Our northern Oman road trip covers desert sands, off-road adventures, architectural gems and Arabian hospitality, in an epic two week self drive Oman itinerary.
Oman is a country of surprise and contradiction. A place where new highways skirt crumbling ancient villages, medieval hilltop forts watch over modern palaces, and rugged mountains cut by deep, twisting canyons give way to vast, flat, rocky desert plains.
For thousands of years, the Omani people have been cultivating traditions, customs and ways of life distinctive to this corner of the Arabian Peninsula. Often overshadowed by its glitzy, modern city neighbours, Dubai and Abu Dhabi, Oman still has the feel of a place flying largely under the radar.
But things are starting to change. More and more travellers are dipping a toe in Oman with a stopover or short visit to the capital, Muscat. Beyond the sprawling gulf city though, is a dramatic, varied landscape just begging to be explored.
And as we discovered, the best way to do that is to hire a 4WD and set out on a self drive Oman adventure. We found our 4WD for this trip on Rental Cars, but would also suggest checking Discover Cars to find the best deal you can.
Oman Road Trip Itinerary Snapshot
Start: Muscat, Oman
Finish: Mussanah, Oman
Distance: Around 1,500km (930 miles)
How long do I need? You’ll need around two weeks to get the most out of this self-drive Oman road trip itinerary, taking a clockwise loop of the country’s north out of the capital, Muscat. We take in coast, gulf, desert, mountains, villages and towns along the way, and we get off road and out on foot whenever we can.
Overnight stops: 4 nights in Muscat, 2 nights in Sur, 1 night in Sharqiya Sands, 2 nights in Nizwa, 2 nights in Jebel Shams, and 2 nights in Mussanah.
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Planning an Oman Road Trip
What’s the Route?
There are so many awesome places to see in Oman, but it’s a big country to drive. So for this itinerary, we’re focusing on the spectacular northeast of Oman, and saving for future visits the rocky fjords of Musandam in the northwest, and the monsoon-swept terrain of Salalah to the south.
Two weeks in Oman might feel like a lot, but we cover plenty of ground. Take our word for it, time seems to disappear when you’re out on the road in the great rocky vastness of this extraordinary country.
Start planning your own trip by reading our Oman travel blog, Planning a Trip to Oman. It covers everything you need to know before you go, from the best time to visit and car hire tips, to accommodation options and what to wear.
Self drive Oman road trip map
2 Week Self-Drive Oman Itinerary
Days 1-3: Exploring Muscat
Highlights: Old Muscat | Mutrah | Sultan Qaboos Mosque | Sunset Dhow Cruise Overnight: Mutrah, Muscat
Muscat is Oman’s capital and the international gateway for most visitors to the country. Apart from Mutrah Corniche though, there’s little sense of a CBD or downtown here. Instead, Muscat sweeps for some 50km along the coast of the glittering Gulf of Oman, with the Western Hajar mountains forming a rugged backdrop.
Given the capital’s sprawl and the many things to do and see, our Oman 2-week itinerary starts with 3 days in Muscat. This gives you a chance to cluster sightseeing by locale, save a few days of car hire fees, and get out and about on foot.
Unless you’re planning on staying in one of Muscat’s upscale resorts to the west, the most convenient base for exploring the capital is Mutrah.
While we found we still needed to cab it to some sights (or risk spontaneous combustion in the daytime heat), the port town of Mutrah has plenty of its own charm and attractions.
Travel Tip: Plan your days so you’re inside during the hottest hours. Wedged as it is on the corner of the Arabian peninsula, Oman can get seriously scorching during the day. In Muscat, we made sure we were indoors in the museums and galleries while the sun was at its zenith.
Mutrah is also linked by the meandering waterside Corniche to the city’s other main sightseeing hub of Old Muscat.
Mutrah Corniche winds its way along the waterfront between Mutrah and Old Muscat.
Hotels in Muscat
There are plenty of accommodation options in Muscat to suit all budgets, ranging from hostels to high-end hotels and resorts. The following options get consistently good reviews:
Good value:Riyam Hotel– pool | spacious rooms | 20 min walk to Mutrah Corniche
Mid-range: Fort Guesthouse – modern but traditional | great location | near Mutrah Corniche
Indulge: W Muscat – waterfront | swimming pools | friendly | on-site restaurants and bars
We opted to stay close to Mutrah to enjoy easy access to the corniche, fish market, the souq, and Old Muscat. Our mid-range choice, Mutrah Hotel, was a 2.3km walk (or short taxi ride) from Mutrah Corniche.
Day 1: Old Muscat
Spend your first full day in Muscat checking out the cultural and ceremonial attractions of Old Muscat, the original fortified city.
There are some excellent museums here for getting to know the story of Oman, like the beautiful museum and cultural space of Bait Al Zubair, and the contemporary National Museum.
Follow these up with a stroll by the Sultan’s Palace (Al Alam), and the impressive 16th-century Portuguese forts of Al Jalali and Al Mirani.
Day 1 of our Oman tour takes in the Sultan’s Palace, Al Alam, in Old Muscat.
Day 2: Mutrah
On Day 2, stay local and explore the sights of buzzing Mutrah. Highlights here include the Mutrah Fish Market, the famous Mutrah Souq and gold market, and the charming Ghalya’s Museum of Modern Art.
When the sun drops, head out with the locals to enjoy the cooler evening air and the forts, watchtowers and parks that skirt the waterfront of Mutrah Corniche.
Wander the historic and colourful Mutrah Souq.
Day 3: Sultan Qaboos Mosque & Sunset Dhow Cruise
Day three involves an early cab ride out to the vast and beautifully ornate Sultan Qaboos Mosque, which is open to visitors each morning between 8:30-11am, but closed on Fridays. We whiled away a couple of hours here wandering the peaceful corridors and courtyards of this huge sandstone house of prayer.
Escape indoors afterwards at the Natural History Museum (it’s open till around 1.30pm, closed Fridays), or head back to your hotel like we did for lunch and a cheeky siesta.
Wander the grounds of Sultan Qaboos Mosque, one of our Oman highlights.
Finish up Day 3 with a sunset cruise aboard a traditional dhow boat. This is a gorgeous way to wind up a Muscat visit. Based on our experience we recommend being among the first to board, and making a beeline for the shaded seats, at least until the sun sets.
Watch the sun set over Muscat aboard a traditional dhow boat.
Day 4: Scuba Diving at Bandar Kharyan
Highlights: Al Munassir wreck | Reefs of Bandar Kharyan Total driving distance: appx. 34km return from Muscat to Qantab village (dive centres can arrange pick-up and drop-off from hotels in Muscat) Total driving time: appx. 40 minutes Overnight: Mutrah, Muscat
For a little bit of Oman adventure, and if you’re into scuba diving as we are, it’s absolutely worth setting aside at least one day while you’re in Muscat to dive its reefs and wrecks.
The country’s most famous dive sites, the World Heritage-listed Daminiyat Islands, are a 90-minute boat ride from Muscat.
Visiting requires advance planning and permits though, so if you’d like to keep things flexible (or you’ve left it too late like we did), you’ll be pleased to know that there’s some great reef and wreck diving to be had much closer to shore, at a place called Bandar Kharyan.
This diving area can be reached by boat from the village of Qantab, just 20-minutes east of Mutrah.
Experience scuba diving in Oman under the waves of Bandar Kharyan.
The Gulf of Oman is also the playground of spinner, common and bottlenose dolphins (as well as humpback whales at certain times of the year). So even if you’re not a diver, you can get out on the water in search of the playful pods on a dolphin watching tour.
Want to know more about diving in Oman? Check out the detailed dive report we wrote for travel blog, NOMADasaurus.
Day 5: Muscat to Sur
Highlights: Quriyat | Wadi Al Arbeieen | Bimmah Sinkhole | Qalhat | Sur Total driving distance: appx. 240km, including off road driving to Wadi Al Arbeieen Total driving time: appx. 3.5 hours Overnight: Sur
Our Oman roadtrip gets properly underway today! Collect your trusty 4×4 rental from Muscat airport early, and head east along Route 17 towards the fishing town of Sur.
It’s a 2.5-hour drive straight to Sur, but there are a number of stops along the way that are worth visiting, including some off road driving to a wadi.
Travel Tip: Pack lunch, snacks and water for today’s journey as you’ll be out and about walking and swimming en route. Apart from the occasional gas station, there aren’t many opportunities to pick up supplies.
Driving east out of Muscat, the road passes through the parched and rugged foothills of the Eastern Hajar mountain range. It’s an arid, barren and strangely compelling landscape and we paused often for heat-hazy pics.
Visit the castle and watchtower in Quriyat
The first major stop today is the town of Quriyat, around 1.5 hours into the drive. Quriyat is a low-key seaside town, although its history isn’t quite so understated: the invading Portuguese attacked the village in the early 1500s, destroying the town and massacring most of its people.
Today, Quriyat’s drawcard is its castle fort in the centre of town. It wasn’t open when we visited, but it’s still worth parking for a close-up of the building’s fine details even if it’s closed.
Afterwards cruise down to the sandy waterfront, where fishing boats line the beach, and a small watchtower stands sentinel at the harbour entrance.
Stop for a wander around Quriyat Fort.
Picnic by the waters of Wadi Al Arbeieen
Another 40km along Route 17, you’ll reach the turnoff into the craggy landscape to the first of your Omani wadi experiences: Wadi Al Arbeieen.
This is a mostly off road drive best suited to 4x4s, with plenty of twists and turns in the road. The reward is a deep valley cut through with a narrow stretch of emerald green water, surrounded by dramatic mountain rises.
With a little time here, you can stretch your legs and enjoy some hiking through the wadi. We stopped for a break by the water and hung out with the local goats for a little while, before backtracking up the hill and continuing on by car along the rough wadi track back to Route 17.
First wadi on our Oman road trip itinerary is the stunning Wadi Al Arbeieen.
Wadis in Oman
Wadi is an Arabic word for a valley or canyon where water comes and goes depending on the season. Some of Oman’s wadis do have pools of water year-round though, and are vital for providing water to villages and towns.
Local people have tapped these water sources for centuries using a traditional channelling and irrigation method called falaj: keep an eye out for these ancient systems – some of which have been listed as World Heritage – on your wadi hikes (below is an example of a modern falaj channel in Wadi Shab).
Cool off in Bimmah Sinkhole
Our next stop along Route 17 is the Bimmah Sinkhole, a collapsed limestone depression on a flat plain between the Al Hajar mountain range and the sea.
The Arabic name for the site, Hawaiyat Najm, means ‘falling star’, a reference to a local legend that the pit was formed by a meteorite.
Whatever the cause, a swim in the refreshing clear waters of the sinkhole is a very welcome refresher in the high heat of the day.
There are change rooms on site, and some steep steps down into the hole. Go for a full immersion, or dip your toes in for a free foot exfoliation by the tiny, nibbly resident fish.
Cool off in the refreshing waters of Bimmah Sinkhole.
What should I wear in Oman when I go swimming?
Oman is a conservative country, so ladies, it’s culturally appropriate and respectful to cover up when swimming, including in the pools at wadis.
We saw local girls dressed in fashionable head-to-toe swimsuits, but shorts and a t-shirt over your swimmers is fine. Guys, swimming shorts are no problem.
Glimpse the ancient city of Qalhat
Back on the road to Sur, we found ourselves stopping several times to snap pics of the harshly beautiful mountain-edged coastal scenery here.
Around 53km on from Bimmah, you’ll cross a highway overpass from which you can glimpse the remains of the Bibi Miriam Mausoleum. This is a last-standing relic of the ancient, World Heritage port city of Qalhat.
It’s possible to drive down to the modern village of Qalhat, but when we did, we found the ancient site on the hill closed to visitors due to a long running tourism redevelopment project. The program started in 2014 though, so hopefully it won’t be too long before people can visit.
Keep your eyes peeled for the ancient ruins of Bibi Miriam Mausoleum on the road to Sur.
Enjoy late afternoon by the beach in Sur
Expect to arrive in the fishing town of Sur in the late afternoon. We hit up Zaki Restaurant on the road into town, and carried our haul of roast chicken, salad and flat bread down to the beach, where the locals gather in sand-side gazebos in the late afternoon.
Hotels in Sur
The port city of Sur makes a nice base for a couple of days to explore nearby attractions. Much smaller than Muscat, you’ll find a more limited choice of accommodation here. The following options get consistently good reviews:
Mid-range:Sur Plaza Hotel – modern | pool | bar and restaurant | free on-site parking
Mid-range: Sur Grand Hotel – sea views | spacious rooms | free on-site parking
We opted forAl Ayjah Plaza Hotel on the eastern side of the lagoon; it’s in a great spot at the base of a rocky hill that’s perfect for watching the sun set and the city light up at night.
Climb up to the Al Ayjah watchtower for twilight views over Sur.
Visiting Ras Al Jinz Turtle Reserve
One of the reasons we had Sur on our Oman travel itinerary was so that we could visit the Ras Al Jinz Turtle Reserve. This is one of the world’s critical nesting grounds for green sea turtles, and it’s one of Oman’s most popular tourist experiences.
The centre’s popularity has seen an entire industry grow up around the turtles, from the large on-site lodge and the day trips from Muscat, to the nightly beach tours to see the turtles nesting.
We drove here on our first evening in Sur. Unfortunately, it turned out to be our one disappointing experience in Oman.
Based on our experience, which also sadly seems to be reflected in more recent reviews, we cannot recommend visiting Ras Al Jinz Turtle Reserve.
We feel the centre needs to prioritise turtle welfare by significantly reducing group numbers, and more effectively enforcing the rules that protect the turtles and their hatchlings from noisy, heavy-footed, touchy visitors.
Feel free to contact us if you have questions, or would like to share your experience of visiting the reserve.
Day 6: Hiking Wadi Shab & Exploring Sur
Highlights: Morning hike to Wadi Shab | Afternoon self-guided tour of Sur Total driving distance: appx. 100km return from Sur to Wadi Shab, plus short point-to-point drives around Sur Total driving time: appx. 1.5 hours Overnight: Sur
Morning Hike To Wadi Shab
Of the many Oman highlights in our itinerary, the wadis are perhaps the most magical. Wadi Shab – with its stunning canyon scenery, refreshing natural pools, and (not so) secret hidden waterfall – is considered one of the most beautiful wadis in Oman.
We originally planned to hike both Wadi Shab and nearby Wadi Tiwi on Day 6 of our Oman tour. It is possible to do both if you’re reasonably fit and can handle a whole day hiking in the heat.
At the last minute though, we opted out of Wadi Tiwi in favour of spending more time at Wadi Shab. That way, we were able to hike more slowly and enjoy the pools for longer. Going slow is a good idea as well, given you’ll likely be hiking back at the hottest time of the day.
Wadi Shab is a 40-minute drive from Sur, back in the direction of Muscat. We made a point to get there early, as the small parking area just under the freeway overpass fills up quickly. We arrived at 7.45am on a Saturday and nabbed one of the last spots.
From 8am, the local boats start running visitors across the wadi’s watery entrance to the trail on the other side (it costs OMR1 return).
Travel Tip: Wear a hat and sunscreen, and bring snacks and LOTS of water with you when you hike Wadi Shab. While the wadi water may look refreshing, it’s not for drinking.
Reef shoes are handy for protecting your feet in the wadi pools; be wary as the rocks are very slippery. A waterproof pouch (or dry bag) for valuables is also useful for wadi swimming.
Along with everyone else, we left our clothes, shoes and towels on the rocks by the pools with no problems.
All up (unless you are also visiting Wadi Tiwi), expect to spend around 4 hours at Wadi Shab, including the 45-minute hikes there and back. If you’re anything like us, you’ll be a red-faced, sweaty mess by the time you reach your car. After the hike hit the road back to Sur for a well earned shower, lunch and a mini-siesta.
Explore one of the highlights of Oman with a hike and swim in Wadi Shab.
Afternoon self-guided tour of Sur
As the afternoon rolls on, head out to explore Sur by car, starting with the largest of the city’s many fortifications, Sunaysilah Castle.
Like the nearby Bilad Sur Castle and the city’s stone watchtowers, the fortress is an imposing relic of times when the flourishing trading port needed protecting, from both sea and land-based marauders.
From there, head over to the dhow yards along the Corniche. Sur has a long history of dhow boat building and the practice can still be observed in these yards.
A little further on is the historic Fatah Al Khair, a beautifully restored sea-voyaging dhow. We found the low sun makes for lovely photos over the mirror-like lagoon at this time of day, and the waterbirds are out and about.
Late afternoon casts a golden glow over Sur’s lagoon.
As the sun dipped towards the horizon, we made our way to the Al Ayjah Watchtower, a short climb up the hill behind Al Ayjah Plaza Hotel. Like the lighthouse across the bay, the views over Sur as the sun sets and the city lights up are magical.
In the evening we cruised around until we found a restaurant packed with locals. There we ordered plates piled with freshly barbecued meats and salads for dinner.
Day 7: Wadi Bani Khalid & Sharqiya Sands
Highlights: Wadi Bani Khalid | Sharqiya Sands desert tour and camp Total driving distance: appx. 180km, plus 20km off road journey into the desert Total driving time: appx. 3 hours to get to Al Wasil on the edge of the desert, plus a couple of hours (or more) 4×4 dune bashing around the desert on the way to our camp Overnight: Sharqiya Sands
Relax in the oasis of Wadi Bani Khalid
Day 7 of our Oman self drive itinerary starts with a cruise southwest from Sur via Al Kamil to the palm tree oasis of Wadi Bani Khalid. It’s a journey of close to 2 hours via Route 23.
There’s parking reasonably close to the natural pools at Wadi Bani Khalid, but it can get particularly busy during the day, and especially on weekends, so set out early.
From the parking area, it’s a short stroll to the pools, where there are bathrooms and a café, and some lovely tree-shaded spots around the large main pool.
A little further into the wadi, the scenery becomes even more dramatic, with water flowing between a narrow crevasse of whitish rocks. The pools are blissful in the morning heat, but we found the tiny wadi fish here particularly nibbly, which made for some tickly attention whenever we paused in our swimming.
It’s worth settling in and whiling away a couple of hours here.
Enjoy a morning by the natural pools at Wadi Bani Khalid.
Weekends in Oman
Like its Middle Eastern neighbours, Oman’s weekend falls on a Friday and Saturday.
Many museums, forts and markets, along with most mosques, are either closed or have different hours on Fridays, so check before you visit.
Families and locals take the opportunity to get outside and enjoy their parks and wadis on the weekends, so be ready for busy sites if you’re visiting on these days.
Head into the desert dunes of Sharqiya Sands
Around 1’ish, farewell Wadi Bani Khalid for the hour-long drive southwest to the desert-edge town of Al Wasil on Route 23.
We met our guide here for a night among the dunes of the desert called Sharqiya Sands (you may also see it called Wahiba Sands, for the bedouin tribe that calls this region home).
Bedouins have been dwelling in the dunes of Oman for centuries, though these days, the nomadic tradition in Sharqiya Sands is giving way to a more settled existence. Some families welcome visitors to desert camps to experience traditional bedouin hospitality and culture.
Once we hooked up with our guide and deflated our tyres, we convoyed off into the desert with our 4WD. If you’ve hired a sedan, you’ll need to leave it in Al Wasil overnight, and travel with the guide.
Over the next hours, we cruiseed through the rolling orange waves of the sands, before climbing to the top of a dune for a magnificent glowing sunset. When we came back down, our guide Hamid had rustled up some fresh dates and a pot of Omani coffee over an open fire.
We finished the day with a short drive to our desert camp where we were treated to a tasty buffet feast with the other guests, before laying out on mats by the fire and watching the stars erupt overhead.
Our Oman off road adventures take us into Sharqiya Sands for a night at a desert camp.
Desert camps in Sharqiya Sands
There are plenty of desert camps in and around Sharqiya Sands offering traditional Bedouin hospitality.
Some camps are fairly close to town and can be reached using a conventional car, while others are strictly accessible by 4WD only. Facilities range from campsites, to simple traditional camps, desert domes, and more modern accommodation with swimming pools.
We had a lovely night at friendly Nomadic Desert Camp. Our stay included a simple private traditional barasti hut, a super-tasty dinner and hearty breakfast.
Day 8: Sharqiya Sands to Nizwa
Highlights: Dawn in the desert | Afternoon wander in Nizwa Total driving distance: appx. 195km (including off road return from the desert camp) Total driving time: appx. 3 hours (including the drive out of the desert) Overnight: Nizwa
A morning in the desert of Sharqiya Sands
We got up at dawn to catch sunrise over the dunes behind our desert camp, before heading back for breakfast in the colourful social area. If you’re inclined, there’s an opportunity to take a morning camel trek into the dunes.
By mid-morning you’ll need to be on the sandy track back to Al Wasil. The city of Nizwa is the final destination on our Oman itinerary today, and you should aim to get there in time to visit the famous 17th-century Nizwa Fort before it closes.
An afternoon exploring the ancient city of Nizwa
1,500 years ago, Nizwa was Oman’s capital and while it may have lost the mantle to Muscat, it’s still a buzzing hub of history and culture. Minarets and crenellated towers mark the skyline of the old city, backed by a stunning panorama of craggy peaks.
Nizwa is also the launchpad for some excellent day trips into the surrounding desert-and-mountain landscape, so we based ourselves here for a couple of days.
For our own part, after swinging by the ancient town of Ibra en route, and then getting lost on one of the unfinished highways that cut across Oman’s rocky landscape, we arrived in Nizwa too late to get inside the fort. So we enjoyed a stroll through the streets instead. If you arrive in time though, head up Nizwa Fort’s huge round tower for late afternoon views.
The Nizwa Souq fires up from 5pm-8pm every day; stick around for a wander and wait for night to fall, when Nizwa Fort and the Al Qala’a Mosque light up.
Nizwa Fort dominates the landscape of this ancient city.
Travel Tip: If you’re visiting Nizwa on a Friday morning, be sure to hit up the famous Nizwa livestock market, which kicks off around 7am.
Omanis from all around Nizwa (including local bedouin women wearing their distinctive peaked face masks) converge on the market to haggle over goats and cattle. It’s a loud, bustling, pungent scene that by all accounts is one of the highlights of Oman.
For dinner we hit up one of the many restaurants near the old city for a plate of meat and rice called mandi. It’s a great place to enjoy the nighttime buzz and fort views.
Hotels in Nizwa
There are accommodation options to suit all budgets in and around Nizwa, but for the next two nights, we stayed at Al Diyar Hotel, a short drive from the old city. Other options that get consistently good reviews include:
Good value: Riad Nizwa – clean and simple | near Nizwa fort | pool | shared bathroom
Mid-range: Antique Inn – central | fort views from roof terrace | pool | free private parking
Indulge: Golden Tulip Nizwa Hotel – spacious room | large pool | 20-minute drive to Nizwa | bar and Restaurant
Day 9: Forts & Tombs Around Nizwa
Highlights: Jibreen Castle | Bahla Fort | Ancient Tombs of Bat & Al-Ayn Total driving distance: appx. 275km return from Nizwa Total driving time: appx. 4.5 hours, including the unpaved gravel roads around Bat and Al Ayn Overnight: Nizwa
Today we road trip into Oman’s distant built past, taking in a couple of beautifully preserved fortresses, and a collection of mysterious prehistoric tombs.
Marvel at beautiful Jibreen Castle
Our journey today starts at Jibreen Castle, a 30-minute drive west of Nizwa via Route 15. This is another of Oman’s tourism magnets, so it’s worth getting here as early as you can.
Jibreen is a 350-year-old palace built for the Yaruba dynasty, and it’s said to be the most beautiful fortress in Oman.
A place of learning as much as a home and a wartime citadel, Jibreen is a standout for its beautiful design and craftsmanship, along with the human touches throughout. Enjoy the many vivid frescoes, decorative ceilings, and antique coffee pots, as well as the clever date storage and oil collection system in the basement.
We picked up an audio guide at the entrance and spent some time exploring the nooks, crannies and airy meeting halls of this homely stronghold.
Beautiful and imposing, Jibreen Castle is a standout on our self drive Oman itinerary.
Lose yourself in sprawling Bahla Fort
From Jibreen, we made our way 10-minutes northeast to Bahla Fort. This immense citadel was built for the riotously wealthy Nabhani kings some 700 years ago.
Bahla couldn’t be more different from Jibreen. Wandering through the sprawling fortress is a bit like tripping in a dreamscape straight out of the movie Inception: it’s a winding, labyrinthine maze of mud-brick rooms and stairs that seem to go everywhere….and nowhere.
Despite its size and grandeur though, Bahla is a bit like an emperor with no clothes. The rooms are empty. The walls are bare. There’s no information and no signs. Apart from other visitors, the only sign of life is the tiny bats that flit about in some of the darker rooms. It’s one of those sites we like to call BYI: Bring Your Imagination.
A World Heritage-driven restoration has fortunately saved Bahla from the ravages of the ages. We saw what might have become of the fortress when we left to wander through the disintegrating ruins of the ancient mud-brick village next door.
Likewise when we searched out a stretch of the crumbling, 13-kilometre fortified wall that still encircles the old city to this day.
Ancient, crumbling mud-brick houses abut the vast, restored edifice of Bahla Fort.
We stopped for a quick bite to eat at a small restaurant in the town of Bahla before setting off into an even more remote past.
The Forts of Oman
Keep an eye out as you travel around Oman for the watchtowers and forts that pepper the landscape here, evidence of a long, turbulent past.
For millennia the country’s prime location – at the strategic crossroads of trade between continents – placed its flourishing coastal and inland cities squarely in the crosshairs for tribes, nations and empires seeking a competitive advantage.
From slender hilltop watchtowers to vast palace citadels, Oman’s stone bastions weave a fascinating tale into the nation’s tapestry. You’ll see them just about everywhere.
Wander through ancient necropolises at Bat and Al-Ayn
This afternoon, you’ll be leaving Route 21 and road tripping out through the rocky desertscape to the west of Nizwa, in search of ancient tombs. Be prepared for a bumpy ride along a mostly unpaved, rubbly route. We saw a few 2WD cars trundling along the tracks during the day, but it’s far easier – and better for your insurance – if you make this trek with a 4×4.
The World Heritage sites of Bat and Al-Ayn (along with a third site called Al-Khutm) are clusters of stone structures built by an unknown neolithic people between 4,000 and 5,000 years ago.
Bat Necropolis
We headed to the rural village of Bat first, cruising slowly until we reached a side trail with a sign that simply said ‘Archaeological Site’. A short drive along this brought us to an area littered with more than 100 stone piles, in various states of disarray. A couple of reconstructed domes show what the mounds once looked like.
No one knows why these domes were built. Human remains have never been found in them, but given they’re not roomy enough to live in, and until evidence shows otherwise, they’re presumed to be tombs.
We were the only people at the Bat necropolis when we visited, and although this is another case of BYI, it’s incredibly ambient to wander between the stone piles and wonder at their origin.
More than 100 piles of stone scatter the ancient necropolis of Bat.
Al-Ayn Necropolis
Backtracking towards Nizwa, we travelled 22km to the site of Al-Ayn. Getting to the beehive tombs here is a little trickier. We saw them on a ridge overlooking farmland, but weren’t quite sure how to reach them.
Eventually a farm worker took pity and waved us over, gesturing for us to park up on the side of the dry riverbed next to the road. From here we walked between the farm plots, crossed another dry riverbed, and climbed the shaley hill to the tombs.
The Al-Ayn tombs are in much better condition than those at Bat. Extraordinary condition really, given they’ve been standing here on this promontory for over four millennia.
Overlooked by the dramatic peak of Jebel Misht and turning burnt orange in the late afternoon light, Al-Ayn proved to be one of our favourite Oman highlights.
The ancient beehive tombs at Al Ayn are a highlight of our Oman road trip.
We made our way back to Nizwa along Route 21 as the sun started to set, and enjoyed a yummy dinner in the open air of a shwarma house opposite the old city and Nizwa Fort. We overnight again in Nizwa.
Day 10: Nizwa to Jebel Shams
Highlights: Al Hoota Cave | Al Hamra ancient village | Jebel Shams Total driving distance: appx. 85km Total driving time: appx. 2 hours Overnight: Jebel Shams
As we missed Nizwa Fort on our first afternoon in town, we visited it this morning when it opened, climbing the vast, 34-metre-high circular tower for vistas over the green oasis town and its minarets. Then we hit Route 21 northwest, bound for the high peaks of Jebel Shams. If you’ve already been inside the fort though, we recommend taking the opportunity to get on the road sooner.
Journey into the underworld at Al Hoota Cave
Kick off today’s journey to the mountains with a trip into the massif at Al Hoota Cave, Oman’s only cave system open for tours.
Al Hoota is a 30-minute drive from Nizwa, and the 45-minute tours run roughly every half hour between 9.30 and 4pm. The small geological museum at the centre is well worth a peruse.
Al Hoota Cave winds for almost 5km under the foothills of Jebel Shams. Around 500-metres of this is accessible on the tour, and it’s a beautiful stretch of stalactites and stalagmites. We also stopped by one of the cave’s lakes to spot its blind fish.
Travel Tip: The lakes in Al Hoota Cave are fed by three wadis, and when it rains in the mountains, the cave can fully flood. If there’s been rain, it’s worth checking whether Al Hoota is open before rocking up.
It can also get very busy and tour numbers are capped, so if you can, book ahead online.
Experience some underground Oman adventure in Al Hoota Cave.
Explore a crumbling ghost town at Al Hamra
Around 15 minutes’ further on from Al Hoota Cave is an old, abandoned mud-brick village edging the modern town of Al Hamra.
Showing every bit of its 400 years, this crumbling commune of two and three-storey buildings was constructed in a style more typically found in Yemen. While a few hardy souls still live in the ancient houses, most of old Al Hamra is abandoned, and it makes for a haunting wander.
The camouflage ancient town of Al Hamra rises above green, irrigated farm plots.
If you’ve managed your time well today, you could also head 7km up the road to the equally evocative village of Misfat Al Abriyyin. There, a designated tourist trail winds through the palm groves and old buildings. Look out for the traditional falaj irrigation system that keeps this little oasis lush.
Stand on Oman’s highest peak at Jebel Shams
in the afternoon, make the steep and winding drive up Jebel Shams. You should aim to be checked in to your accommodation and at a lookout somewhere on Oman’s highest peak in time for sunset.
At over 3,000-metres, Jebel Shams is a world away from the hot, arid landscape of the desert below, and a welcome respite from the heat.
The road is paved until you reach the rest stop marking the ascent proper, and from there it’s a firm, packed dirt trail for around 10km, until the turn off for Sama Heights Resort. After that it’s paved once more. If the weather is good, it’s possible to do this stretch to Jebel Shams with a 2WD, but a 4WD is a safer bet.
After dropping our bags at our hotel and pausing for an Omani coffee and some fresh dates, we headed out with the car to find a spot for sunset. We spent the last light of the day overlooking a spectacular panorama of mountains and valleys.
Sunset atop Jebel Shams is a must-do when you road trip Oman.
Hotels in Jebel Shams
There are only a handful of hotels and resorts on Jebel Shams. We opted for Sama Heights Resort due to its great central location, lovely views, on-site restaurant, and variety of rooms ranging from standard rooms to fancy “Sultan” tents.
Day 11: Hiking the Balcony Trail
Highlights: Dawn over Wadi Al Nakhal | Hiking the Balcony Trail Total driving distance: appx. 15km to and from the trailhead for the Balcony Trail, plus dawn lookout scouting Total driving time: appx. 1 hour Overnight: Jebel Shams
Watch the sun rise over Oman’s Grand Canyon
While the mountain vistas and cooler temps are compelling reasons for a visit to Jebel Shams, the real showstoppers here are the canyons of Wadi Ghul and Wadi Al Nakhur. Together, they’re known as the Grand Canyon of Arabia.
This spectacular chasm cuts through Jebel Shams like a great rent in the Earth’s rocky fabric. Rugged ridges jut out into the winding crevasse, while sheer cliffs drop away to the valley floor almost a kilometre below.
We wanted to capture the sunrise as it struck the cliffs of the gorge, so were up with the dawn in search of a fitting canyon-edge viewpoint to welcome the day.
Dawn paints the sky over Oman’s Grand Canyon, one of the absolute highlights of Oman.
After some more exploring, we headed back to our accommodation for breakfast and a lazy morning in the sunshine.
Hike a cliff-face ridge on the Balcony Trail
in the afternoon we stretched our legs on one of the country’s most famous hikes: the Balcony Trail.
Part of the longer W6 Trail from the village of Ghul, this narrow track winds a path along a balcony-like ridge on the cliffside of Wadi Al Nakhur. While it’s relatively short, it is, without doubt, one of the most awe-inspiring hikes we’ve ever done, and for us, one of the highlights of Oman.
The Balcony Trail begins at the tiny village of Khateem. After a false start, we spotted a rock near the cliff edge with a yellow, white and red flag painted on it. This is the trailhead, and that little symbol can be found marking the track for the rest of the way.
Feel the thrill of a hike along the Balcony Trail above Wadi Al Nakhur.
Our destination on this little adventure is the extraordinary hanging village of As Sab, an abandoned collection of stone huts and terraces built directly into the cliff face, hundreds of metres above the valley floor. People were living in this tiny cliff-side community up until just a couple of decades ago.
The Balcony Trail is a fairly easy hike, with some ups and downs. It takes us around 3 hours return. We timed our hike so that we missed the sun at its peak, and also caught the kinder light over the canyon as the sun dropped.
Day 12: Jebel Shams to Mussanah via the Al Hajar Mountain Pass
Highlights: Al Hajar mountain pass drive | Mussanah | Seeb Corniche Total driving distance: appx. 175km from Sama Heights Resort to Mussanah, plus an optional further 160km return along the highway to Seeb and back Total driving time: appx. 6 hours (plus an additional 2 hours for the optional return trip to Seeb) Overnight: Mussanah
Today serves up some epic Oman off road driving as you cross the Al Hajar mountain pass back to the north coast.
This is definitely the most thrilling leg of our Oman road trip itinerary and a 4WD is mandatory. If you don’t have a 4×4, you’ll need to make the return trip to Muscat via Nizwa, which will take around 3 hours; a good opportunity to visit Al Hamra or Misfat Al Abriyyin if you haven’t already.
The narrow mountain pass offers some of the most epic scenery of our Oman itinerary.
The mountain pass road is completely weather dependent. Even if you have a 4WD, if it’s been raining in the ranges, skip this leg and take the safe, paved route via Nizwa.
The distances aren’t huge crossing the range, but the driving is challenging in places, and requires serious concentration and care, so you’ll need to take it slow.
Explore the narrow, winding gorge of Snake Canyon on a short hike.
After you arrive in Mussanah you can either chill out at the beach or pool for the rest of the day and evening, or do as we did, and muster a final surge of energy for the one-hour drive to visit the fishing town of Seeb.
Seeb is these days more or less an outer suburb of Muscat, but its lively Corniche is a lovely spot to wind up a long day, so we headed there for sunset.
First though, we visited the barbecue skewer stalls on Dama Street near Seeb’s fish market.
The little tiled shops on the pavement here all serve a range of mishkak: marinated meats and seafood skewered and cooked over hot coals. For around OMR2, we ordered a selection of lamb, chicken, prawn and squid skewers with a sensational spicy sauce, and took these with us to the Corniche.
Tuck into some tasty Omani street food with a selection of mishkak in Seeb.
Beach Hotels and Resorts Near Muscat
The hotel for our last two nights in Oman is the Barceló Mussanah Resort. It was a bit of a splurge for us, but we were interested to see what Muscat’s resort scene looks like. The resort offers lovely rooms with a pleasant beach scene, so if you want some beach or pool time this might be a good bet.
Aside from Barcelo, there aren’t an abundance of beach stays in and around Muscat, however the following options (with free parking) might suit your beachy needs:
Good value: Behlys Boutique– swimming pool | super friendly | close to beach
Mid-range: Al Hail Waves Hotel – close to beach | swimming pool | ocean view rooms available
An alternative option for tonight’s stay, especially if this is your last stop, is somewhere in Seeb, as it’s just near the airport.
Day 13: A Day By The Beach or Choose Your Own Adventure
Our 2 week self drive Oman itinerary is jam-packed with outdoor adventure, from diving and hiking, to off-road driving and camel trekking.
We’ve packed a lot in, and while we’re opting for some downtime by the beach for our last full day in Oman, you could definitely use this day to choose your own adventure, and add it in wherever in the itinerary works best for you.
What would you opt for? Here are some suggestions:
Stay an extra day in Sur and hike Wadi Tiwi;
Enjoy two days of scuba diving and get out to the famous Daminiyat Islands for some whale shark spotting;
Spend another night in Sharqiya Sands and explore the desert further with a full day camel trek;
Stay another night in Nizwa, and give yourself more time to explore the town, and the forts, tombs and ancient villages that surround it;
Spend another night on Jebel Shams and do the full W6 Trail along the Grand Canyon rim, or explore some other trails in this high-altitude landscape; or
Chill out with a couple of nights at an Omani beach resort.
Where would an extra day on your Oman road trip take you?
Visiting Musandam: the ‘Norway of Arabia’
The spectacular fjord region of Musandam was very high on the bucket list for our Oman itinerary. Easier said than done.
Musandam is around 550 kilometres by car (8 hours’ driving) from Muscat. While a governorate of Oman, the peninsula is actually separated from ‘mainland’ Oman by the UAE.
Therefore, driving there from Muscat requires border crossings from Oman into and through the UAE, which means additional visa and car hire requirements.
There is a ferry a couple of times a week between the town of Shinas and Musandam, but you first need to get from Muscat to Shinas, around 3 hours away.
Both of these options would require a couple of days for travel alone.
In light of this, flying to Musandam’s Khasab airport from Muscat, or arranging a day trip from Dubai in the UAE (which is just 200km away) seem to be the easiest options for visiting Musandam.
For these reasons, and to give this region the time it deserves, we decided to leave Musandam for a future visit.
Day 14: One Last Omani Coffee…
Today was our last day in Oman. We had flights booked for the afternoon, so enjoyed a low-key morning on the beach at Mussanah. After that, we went for one final hit of delicious Omani coffee and dates, and reminisced on an awesome, adventure-filled two weeks in Oman.
Then it was back to the airport to drop off our hire car, and start planning our next visit to explore more of this amazing country.
Want to read more about visiting Oman? Check out some of our other articles:
If you have any questions about our Oman itinerary or thoughts you’d like to share, let us know in the comments below!
8 thoughts on “The Ultimate Two Week Self Drive Oman Itinerary”
Hi Dan
Great read and really helpful. We’re a family of adverturers with three teenagers in tow and plan on self driving in December. You itinerary is fab and I was wondering if you had a printable copy as I’d like to use your itinerary as a starting point for our trip. Such a shame about the turtle reserve, I’d factored that in but after reading your blog we’ll give it a miss!
Hi there Leza, thanks so much for your kind comment, we’re really pleased you found this post helpful.
I’m afraid we don’t have a printable version of the post, but if you select “File”, then “Print” in your browser, you should hopefully have the option to save the page to PDF which would then allow you to print it out. At least that’s the option we get on our Macbooks.
Really hope you enjoy your time in Oman as much as we did.
Hi Frank, thanks so much for your feedback, we’re really happy you found the post useful and wish you all the best for your trip in this fantastic country! Happy travels! ~ Dan & John
Hi Vova, we travelled to Oman in October. Despite heading into the cooler months, it was still quite hot during the day. We’ve included info on weather and when to visit, along with a bunch of other planning info, in our post Planning A Trip To Oman, which you may like to check out. Let us know if you have any more questions. Happy travels!
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Hi Dan
Great read and really helpful. We’re a family of adverturers with three teenagers in tow and plan on self driving in December. You itinerary is fab and I was wondering if you had a printable copy as I’d like to use your itinerary as a starting point for our trip. Such a shame about the turtle reserve, I’d factored that in but after reading your blog we’ll give it a miss!
Hi there Leza, thanks so much for your kind comment, we’re really pleased you found this post helpful.
I’m afraid we don’t have a printable version of the post, but if you select “File”, then “Print” in your browser, you should hopefully have the option to save the page to PDF which would then allow you to print it out. At least that’s the option we get on our Macbooks.
Really hope you enjoy your time in Oman as much as we did.
All the best, John and Dan
Thanks for sharing your experience and all this information. Especially the pictures are amazing!
Hi there, many thanks for your kind words, we love Oman!
Amazing trip! Thanks for such a detailed info which we found very useful when preparing for our upcoming trip to Oman!
Hi Frank, thanks so much for your feedback, we’re really happy you found the post useful and wish you all the best for your trip in this fantastic country! Happy travels! ~ Dan & John
What month were you in Oman?
Hi Vova, we travelled to Oman in October. Despite heading into the cooler months, it was still quite hot during the day. We’ve included info on weather and when to visit, along with a bunch of other planning info, in our post Planning A Trip To Oman, which you may like to check out. Let us know if you have any more questions. Happy travels!