N 19° 50' 00" E 54° 00' 00"
EXPLORING DESERT, JEBEL AND
5000 YEARS OF HISTORY
19 Oct – 1 Nov 2008 (OEQ01) • 14 days
9 – 22 Nov 2008 (OEQ02) • 14 days
11-24 Jan 2009 (OEQ03) • 14 days
£2650 • Leader: John Cumming
Oman is one of our most attractive expedition destinations. Its unspoilt wildernesses, cultural diversity and the archaeological legacy of 5000 years of history make it an exciting and fascinating country to explore.
Our journey will bring you close to every contrasting aspect of this amazing nation - from the high jebel mountains to the broad flat coastal plains, from rich oases to endless desert fastnesses. At many points you will encounter the wonderful people who live here – nomadic Bedouin in the desert, fishermen along the coast, farmers in the rich fertile interior, the modern city people of Muscat. But for most of our time we will be travelling alone, well off-the-beaten track, exploring the more remote and least well-known places in search of unique experiences and discoveries.
The path we follow varies on each trip as we travel off road for much of the time and follow the inspiration of the group and the places we find ourselves in. The expedition’s general route is South from Muscat, visiting many of the country’s highlights and learning about life in the desert, with the ultimate goal of spending several days in the famous ‘Empty Quarter’ where few – if any – will have gone before you.
Our journey starts in Muscat, a thriving modern tribute to the economic and social changes Oman has enjoyed in the last 40 years. After the Expedition ‘meet and brief’ we visit the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque, an imposing ‘Jami’, or Central Mosque and spiritual home for Islamic civilisation, literature and culture. In the evening we go to the Muttrah Souq where hours can be spent haggling and enjoying the company of the Omanis keen to demonstrate their culture and history. Recently modernised, this souq maintains the trading traditions on which the country was built. 5000 years ago the area traded copper with Assyria. This and later trade in wood and spices helped create the nation that is today Oman.
Leaving Muscat in our 4-wheel drive expedition vehicles, we drive North West towards the spectacular Jebel Akhdar - ‘The Green Mountain’. We travel through Wadi Muaydin and up winding gravel tracks to the Saiq Plateau to explore the terraced gardens of maize, garlic and pomegranates which provide a contrast of green against the brown mountains. Small pink roses used in making rose water, once a major Omani export, can still be seen. The next day we continue our exploration of the mountains, visiting the eerie abandoned village of Tanuf and the falaj irrigation system that once fed the village. Heading back to Nizwa we visit its famous old fort, the souq and enjoy the hustle and bustle of local life in the markets. Depending on the time of year we may see the auctioning of dates.
Leaving Nizwa we head Southeast into the Wahiba Desert where we stay at a Bedouin camp and are entertained by a traditional Bedouin family. Leaving the expedition vehicles for a while, we then travel on camel to a tranquil oasis in the heart of the desert. Our evening meal is shared with local Bedouin tribesman and, as the darkness descends, the group will enjoy the delights of ‘Shi Sha’ and Omani folk dancing.
The next day provides an early start, with a traditional Omani breakfast, before we head out into the dunes in our expedition vehicles. You will be guided expertly across dunes, learning how to traverse, negotiate and, probably, how to extract ourselves out of sand! We are heading for our first night under canvas – on the Southern flank of the Wahiba Desert. This is a first taste of that addictive, magical sense of isolation and serenity that a night spent beneath the desert’s silent canopy of stars brings.
The next phase of the expedition takes us out of the desert and along the coast. We travel beside seemingly endless, uninhabited, golden beaches to Duqm, enjoying en route some spectacular rocks formations of black dolomites contrasting with reddish sandstones. The wildlife can also be exceptional. Turtles and schools of dolphins may be seen just offshore, and we pass large colonies of Socotra Cormorants. We choose a secluded beach for another night under canvas.
Heading back inland towards Hayma we spend 2 days driving across the gravel plains of central Oman. En route visit the Arabian White Oryx Project. Initiated by the Omani Government in 1974 to re-introduce these exotic animals to central Oman, the project is not open to general tourists. The Oryx remain secretive and we have to be lucky to see them, however Arabian gazelles roam the gravel plains in large numbers. After a night in the under canvas in the plains, we travel on to spend the second night spent at the Al Ghaftyan Guest House, which, albeit a basic level of accommodation, gives us the chance to refresh ourselves before we head off into the Empty Quarter.
The expedition now heads out into the famed ‘Empty Quarter’ – or Rub al Khali - one of the greatest sand seas in the world. This was once home to the fabled trade routes for gold, saffron and frankincense which gave rise to legend of a lost ‘Atlantis of the Sands’ – a city mentioned in ancient writings and the Holy Quran but lost in the passage of time and movement of the sands. Famous Explorers have preceded us in this wilderness: Bertram Thomas spent 58 days crossing the desert in 1931, Wilfred Thesiger explored the region in the 1950s and Ranulph Fiennes in the 1990s. They had been drawn here by its vast wilderness and the search for ‘Ubar’ that mythical lost city.
We spend 3 days exploring this superb area. The itinerary will be different for each expedition but will include a visit to the site of Ubar – rediscovered in 1992 as a result of good scientific detective work and a good deal of luck. Here you can see the remains of the city’s walls, towers and gates – all destroyed as the ancients believed by a mighty wind that punished its inhabitants for their wicked and corrupt ways.
Our time in the Rub al Khali is a highlight of the expedition. Here we are in a place untouched by modern life, where landscape and life are dictated only by forces of nature. In this spectacular setting we set aside a day for you to spend as you wish, perhaps just relaxing and drinking in the atmosphere, or making your own personal exploration.
As we leave the Empty Quarter over the Jabal Qara we enjoy spectacular views across the Salalah plain and descend through wooded hillsides inhabited by the Jabali people with their distinctive circular huts, separate dialect and dress. Heading East, we visit Bin Ali’s tomb before driving into Salalah and arriving at our hotel.
Refreshed after many nights under canvas, we spend a day exploring the area around Salalah. There are old forts, battlefield sites, Royal Palaces and souqs to choose from. The choices can be made by the group and anyone who prefers just to relax and unwind can take that option too.
The Expedition then flies back to Muscat by Oman Air. Here there is a chance for some final shopping before the expedition formally ends with the Expedition Farewell Dinner. The next day those staying on for the Optional Extension will depart for the Arabian Sea, whilst the remainder fly home.
Day 1: Muscat – Travel by self-arranged flights and taxi to the Expedition rendezvous at Intercontinental Hotel (one night). Meet Expedition Leader for expedition briefing and guided walk around the Grand Mosque and Muscat Souq. Dinner, Bed and Breakfast.
Day 2: Travel to the Jebel Akhdar and visit Saiq Plateau. Overnight in the Jebel Akhdar guesthouse. Full Board.
Day 3: Visit abandoned village of Tanuf, Nizwa Fort and Souq. Drive to Wahiba Sands and transfer by camel to ‘rustic camp’ for overnight with Bedouin family. Omani folk dancing. Full Board.
Day 4: Dune driving across Wahiba Sands to camp on Southern edge of the desert. Full Board.
Day 5: Travel along the coast to Duqm. Camp overnight on or near the beach. Full Board.
Day 6 & 7: Drive inland to Hayma. Visit the Arabian White Oryx project. One night under canvas and one night at the Al Ghaftyan guesthouse. Full Board
Day 8: Enter the Empty Quarter near Hayma, travelling south west towards Al Hashman, exploring wadis and dunes. Overnight under canvas in the Empty Quarter. Full Board.
Day 9: Explore Empty Quarter and visit ‘lost city’ of Ubar. Overnight under canvas in the Empty Quarter. Full Board.
Day 10: Day within Empty Quarter. Options to choose own activities or relax. Overnight under canvas in the Empty Quarter. Full Board.
Day 11: Drive to Salalah via Jabal Qara and Salalah Plains. Overnight in a Salalah hotel (two nights). Dinner, Bed and Breakfast.
Day 12: Optional visits around Salalah or relaxation. Dinner, Bed and Breakfast.
Day 13: Return to Muscat by air. Free time in the city. Expedition Farewell Dinner. Overnight at Intercontinental Hotel. Dinner, Bed and Breakfast.
Day 14: Fly out or transfer to optional extension for exploration of the Arabian seas.
Optional Extensions
Please ask for details of options to extend your trip. We can arrange a hotel on the cost or an island from where you can explore the Arabian Sea by boat or diving, or just to spend a few days relaxing by the beach. The detailed itinerary for this can be specially tailored to your requirements.
2008 Price - £2650. This cost includes all the meals, accommodation, transport, activities, admissions, services of leader and guides as per the above itinerary, and your special expedition insurance. It does not include personal expenses, optional extras, occasional lunch meals, tips, taxes, drinks or your international travel to and from the Expedition.
Insurance - included (see Insurance for details)
Single Occupancy Supplement Payable - £250.
How Strenuous? This Expedition involves long periods of off-tarmac road travel in 4-wheel drive vehicles, There is limited walking and the pace will be adjusted to that of the slowest person. Some nights are spent under canvas with limited washing and showering facilities. The climate is likely to be hot but dry, making the trip enjoyable and camping at night delightful. Few insects exist. Expedition participants will be fully briefed on how to live comfortably in and out of vehicles and at camp sites.
Expedition Group Size This Expedition operates with between 8-16 participants with a Leader and one or more local Guides.
