazing country in transition.  In the last 40 years of the current Sultan Qaboos,  the country has focused on becoming a modern society with world class education, health care, society, and economy.  Mohammed remembers the one tv in town. A time when the town had 2 cars total for transport to nearby Ibri. A time when there was only a small clinic with only trailing doctors.  A time when there was no school. When the Sultan came and demanded that one be formed in 2 weeks and it was constructed of tents, and classes were held under the date trees and a time when the real school was built and he was one of the first students.  
  • The ‘progress’ is palpable as essentially all of the homes appear recently built, a manifestation of the government land grant that gives each person (man?) 600 sq meters of land in proximity to their village of birth, simultaneously maintaining traditional lifestyles while amplifying the standard of living.
  • We visited the bat ruins, which are considered to be old tombs.  We were so thankful to be guided there, in recognition that they don’t appear super notable and we would have surely gotten lost and irritated trying to find them!
• We enjoyed another amazing dinner meal with the family, before heading back to Muscat for our SCUBA adventure the next day, exhausted from an amazing day! The drive from Ibri to Muscat is all on the highway and very easy. 

A week in Oman – Day 7 – Daminiyat Islands SCUBA, exploring the expat community of The Wave, camping in the Sawadi Islands

SCUBA Daminiyat Islands

• We weren’t made of the thing that could be so close to amazing SCUBA and not indulge!  So we found Pro Scuba based out of Seeb area, and enjoyed a very different and yet no-less-amazing adventure
• We did 2 dives, three sisters and black tip reef.  The first was deeper and had much better clarity.  It’s difficult to tell if the second was less clear due to the wind kicking up, being shallower, or being on a different aspect of the island
• regardless, both were super cool – beautiful coral, tons of fish life, eels, rays, blowfish, all the things.  
• Highly recommended.  Meeting at 8am, we took off about 9ish I’d guess, 40 min boat ride, sandwiches between dives, and back around 2pm.  Thankfully there was a shower onsite, so it was no big deal that we didn’t’ have a hotel to go back to and clean the salt off.

The Wave 

• Coffee shops, reprieve of conservative dress standards, international cuisine. Perhaps not Omani, but a cultural experience all the same, and nice to eat ‘familiar’ food

Sawadi

• We were in the mood to camp, and our dive master suggested his hometown of Sawadi, offering to arrange a boat to take us camping and snorkeling in the islands just offshore.  Never ones to refuse adventure, we decided to go for it! After all, it was only 40 minutes from the Wave.
• Adrienne snorkeled with Ali for a night snorkel with the promise of octopus sightings, but I was content to chill onshore, and was a bit validated that they didn’t see octopi anyhow!
• The sunset was amazing, as were views of the island fort nearby.  It was so hot we slept on a tarp only, without sleeping bags. The only issue was mice, clearly accustomed to the crumbs of campers, that walked over us as we sat/slept – creepy!
• As promised, the boat came for us at 6am, and we were shocked out of deep sleep off of our island hideout and back to ‘civilization’

Rustaq Fort

• About 45 minutes away we found the Rustaq Fort.  Also a former capital of the Imamate of Oman (pre-Sultan), the Rustaq Fort was equally incredible as the other two we visited, with more the flavor of Bahla than Nizwa.  The restoration is impressive, with a good mix of explained history and exploration potential. Again, there was no restricted access, and we left no staircases unexplored! 
• This one was added to with successive rulers so has a very unique feel to it
• Khamis was the host, and after we explored, he invited us for Omani coffee, and chatting, which we had very much come to love about Oman!
  • A lover of the mountains, he has spent his life in the Rustaq area and grew up hiking with his father
  • His father was the previous fort caretaker, and used to sleep there.  While Khamis doesn’t stay, he’s new in the job having just taken the ‘reigns’ 2 weeks ago.  He enjoys the job for its offer of meeting many different people. He loves to travel, connect with foreigners, and learn about other places, while simultaneously loving home, his wife, and their 4 boys.
  • He gives all of his salary to his wife, and she gives him an allowance.  He loves life, and admits that he’s too irresponsible to be in charge of the money!  An interesting marriage construct, but I can hardly fault it, and am endlessly interested in how marriage manifests throughout Omani culture considering family is such a central tenet of the social fabric.  

Wadi Bani Auf and Snake Canyon

• Since Oman is all about fort and wadis, it felt natural to follow our fort adventure with a wadi adventure.  Wadi Bani Auf and little snake canyon was our intended destination . . . but leave it to us to find a next-level adventure. 
• Wadi Bani Auf is along the dirt road that actually leads up over a pass and to Al Hamra.  We had considered driving it from the Al Hamra side, but got varying reports of difficulty of travel (and whether we would make it) so decided not to commit to it . . . not to mention our trip took an unexpected turn anyhow with the Ibri adventure.
  • We found our Wadi start place but felt compelled to explore the road a bit (the 4×4 was necessary and helpful on this road!), at one point seeing an obvious canyon that we explored a bit on foot before realizing it didn’t seem to lead anywhere significant (although did have a lot of foot traffic evidence, and a rental car parked at the exit telling us someone was adventuring up there). 
  • So we kept driving, and climbed and descended some pretty next level roads, thankful again for our trusty 4×4 rental!  At our high point, we realized we were looking down on the Snake Canyon that we’d read about, a point-to-point quasi canyoneering adventure requiring ropes and guides/local knowledge.  And then we found the obvious start point and a car, and quickly realized there were people doing the trip with a car shuttle.
  • Rather than take the next big hill, we decided that was a good turnaround point and as we were driving back, we encountered the rental car, so naturally I stopped to say hi.  They had indeed been descending Snake Canyon, which they said was super cool but definitely needed a guide. I asked where they’d found one. They said he was in the back seat.  I asked if he wanted to guide again, he said yes, so we did another car shuttle . . .
• And then Majdi, our local guide from Balad Sayt, guided us down this truly incredible canyon.
  • It had been awhile since rain, so it was more repelling and down climbing than plunging off of rocks into pools, but there was still plenty of swimming and it was so so amazing.  Walls worn smooth by flash floods, high canyon walls, solitude, shade and a cool wind.
  • It only took us 1.5 hours to descend the ~4 miles, and we loved every minute of it.  We were so thankful for our amazing luck yet again. 
  • Majdi was super kind, interesting, and helpful.  More of the Omani hospitality we had come to adore, more of the cultural perspective so freely shared.

Back to Muscat

• And with that, the exploration was over.  We went back to Muscat, fueled up, returned the rental, did the gear explosion of repack for the journey to work/home, and enjoyed a shower, nice meal, and glass of celebratory wine.
• At no point was I sure it was all going to work out and we’d make it back with us and our rental in one piece, and yet we did.  After a truly amazing and unforgettable adventure that we never could have scripted with even the best of planning.  
• We ended full of gratitude for the hospitality and kindness, education, natural beauty, and overall consistency of awe, wonder, adventure, challenge, and exploration.  Everyday had the combo of physical exertion, cultural encounters, and education that we both adore. It fed all parts of us.  

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When we chose Hotel Sama for our night on the Sayq Plateau of Jabal Akhdar, one selling point was a guided hike the next day with a local employee.  While we didn’t know what to expect, Ali took us on a modified trekking route from Al Ayn to Sharayjah, walking along falajs through lost villages, and to follow the scent of the famed damask rose that creates the rose water Oman is known for. 

Suffice it to say, this day of hiking on The Green Mountain was a highlight of our Oman adventure road trip!  

Our guide for the day was Ali, a local Omani from the small and mostly abandoned village of Ash Sharayjah where he would eventually take us.  From Hotel Sama, we working the reception, we walked along falaj and through villages, a route we definitely would not have been brave enough to follow if not for being guided!!!  There are some very steep sections on the falaj with high exposure that some may not find comfortable and certainly the route was not obvious!  

Shortly after leaving the hotel, villages in the distance we’d ultimately walk through

Extreme falaj walking . . . not for the faint of heart!

. . . and we loved it!

This falaj is more typical of the ones we were walking on

Really cool mountain terrain as well! After all, we were up at 10,000′ so properly in the alpine of the Al Hajar mountains!

Classic Omani mosque and garden of damask roses

Walking along the terraced gardens . . . while many families have relocated to the Sayq Plateau above, they still maintain their family gardens in the traditional villages.

We we there in the last week of April, which meant that there were still blooming roses, although we missed the peak by about 2-3 weeks and so didn’t get to see the full bloom, or rosewater being made.  That said, we did get to smell the roses, and the damask rose is truly an incredible flower!  So fragrant I could have breathed it all day – a true treat!

Smelling the damask rose – truly one of the most fragrant flowers I’ve ever experienced!

Seen later in the trek, these are the stills actually used to make rose water.

We could have gladly stayed among the rose bushes all day!

We were in love with all the beautiful doors on the village homes.  In many ways they seemed out of place among the otherwise colorless structures.  We ultimately learned that the practice of lovely doors is to be inviting to guests – Omani hospitality yet again!  

For so many reasons, this might be my favorite picture of Omani doors

And, ultimately, the highlight of the whole hike/experience was the town of Ash Sharyjah itself.  While we were walking, Ali told us that he was actually born in one of these villages we could see.  Adrienne asked if he’d take us there, and he said he would, so off we went!  He took us to his actual family home and showed us how they lived, where they played as children, and how the community celebrated events like Eid and marriages.  It was so cool and very interesting to watch Ali remember his childhood with his whole body, visibly torn between a simpler time living as children in the traditional village and a more abundant time of living in a nice home on the Sayq Plateau.  This is when I came to realize the profound transition that the country of Oman is in, and that the people I met had experienced such dramatic changes in their short lifetime.

We returned to the hotel via an actual trekking route, which would have been easy to follow on our own, but it was well worth the guidance of Ali, especially the stories of his life/family and perspectives of a local!!  It was one of the highlights of the whole trip for us.  

The route back was far more straightforward, though less exciting . . .

The plateau was a stark change after a day in steep terrain!

While neither the hotel Sama nor Ali charged us, we left a nice tip in an envelope as he gave us such an amazing experience!!!  Truly, the adventure was better than money can buy and really drove home the value of local knowledge and perspective as we explored this amazing country of Oman!

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Wadi Qurai is a really cool wadi located about an hour from Muscat, and on the way to Nizwa.  It’s an easy stop for a few hours exploration, hjking, and swimming!  Even better, it’s not a well-known wadi, so won’t be as crowded as other wadis near Muscat.

As we were driving, I noticed the sign for the town of Wadi Qurai  and googled to see if there was anything worth exploring.  I found a few write-ups that made me think it was worth breaking up the drive for some exploration, and it was! 

Just off the main highway, about 40 minutes from Muscat on Highway 15, follow the signs for the town and drive toward the obvious cleft in the rocks that a wadi would flow . . . and it’s there. 

It’s easy to find the start as you have to cross the wadi on about 10’ high falaj . . . you can walk in the water though so it’s less balancing.

Adrienne with the super balancy part in the background!

It’s a super beautiful canyon with some fun rocks to climb over . . . not super difficult, but no easy hiking trail either!

The hike up-canyon was full of natural beauty and scrambling as we followed the falaj up in search of its source to swim in!

We found the source and it was glorious!

. . . and swimming was done!

There are some super fun and beautiful pools to swim in about an hour in.  We went a bit further than the big pools but it didn’t look like there was much more to see, which was confirmed by the more knowledgeable expat group we ran into.  

We continued beyond the main pools found initially and it didn’t seem like there was much else beyond . . .

All good things come to an end . . . headed out!

Overall, Wadi Qurai is a really cool wadi to explore.  Follow the falaj and the obvious path of the wadi and have fun with the rocks and terrain!!!  

We were there on a Friday and only encountered one expat group while at the pool and one group of Omanis walking in as we were walking out – for being so close to Muscat, it is not crowded and this makes it worthwhile in and of itself!

Overall, this is a worthy stop on a road trip or as a stand-alone day trip from Muscat!

Getting there: Getting to Wadi Qurai is incredibly simple. From Muscat, simply take road 15 towards Nizwa and remain on this road for 76km before exiting to the right. The journey should take a little over one hour in good traffic

From there, we were off to Jabal Al Akhdar for more exploring!

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We had 4×4 so drove ourselves up the mountain – the road is fairly new and like a well maintained mountain pass, hair-pin turns but easy to navigate. It is definitely doable without 4×4, but there is an enforced requirement that only 4×4 are allowed to drive up.  The ability to explore and move about this area independently is worth renting a 4×4!

Once we arrived at Sayq Plateau, we did drive around some of the villages, descending into the canyon from the huge hotel-looking residence of the Qatar royal family and found ourselves on roads that very much needed 4×4, so it was worth having for real!!!  Not for the faint of heart, driving around and checking things out was super cool and worthwhile.  A word of caution, it looked to us like the dirt roads between villages might connect, but they do not, and the ones we drove were absolutely not for the faint of heart!  That I don’t have pictures should indicate how intense it was

The road in the top left corner is the one we ultimately descended and drove around on the very dicey valley roads . . .

Looking back at Sayq Plateau from our 4×4 adventure!

We ended up driving around all over the plateau, checking out hotels, camping areas, and generally exploring – a really cool place! Also note on Google Maps it appears the paved road might connect to Shorfet Al Alamin, but it does not!  The only way in and our of Jabal Al Akdar is the way in.  We found this out by following the map to a dead-end at which point Google recalculated and told us to go around   

We ultimately stayed at Sama Hotel, which had only been open a week and was a great find!  Dinner included, jacuzzi (although not very warm, if I’m honest!), and super stunning views, the place was totally worth it for the 75 OMR we paid (2 people, dinner/breakfast included)

Al Sama Hotel had a lovely view and nice grounds, for a decent price

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To start off our road trip, we headed south from Muscat to the Wahiba Sands just outside Bidiyah.  With a fun stop to swim at Bimmah Sinkhole and lovely views of the Ocean en-route, the 3.5 hour drive went fast.  We didn’t take the direct route as our goal was a road trip, and to see the country!  

From Bidiyah, it was an easy drive through the desert.  Although we had 4×4 (as did all the cars there), I think a sedan car could make it, especially if you’re used to driving in sand or snow.  It’s worth letting air out of your tires before leaving the pavement, and folks at nearby gas stations will try to convince you that you need their transport, but it’s really not bad.  Waze was reliable as well, as was the signage for this particular hotel/camp.  

Wahiba Desert Nights Resort

We arrived at Desert Nights Resort in late afternoon, got settled into our cabin, and went for a sunset camel ride in the dunes.  Instead of the 4×4 ride to watch sunset, we did a sunset camel ride  – expensive (90 OMR/pp!) but totally worth it for the experience of riding camels in the sand dunes.  We had a blast.  Our camels were friendly as was our guide.

They say you have to kiss a few ‘frogs’ before finding a prince . . . Oman-style!

The evening meal was tasty and it was lovely to sit out under the desert sky!

The next morning, we left early for Wadi Bani Khaled and making our way North.

Desert Nights Resort 

• The rooms were more than adequate/comfortable and it was awesome to be in the middle of the sand dunes, even if a bit touristy.  Sometimes things are famous for a reason!
• Dinner was lovely – outdoor buffet and nice to sit under these stars and enjoy the desert.
• Breakfast was also nice – again lovely to watch sunrise and enjoy the morning air while eating a good meal.
• While one could stay longer than a night and find things to do (4×4, four-wheeling), one night felt like enough for us, especially given how many great options for exploring there are in Oman.

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Wadi Bani Khalid is one of the most famous wadis in Oman . . . and totally worth going to (even though it’s popular)!  It’s an easy drive from Bidiyah/Wahiba Sands, the road is paved all the way and super straightforward to find.

We arrived at 10am and found it blissfully not crowded – by the time we left at 1pm-ish, the crowds had arrived, so I definitely recommend going early!!  The walk in to the main pool and restaurant is easy and beautiful even without further exploration. 

Walking in along the falaj water distribution channel.

The main pool, there’s a restaurant along the shore (super spendy and didn’t look awesome, so we didn’t eat there).

From there, we proceeded to the famed bat cave. The cave is easy to find, although it’ a bit overwhelming once in.  It would have been nice to have headlamps vs. navigating by iPhone light!  As it was, we followed a local Omani who knew where he was going, which was super helpful and I highly recommend it!  While we did get to water, see cool rock formations, and lots of bats, it was otherwise a bit claustrophobic and underwhelming – we kept waiting for it to get super cool, and eventually turned around as the air was getting stale, and it didn’t seem to be changing much.  Worthwhile, but if you have fear of such places, it’s not so amazing that it’s worth getting terrified for!

The walk back exploring channels was when it got really cool – even having seen it, I can’t believe water can actually be this color!  Tons of fun swimming and jumping, great local vibe, and just a really cool place overall

We enjoyed some dates and Omani coffee with some guides in the parking lot – Omani hospitality is one thing we consistently found and enjoyed!!

My expectations were greatly exceeded – I had heard it’s not that beautiful and super crowded (see above) and was pleasantly surprised at the sunny beauty, amazing swimming options, and just overall awesomeness.  I highly recommend going (early) to Wadi Bani Khaled!

From there, it was on to Al Mudhaireb Village.

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Al Hamra is a small village outside Nizwa that is predominantly ruins, and also has a living history museum, Bait al Safah, that makes the stop a must-do on any road trip through the area.  

Getting there: About 30 minutes from Nizwa, follow the signs to Al Hamra and then drive through the modern village and turn left, which will dead end at the old village.  We put the name of the museum in Waze and it took us directly there.  

The living history museum, Bait al Safah, makes the stop totally worth it.  A living museum with people cooking, clothes to try on, and ‘guides’ who explain everything.

Traditional cooking demonstration – we even got to sample!

Traditional cooking in traditional dress – explanations were ongoing throughout making it a super cool experience!

We sat for about an hour with our host/guide Mohammed, drank Omani coffee, and chatted about life in Oman.  One of the many rich cultural experiences of the trip, and totally brought the place to life for us

Me and Mohammed – a class act who was also full of knowledge and enthusiasm.

It’s worth walking around a bit and exploring the ruins/beautiful doors, gardens, and old falaj system

Classic Oman . . . village may be in ruins, but date farms are well cared for!

Gardens, dates, ruins . . . all cared for by the very dedicated Omanis.

Beautiful doors everywhere – the obsession with Omani doors continues to grow

Cool old village – rumor is that the government might restore it.

At the end of the day, we headed back to Muscat to drop one of the girls off for a flight . . . the road between Nizwa and Muscat is so nice/easy that this wasn’t actually a big deal, really.

Dinner at Kargeen: Good food and nice ambiance on the patios, I can see why it’s famous/popular

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Nizwa fort

With a reasonable admission fee at 500 baisa pp, the fort is very well restored with tons of explanations and exhibits.  The Nizwa fort is definitely worthwhile.  While lacking the ‘charm’ of the Bahla and Rustaq forts, the displays and infrastructure are worth making the stop.  A guided tour is included in the price of entry and is worth it.  There are folks inside cooking traditional food (worth trying the egg bread!) and crafts, which is cool to see.  The tour was about 30 minutes, and I roamed and enjoyed for 3 hours.  I definitely recommend visiting, especially for the historical context it provides on other attractions in the area that lack the didactic infrastructure of Nizwa fort.  The leanings I had from the very-detailed Nizwa explanations really helped bring the other forts to life!  

Fort entry

View of Nizwa from the fort

And so began my obsession with Omani doors . . . this fort had really cool ones!

An example of the really cool informative signs and descriptions found throughout – worth going to this for for the education alone!

Nizwa Souq

Very well restored and visually appealing, it’s worth a walk through.  The date souq was great and fun to try lots of flavored dates.  The veggie souq was cool to see what’s grown in the area.  Some crafts, but I wasn’t overwhelmed with it.

We stayed at the Golden Tulip, the most known hotel in Nizwa.  It’s a ways out of town and not near the attractions, but is conveniently located to check out Jabal Al Akhdar.  The pool was nice and big enough for lap swimming.  The rooms were fine but nothing special.  If I did it again, I’d probably look for an AirBnB closer to the souq/fort or central Nizwa, or avoid staying in Nizwa at all and choose somewhere nearby like Al Misfah (which we didn’t ultimately check out).

Oman Tripper has a great write-up about the Nizwa Fort that I highly recommend checking out!

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We read about Al Mudhaireb Village on Oman Tripper and figured it was worth a stop after our exploration of Wadi Bani Khaled as we made our way North.  Driving toward Nizwa, it’s off the right side of the freeway at a gas station.  

The notable watch tower – Historically, each quarter of the village had its own watchtower to warn the residents from attacks from other villages/quarters, and there would have been an old quarter under or near-by to each of these watchtowers.

Another watchtower perspective

The Omani door obsession continues . . .

The intricacy does not get old!

Cool ruins, cool date trees, cool views

We never did find the museum, and it was super quiet and empty while we were there. Folks we encountered didn’t speak English or know of a museum.  We explored the ruins nevertheless and it was nice to break up the drive, but certainly not a must-do, and as we found so many ruins wherever we went, I look back and laugh at how these felt so special since they were our first ones!

A cool snippet of time . . .

Considered one of the ‘lost cities‘ of Oman, there really isn’t much information on the place and its historical role.  My  Omani friend told me that the Sheik of Ash Sharqiyah ruled from Al Mudhaireb and ultimately married his daughter to Sultan Qaboos as part of the  new ruler’s attempts to unify the country.  It was after the local government of Sharqiyah gave way to central government that the Al Mudhaireb became less relevant and started its degradation to ruins.

Al Mudhaireb is about 20 kms after Ibra and 30 kms before Bidiyah, just take the turn off the highway once you see the signpost.

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About an hour from Muscat, Bimmah Sinkhole is a worthy and easy (5 mins off the roadway) road trip stop on the way to Wadi Shab or all points south.

We left the car in our clothes, thinking we’d just have a look, but it was too compelling to swim so we swam in our clothes! Totally worth it.

Clothes? Swimwear? Same, same

Perfect turquoise water, a rope to climb up for a small cliff jump, and the options to find much bigger cliffs for a proper cliff dive. So, plan on Bimmah Sinkhole swimming when you leave the car!

Rope climbing to the jump spot!

swimming in the Bimmah Sinkhole!

The sinkhole was formed by a collapse of the surface layer due to dissolution of the underlying limestone.  Some locals think it was caused by a meteorite, so it’s Arabic name means the ‘deep hole of the falling star.’

For more ideas of Oman exploration, check out my Oman Adventure Map!

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