For any adventurous traveller living in the Gulf, a journey overland to Salalah in the Sultanate of

Oman must be high on the list of must-do trips. It's therefore amazing that after a combined total
of 38 adventurous years in the UAE, Liz and I had never made the trip.

Salalah had always been on our to-do list, but somehow we'd never got round to going. Early in
October 2002 we decided to change all that and put it firmly at the top of the list. As usual with
us, it was a spur of the moment decision and was organised in a very short time over a bottle of
plonk. We knew that we needed a reliable vehicle, and it had been one of the excuses we'd used
when debating whether or not to renew our ageing Nissan 4WD; so having decided to trade the
old Patrol for a new one, I suppose we were committed from that point on.

First, a bit of background - Salalah is at the southernmost bit of Oman in the Dhofar region just
before you get to Yemen. It's quite a large place with a population of around 150,000, and is
considered the second city after Muscat. It reminds me a little bit of Fujairah, with it flat coastal
plane backed by mountains. Salalah is also where the ruler HE Sultan Qaboos was born. The
place is especially renowned for its climate because it catches the monsoon which results in
cooler summer temperatures, and hills covered in lush green grass and bushes.

The road to Salalah has a reputation. It's a road of legend, and anyone who's made the journey
will have some story to tell. Two things make the road to Salalah different; one its length, at
about 1000km, (depending on where you start), and two, its remote nature. You travel for long
intervals without seeing another vehicle, without a change of scenery, and without any signs of
habitation. Many people say that the long journey is boring and monotonous, but we didn't find it
so. I'd have no hesitation in doing the drive down there again.

Of course the road these days is paved all the way, and some people will reminisce nostalgically
about the 'good old days', when you had to drive on a graded track. My response to them is that if
you feel that you miss the graded track you can still drive on it as it runs alongside the new road!
I suspect there won't be many takers.

We had about eight days for our trip, and covered 4,500 kilometres. We would never have seen
and done so much if we'd had to drive much of that on graded tracks. The only times we didn't
have a paved road was on some of the coastal trips and mountain trips around Salalah, some of
the roads that we used to get over to the coast from Haima, most of the roads on Masirah Island,
and on many of the side trips we made on our way back.
Another luxury on the road are the frequent modern petrol stations that have been built, again the
old timers can still use the old shacks with the hand pumped petrol from oil drums if they want,
but the new stations are sited at regular intervals. Our vehicle is fitted with a sub-tank giving us a
range of nearly 600km, but although it was nice to have the extra fuel for peace of mind, we
never had to use it.

Here follows excerpts from our diary of the trip:

Day 1 - Thursday 3rd October 2002

Left for Oman after work; got away at 1pm. Entered Oman via Mezyad (Jebel Hafeet) border,
and reached Nizwa just as it was getting dark. Decided to drive on and find a rest house.
Eventually drove on nearly reaching Haima, but decided to camp just off the road. Slept in the
car and once I got comfortable, had a surprisingly good night. Liz had been on night duty
Wednesday so was really tired.

Day 2 - Friday 4th October 2002

Set off very early in the morning at just before 7am. Topped up with petrol and had a good
journey all the way through to Salalah, arriving at about midday. We just had to stop off on the
way in the fantastic green hills above Salalah; it was such a contrast to the barren landscape that
we'd passed on the way. The greenery starts very abruptly, and although we were told about it, it
was so outstanding that it still came as a bit of a shock. There were plenty of birds around ponds,
cows and camels wandering through the fields, and the weather was just perfect. The sun was hot
but the air was fairly cool.

Went to the Holiday Inn and picked up maps, and then went onto the
nearby Salalah Beach Villas that the guy on the desk had
recommended. We liked the apartment, but decided to check out the
Mughsail Cabins before making a final decision. Mughsail cabins
were full but we made an advance booking for Saturday and Sunday night. Returned to Salalah
and checked into Salalah apartment. Apartment was very nice with double bed, sitting room,
bathroom, and kitchen. There was also a swimming pool in front of the building. The rate was 24
OR including breakfast. Had a leisurely stroll along the beach watching the local people doing
the same, and the lads playing football (many wearing Arsenal shirts). Only problem was
security for the car. We were told stories of cars being broken into and of recent hi-jackings. We
ended up staying up all night doing watches!! Nice sunrise. No problems.

Day 3 - Saturday 5th October 2002

Had the king coconuts which we'd bought, and then went down for a nice breakfast by the pool.
Packed up and left to do some bird watching at the eastern Khawr. We saw plenty of seabirds
and waders. Next we went on to Jobe's tomb. Met a couple from Muscat, and had a chat. Went in
search of Frankincense trees, and then stopped for a picnic under a tree. In these parts there are
many tracks leading off the road to shady picnic spots under the many trees, and the novelty of
having a picnic on the grass was just brilliant.
Drove to Mughsail and then on up the coast on the way to Rakyat and the Yemeni border. Drove
on incredible mountain passes, through the police post and then when the light started to fade
turned back to Mughsail, arriving at about 5pm. Checked into cabin and had a meal of fish
lobster and prawns. The food was very good and there was excellent coffee to follow. The cabins
are 'ethnic' but fine. The car had its own little barasti house, but manoeuvring a large 4wd into it
was a challenge. Had some supper and watched CNN before turning in early.

Day 4 - Sunday 6th October 2002

Had a bit of a lie-in and then went for a walk along the beach before making our way to the
Khors just up the road. When we drove onto the main-road on our way out we saw a Lanner
Falcon on the wires; the first of many falcon that we saw that day. Drove to Khor Taqah and
toured the mangroves and reed beds. Saw an Isabelline Shrike, and Gull-billed Tern, as well as
many other waders and flamingos. Drove through the small town and then on to the beautiful
Khor Rauri. Here we saw Ferruginous ducks, many Heron, and swifts. This is a seriously
wonderful spot. The Khor is very long and still full of water. There were some other birders here
at the same time as us.

We next continued on to Mirbat which is an ancient port. This is a very interesting old town, now
mainly deserted for the new development. We had lunch at the Shara Tourist Restaurant. Whale
Skull and bones in the entrance, and a large patio on the headland where we had orange juice and
a mixed platter of onion spiced fish. Limpets, abalone, lobster, squid, octopus, all done in a curry
and onion flavoured sauce. We watched the Sooty Terns on the nearby rocks and the well
restored fort just across the bay. This restaurant makes a great place for a stop, and the food is
good too.

From Mirbat we went back to Khor Rauri and found our way to the other end of the Khor where
we could see the point where it nearly meets the sea, and also the archaeological site Samurhan
(reputed to have been the Queen of Sheba's Palace). Next on the agenda was a drive up the
mountains to Tawi Atayr, the site of a sink-hole. This is a very impressive sink hole over a vast
area. Saw an African Paradise Fly-Catcher (female), on the way down to the rim, and started
getting bitten by mosquitoes. The wildlife here is amazing and the site is totally unspoiled. There
was a cable contraption strung across the hole.

On the way back down the mountain to the coast we turned off to Wadi Darbat. This is at the top
of a steep precipice, a bit like hidden valley in the Mussandam. The area is flat and lush with
some cultivation of bananas and papaya. The road crossed a river and the track was extremely
bumpy but thankfully rock hard mud. Driving here must be interesting in the rainy season!! Saw
many birds here, including an Eagle, a Grey-Headed Kingfisher, (Liz cried), and a Black-
Crowned Tchangra. The people here are Jebali, and live gypsy-like in tents and shacks. We saw
a newly born camel.
Time was pressing, and after a fantastic nine hour tour of the amazing sites of this area we
returned to Mughsail, getting the car washed and picking up some groceries on the way. Sadly a
truck had hit a camel along the beach road. Thankfully, no-one was seriously hurt apart from the
poor old camel.

Liz paid the bill of 30 OR for the two nights' stay. We will try to leave early tomorrow on our
way to Masirah.

Day 5 - Monday 7th October 2002

Left Mughsail Guest House at 7:30 am, having settled the bill the night before. Before starting
our journey we briefly visited the blow holes, which were blowing but not blowing out water.
These were very close to the guest house and just five minutes walk from the car park which was
deserted at this time of the morning. By 8am we were on our way back to Salalah and headed up
the mountains on to Thumrait. We had to make a quick stop at the top of the escarpment just
before the vegetation gave way to the desert once more.

We ate bananas and watched some Storks on the hillside. We filled up with petrol at Quitbit and
met the same hotel manager we had chatted to on the way down. He was expecting a party of
fourteen birders from New Zealand. They'd flown down to Salalah from Muscat. We made a side
trip to the sulphurous, smelly springs at Montesar just past Quitbit. We thought we were being
followed but we managed to give them the slip. Topped up the tank again at Gaftain where the
attendant ran off soon after serving us. We guessed that he'd been watching the cricket match on
the TV and we'd disturbed him.

On the way to Haima, we turned off right on the PDO black-top road towards Rima. This ended
in a roundabout near Rima, where we turned left in the direction of Lapki, and threaded our way
through the oilfield road network using the GPS. We eventually found a road that dropped into a
vast wadi system and seemed to be heading towards the coast. It was soon obvious that a road
was being built through this way, so we followed it. Some of the time we could travel on the
newly prepared surface but other times we had to travel on a parallel track which was covered in
a fine dust.
Eventually we reached the part of the road which had already been surfaced. This road
eventually joined the coast road where we turned right to Kalil. Kalil was a lot larger than we'd
expected, and we were pleased to find a brand new petrol station at the roundabout leading into
the village. The service roads for the station were yet to be built so we had to go off road to get
in. We were the subjects of great interest to the locals in battered Landcruisers.

We went through the village and on a track to the beach which lead us to the 'Pink Lagoon'
which was unfortunately dry, and definitely not pink. On the beach were a walled camping area,
and a track which ran along the beach. We turned right and made our way to the Khor which was
full of birdlife, including a large colony of flamingos.

This track was a bit tricky in places and as time was getting on, and the tide coming in, we took
great care not to get stuck. Turning the car around was a challenge in itself, but the sand either
side of the track was actually firmer than it looked. We made our way back to the 'Pink Lagoon'
and then decided that it would be better to set up camp further back from the beach in amongst
the trees. The idea was to be less conspicuous and avoid attracting attention. We headed about
500 metres inland from the beach and found a very comfortable spot. That evening we dined on a
mixture of mushroom rice and onion meatballs washed down with a glass of red.

Day 6 - Tuesday 8th October 2002

We slept safe and sound although we did hear some unidentified animal sounds in the night. The
morning was misty and damp, and the tent was soaked, so we took it easy and waited until 9am
by which time the sun had dried the tent. The night temperature had been quite comfortable and
the morning was cool due to the odd cloud obscuring the sun.

Despite our attempt to keep a low profile we were visited twice by local fishermen in their
Landcruisers. They seemed to approve of us camping in our little tent. The second pair, a father
and son, proudly displayed their catch, which included a small manta ray. We were soon off and
heading north along the blacktop road briefly re-tracing our track of the day before. This road
was very new and we travelled many kilometres before we came across any road markings, and
we soon also came across the crews painting them. Other workmen were fixing rock aprons to
the roadsides at the many wadi crossings. There was hardly any traffic, just the odd truck and
Landcruiser pickup.

After about 100km we turned off right to Wadi Dirif. The point to turn off was marked by two
lonely palm trees. We slowly made our way to the freshwater Khor which presented us with an
amazing natural scene with camels and donkeys drinking at the water's edge, and a myriad of
birds on and around the water. Unfortunately we were soon spotted and the animals moved
away. We made our way to the right of the wadi which feeds the Khor and parked the car at the
base of the dunes.

With bins and scope at the ready we made our way carefully up into the dunes which shielded us
from the birds on the lake. On a sandbank we saw a Steppe Eagle tearing away at a fresh kill, and
amongst the flock of 80 flamingos were a couple of African spoonbills. There were a vast
number and variety of waders on the Khor, and shrike and pipits amongst the dunes, some of
which we identified as olive backed pipits. This was a fantastic site. We did a trip round to the
other side of the Khor and I filmed the flamingos in flight. By the time we left it was getting
warmer but still quite bearable.

The next stop at 23km up the road was wadi Garm. The wadi was dry, and it was getting rather
hot but we made our way over to the isolated palm groves and picked out a couple of Shrike, also
we'd spooked a couple of raptors on our arrival. Next side trip was off to Ras Madrakah. This
area was mountainous in contrast to the flat sandy plains we had been through. It seems that
further south the mountainous high ground was about 10km inland, but now the hills were close
to the sea, and at Ras Madrakah there were rocky headlands and islands.

The village itself was in a bit of a mess because of all the heavy road building machinery
working on the new blacktop road. At this time the road had been surfaced all the way from the
coast road, and only the last kilometre or two to the village were still to be completed. We toured
the village with the fisherman's shacks contrasting with the modern power plant and government
buildings.

There is a track leading though the rocky headland which takes you to three or more small coves
which were the domain of the local fishing community. Each sandy cove had a rocky backdrop
and the usual shelter on the beach. We had our lunch in the shade of one of the shelters and
chatted to an old fisherman who came over to see what we were doing. We thought there was
supposed to be a shipwreck in one of the coves and thought that we had discussed this with the
fisherman, but it turned out that it was in a different area altogether. We also tried to find out if
there was an ice factory in the village, and again we thought we had reliable directions from the
fisherman, but we never did manage to find it.

We drove back to the main coastal highway and continued onto Duqm having topped up with
petrol on the way and bought some supplies in the village. There were some naughty boys in the
shop giving Liz a hard time and a chap trying to cadge a lift from me. Unfortunately for him he
wanted to go in the other direction. We made our way along the graded track to the beach where
there were large numbers of gulls presumably attracted by the fish processing factory situated
here. We drove into the fish factory and were given the VIP treatment from the manager and his
staff. They were pleased to give us a large bag of crushed ice for which they refused payment.

The manager who spoke good English explained that they processed the catch from local
fishermen and then this was sent by truck to the north. It was now time to find a camp site, and
we searched for the place on the cliffs described in the book. We managed to find the rubbish tip
complete with pack of wild dogs, and the army parade ground, but not the site described. We
spooked a few gazelle, and then found a track leading to some low gravel hills which gave us
some seclusion from the road. This turned out to be a very comfortable site, and when we
climbed up the adjacent rocky outcrop we found an ideal viewpoint to watch three gazelles
wandering across the plain, totally oblivious to us. I managed to get some good photos of these
through the telescope. We finished a perfect day with the usual glass of red to wash down our
ravioli and tomato sauce.

Day 7 - Wednesday 9th October 2002Broke camp at

8:30 am and made our way back to the main road. We took the southern half of the coastal
access track and found the road that we should probably have taken to get to the cliffs. We took
another detour to Ras Sidirah. The road went through low rocky hills and small settlements
consisting of neat barasti houses. We stopped by a tree where there was the carcase of a fox
hanging grotesquely. Presumably he'd been stealing chickens from the villagers.

The road eventually reached the rocky coastline and passed through a cove busy with fishermen.
We went a bit further and then walked along the beach training our binoculars on the many
waders along the shoreline, and the striking limestone island just offshore.

Back on the main road we came across a lush oasis with thick vegetation and a lot of water that
sprung from the limestone rocks beside the road. Here there were many sand grouse which
having been disturbed by our arrival flew round and round looking for a safe place to land. We
continued north and turned off towards Shanna via Hayy which was quite a busy place with a
petrol station, and a large school.

We saw pickups full of schoolchildren on their way to Hayy. On the way to Shanna we picked
up a couple of lads on their way home to Masirah Island. They didn't speak very much, and
couldn't speak much English.

The road passed over a vast expanse of sabkha on a raised causeway. Much of the sabkha was
flooded and the water coloured a deep pink presumably by some sort of algae flourishing in the
stagnant water. The edges of these great lakes of water were fringed with salt crystals lightly
stained by the same pink algae, giving a rather surreal, alien feel to the place. This large area of
sabkha is known as Bar Al Hickman.

As we dropped the lads off, the ferry was just about full and getting ready to leave. One of the
crew, thinking that we were wanting to board started guiding us up the ramp and onto the ferry.
We'd already decided not to go over to the island, but we took this as a sign that we were in fact
supposed to go, so after a quick discussion we decided to climb the ramp and nestle our car in
amongst the assorted trucks and Landcruisers.

Very soon after we'd boarded, the ramp was raised and we were off. The vehicles were packed
close together and rather than fight our way through to the top deck we found it more
comfortable to just stay in the car starting the engine every now and then so that we could cool
down. The journey took about 90 minutes. We left Shanna at 12:45 and arrived at Hilf on the
island by 14:15. The cost for the one-way 20km trip was 10 OR.

On disembarking we made our way to one of the three petrol stations in Hilf. As usual, Shell,
BP, and Maha, were all represented. We also topped up on bread and drinks at a local store. Our
plan was to make for the bird-rich mud flats at Sur Masirah on the west coast. We stopped
briefly at the orchard next to the sewage farm and feasted our eyes on the large number of
migrants in amongst the trees. We failed to find our way onto the track running along the west
coast that would lead us directly to Sur Masirah, finding ourselves instead, on the east coast. It
didn't seem to matter, because the map showed a track leading across the slim waist of the island
from Hikl in east to Sur Masirah in the west.

The road soon deteriorated into a severely rutted track. The corrugations were very deep, leaving
a choice between travelling at 15km/hr or 80km/hr, anything in between would have shaken us
and the car to pieces. Travelling at the faster speed, was reasonably comfortable, but made
braking or negotiating bends almost impossible. If you knew the road well then you could
probably maintain the speed but we were forced to slow down to a snails pace more often than
not. Then to make matters worse there were long stretches where the beach sand had swamped
the road and we had to negotiate kilometres of soft wind blown sand.

Unsurprisingly we saw very few other vehicles. I think if we'd known the area well we could
have avoided some of the worst bits by driving along the beach. We eventually reached Hikl but
couldn't, at first, find the track crossing the island. We eventually picked up a worryingly faint
track with daylight fading fast.

With finger crossed, and the GPS showing us the way, we eventually picked our way across the
island but emerged on the west coast about 10km south of Sur Masirah. We gritted our teeth and
bumped our way along the corrugations and just as the light faded, we found a camp in the rocky
headland just before the village. It'd taken us three hours to cover the 56km! The camp was well
placed to view the mudflats and watch the sunset. Frustratingly we could hear the birds but it was
too dark to see them. We had chilli dogs and chilli sauce in Arabic bread for dinner.

Day 8 - Thursday 10th October 2002

The night was quite warm but we got sufficient sleep, and after breakfast we squeezed in an
expedition down to the mudflats to watch the birds. I wanted to get off as early a possible
because I was unsure how long it would take to return to the ferry on the unfamiliar west coast
road. The ferries run for only a couple of hours either side of high-tide, and we couldn't find such
a thing as a timetable. We couldn't wait for our tent, soaking wet with the morning dew, to dry,
so were forced to pack it wet and finally managed to get on our way by 7:30am.

In the event, the road on this side of the island was far better, and we made the 32km trip back to
the sewage farm in 45minutes, including a stop on a headland where two Egyptian vultures were
looking for their next meal. We got permission from the sewage farm caretaker to take a look at
the numerous birds wading in the sewage ponds. A nice pair of Glossy Ibis were strutting their
stuff along with some Curlew Sandpipers, Black-winged Stilts, and a host of other waders
making the most of this oasis in a very barren landscape.

We soon had to drag ourselves away, having promised the caretaker that we'd only stay on the
site for half an hour. We continued into Hilf, and boarded the ferry at 9:30am. We were early,
but decided that it would give us more time to do a bit of exploring on our journey northward.

The ferry eventually set sail at 10:20am. There is very little adherence to a timetable, and the
boats just seem to leave when the crew feel they've got enough vehicles on board. Our ferry was
only about half full, whereas the one the previous day had been almost completely full. During
the journey a very confused Nightjar landed on the gunwales of the ship and then tried to find
some shelter under a sheet of wood leaning against a wall. It wasn't happy with what it found and
continued on its way.

We arrived on the mainland at midday and made our way back to the main highway via Hayy.
On the way I just had to stop and photograph the pink lagoons on either side of the causeway
across the sabkha. With the right light this is an amazing sight.
Having filled up with petrol at Hayy, Liz guided us on a side trip south to Film, where we found
a small fishing community of barasti huts, a power / desalination plant, two camels chewing
cardboard, and some amazing mudflats dissected by creeks, alive with shore-birds. The small
rocky outcrops gave us good cover to quietly observe the birds going about their business. Nice
close views of Crab Plover and Curlew here.

We'd intended to re-join the main highway via a southern loop track, but as we wanted to try to
book a motel room in Nizwa, and hadn't managed to find a phone anywhere, we decided to
return the way we'd come via Hayy.
We found our way back onto the main road going north to Sinaw. A quick stop at another petrol
station in search of a telephone was unsuccessful. Eventually we found a phone in Sinaw. While
I filled up with petrol again, Liz called the Falaj Al Daris in Nizwa, and managed to book a
room.

Just before we reached Izki we hit a brand new highway which took us directly to Nizwa, in time
for a quick shower and dip in the pool before the sun went down. Then it was time for a drink in
the bar, which is now very plush, and then a well earned meal in the restaurant, which I think
could do with a good makeover. There was a tour group of Germans staying, but otherwise the
place was fairly quiet.

Day 9 - Friday 11th October 2002

Got up at 7am the next morning, and had breakfast by the pool, although I don't think we were
supposed to, judging by the disapproving looks we got from the rather dour waiters, and the
disappointment on the faces of the Germans who were told to have their breakfast in the dining
room. Never mind, it was a very pleasant place to have breakfast.
Checked out at 8:30 paying 52 OR (29 for the room). We stopped at the Nizwa supermarket so
that Liz could stock up with her favourite citrus Fanta, and then made a detour to the Bee-hive
tombs at Al Ayn, near Jebel Misht.

Had a puncture in the wadi and had to change the wheel in the midday sun. Managed to get a
tube put into the tyre in a repair shop in the small sleepy village of Bat (charged 4 OR but felt
generous and gave him 5), and then made our way to Ibri where we again filled up with petrol
and took the time to explore the fort which we've passed so many times without stopping.

It was just after Friday prayers and the nearby mosque was emptying out as we arrived. We
enjoyed a good poke around this fantastic fort built on sloping ground on a small jebel. The steep
sides of the jebel give extra natural protection to the enclosure. We climbed up to the top, took
some photos and I wondered when it had last been inhabited and what events must have taken
place on this site. I had fun working out how they'd channelled the rain water through the main-
street inside the walls and out to the cisterns in front of the main entrance. Some of the buildings
within the fort walls were remarkably intact considering they were built of mud-bricks. One
room, which I took to be a bedroom had a well preserved, brightly decorated ceiling and
although it was very hot outside the wind-tower effect made the temperature in there much
lower. Soon we were back on the road and approaching the Mezyad border again, where we said
'au revoir' to Oman.
We completed the border formalities in about 15 minutes and after a trouble- free journey from
Al Ain we arrived home at 17:30. It had been a fantastic journey, and we had seen and done so
much. We spent the last part of the journey back to Abu Dhabi discussing when we could make a
return trip and what we still wanted to see.

Back to Oman page,

Salalah terug naar Oman page

Agai Eid Holidays 2009. A fast drive to

n the south via the coastal route to
Sawqirah, Shaleem and Marmul.
An unusual crossing of the Qara
November Mountains. Finally seeing the
2010 Baobab trees in wadi Hannah. On
the way back visiting the
Frankinsence park at wadi Dawqah,
to the unspoilt beaches at Ras
Sharbitat, the salt pans at Ras
Bintawt and checking the new road
from Shana to Al Ashkhrarah
through the Al Sharqiah (Wahiba)
Sands. Some three thousand
kilometres on the clock.

Our well-used road map of Oman has literally segmented in pieces. Driving over
such a distance you keep folding it to get that bit of encouragement on progress
that you need. One keeps forgetting that this is a massive distance and that Oman
is indeed a big country for European and even more so our own Dutch standards.
Having been in Salalah on past visits the main motivation for this journey was the
bit before, the last empty and most unknown, at least for us. Road building is
progressing fast, but the coastal road from Wadi Shuamiah to Hazik and Mirbat only
exists in plans. The main road to the green Salalah plain still is the motorway from
Thumrait. Or is it? That's what we tried to verify as several maps show a track
through one of the main wadi's from north to south, from Dhahaban or Barzabum to
Tawi Atayr and the beaches near Mirbat. Checking Google Earth clearly shows
various tracks along that route, but it also shows massive deep wadis which could
easily hide difficult surprises. We also received the track of Moelker and Sickler, two
Dutch families who managed to find a passage a few years before. We only heard
afterwards that there were some hairy bits....

As it turned out we also had to manage this trip with only one car. At planning stage
not so much of a problem because we would not deviate from main roads or the
beaten track, at least, that is what we thought. With a satellite phone the risks
would also be minimal in that respect. So this was not supposed to be "going where
no one has gone before", although there were some elements of that.
Five days of travelling through very different parts of Oman; too many impressions
to record faithfully, but hidden somewhere in the grey cells of our Oman memory
bank. A bit of that we share in this story, written several months later, perhaps
smoothened a bit by the passage of time. To give you a feeling of the travelling
involved please check the table below. Not something to try with small children or a
bigger group.

Kilometr
Comments
es

Day 1 822 Muscat to Sawqirah, via Sinaw, Duqm and Ras Madraka

Sawqirah, Shaleem, Marmul, Barzabum, Tawi Atayr,

Day 2 500
Khor Rhori

Khor Rori, Salalah, Wdi Dawqah, Marmul, Shaleem, Ras

Day 3 425
Sharbitat

Day 4 491 Ras Sharbitat to Ras Bintawt

Day 5 682 Ras Bintawt, via Al Askharah and Sur to Muscat

Total 2920
Google Earth map. Total distance 2920 km.
Tracks can be downloaded as Google Earth kmz file.

How to get there:

Quite a bit of the travelling is covered by our 2003 trip down to Salalah. You will definitely enjoy the
coastal drive beyond Duqm, but the road from Sawqirah to Shaleem still is a bumpy graded road that will
take the speed out of the cars and stress the tires and people. A magnificent new road is being built, but
most of what we saw were the the many pieces that were not ready yet. Another word of warning for the
road up from Sawqirah. It cuts impressively through the cliff, but since 2003 it has seen some massive
erosion and is clearly not used anymore. There is a second ascend a bit further along the coast which will
take you to a confusing roundabout on the plateau. The best looking road to the right is wrong as it will
take you back to the eroded passage. Take the graded road to Shaleem and enjoy the dust.
I do describe the subsequent crossing through the Qara mountains but recommend the Thumrait road.
The other one gets to a point of no return (and we feared -no continue- when crossing from wadi Watawb
to wadi Saalafan, with a rather steep descend that has deeply eroded. Our Defender has a very high
clearance and even that one started sliding rather than driving down. This needs a bulldozer. The area
between Barbazum and Jibat does not feature any villages and we did not see anybody for at least 50
km. Not a place to get stuck. The road from tawi Atayr to Mirbat passing Wadi Hannah and through wadi
Al Ghazir is currently being built. This will provide an easy route down to the coast, but not for us as we
had to return to Tawi Atayr and take the road to wadi Dirbat and Khor Rhori.

From Salalah we took the main road to Thumrait and back to Marmul, Shaleem to Ras Sharbitat, which
provides some marvelous beaches and beauty spots for camping. Still a long drive back to Muscat, which
we split by another stop on the beach, this time ar Ras Bintawt, after a long drive through a completely flat
sabkha. From Ras Bintawt to Hayy, checking the new road through the Wahiba Sands to Al Askharah.
This road is almost finished. We tried to find its start at An Nakoah and only found it by following the big
trucks and the bulldozers. Some 8 kilometres of gravel track, but beyond there is a beautiful tarmac road
all the way to Al Askharah. Already discovered by many people as a good opportunity to experience a bit
of the desert-sand feeling without too much of the risk. Also with many trying their shiny 4WDs without
any experience and getting stuck. Day-tourism also has its negative elements with many dumping their
picknick remains along the road. A nice road, but it should not become a day-tourism disaster.

Tracks can be downloaded as Google Earth kmz file.

All coordinates and tracks are with reference to WGS84, UTM zone 40.
More detailed Google Earth Map of South Oman, showing the crossing of the Qara
Mountains from Barbazum to Mirbat. Tracks can be downloaded as Google Earth
kmz file.

Day 1: Little to report on the long drive from Muscat to Sinaw and Hayy. Things
start to become interesting when reaching the Huqf, with limestone ridges breaking
the monotony of the flat desert plateau. Duqm has transformed into a huge building
site. Job opportunities have attracted people and there is now also a school near the
junction to Nafun and Ras Sidrah and many more homes. The mountainside shows a
huge scar, where limestone blocks are quarried to be taken to the new Duqm
harbour. Another endless stream of heavy trucks emerges from the sabkha near
Duqm, carrying gravel and fill materials that are needed for this huge project. On
the way back from Salalah we decided to check Ras Duqm and managed to get
close to the building site, using an old gravel track. Too close, as the area is now no-
go, fenced off and behind secrity gates. Thousands of labourers living in camps and
hundreds of huge trucks. For the time being that's the end of Ras Duqm for visitors;
a price to pay for development.
We continued from Duqm down south, passing Ras Madraka. The good progress
encouraged an attempt to drive further even south beyond Sawqirah, where we
knew from the last time that the tarmac would end. Without other cars the breaks
are short and nobody else to discuss what to do.
To our surprise the road from Sawqirah up the cliff was deeply eroded. Carefully
trying we got through, happy that we did not need to go back another route. With
the poor condition of the road ahead it was an easy decision to call it a day. Another
advantage in that quiet camping on the cliffs above Sawqirah would be no problem
as there was no traffic at all.

Camping on the heights above Sawqirah.
Sheltered between the rocks, yet a cool
breeze from the sea and the muffled
sounds of Sawqirah below.
The road to Shaleem, a few years ago
new and shiny, now looking totally
devastated with deep ruts and big
boulders at the bottom of the slope. If
this would have been the only way up
there would have been a problem.

Day 2: An early morning with the sun rising above horizon beyond our sheltering
cliffs. The plan of the day to drive south, to Shaleem, next Marmul and from there in
the direction of Thumrait to find the track to Barbazum and from there deep into the
Qara Mountains. Many sights of the new road being built on route to Shaleem, but
we still had to do with the dusty and bumpy old one. Slow but steady progress and
at around 11:00 hrs we reached the junction to Harweel and the other new
petroleum facilities being built by Petroleum Development Oman in that area. With
that much time to spare we decided for a short detour to check-out wadi Andhur,
with possibly some ancient ruins. Some 25kms driving, but the new oil facilities are
now the most prominent features in the area, with the old sites probably still
around, but difficult to find in the maze of new roads and tracks. Nothing left but to
return, back to the junction and on to find the trak to Barbazum. Not difficult as this
is a brand-new road in a straight line to the village. A good start. A maze of tracks
beyond Barbazum, all heading south. Taking the best one we steadily drove
southwards, deeper into the mountains and also steadily deeper into the wadis. No
more settlements, no more people, but beautiful rock formations defining the steep
flanks of the wadi. No more gravel road, but a narrow track winding its way through
the wadi. Plenty of trees. How far the track would continue became more and more
questionable and we started thinking about camping somewhere right there. Yet the
track continued gradually further southwards approaching the place where we
would have to cross from wadi Watawb to wadi Saalafan. Right at this point we
noted plenty of Frankincense trees. A hopeful sign as that generally indicates
approaching the watershed. Leaving the wadi and climbing up, still no real problem
until above on the pass and looking down, seeing a good track in the wadi below,
but the remains of what may have been once a track steep down. Once you start
going down on such a track there is nothing but continuing. The boulders and ruts
guided the car down, but certainly without a comfortable feeling that everything
was under control. What to do if the good-looking track below would end in a similar
way? No option but to continue. No further surprises and our hopes increased,
seeing the signs of many bedu camps along the wadi. Another turn of the wadi and
the very welcome sign of civilization in the shape of a police checkpoint high above.
Another steep ascend and we happily drove into the checkpoint, through what
appeared to be the backdoor. We found ourselves at the back of a barrier, with a
gun pointing in the other direction. Expecting having to explain a lot we of course
stopped immediately, but to our surprise the guard opened the barrier immediately
waving us friendly through. We could not imagine many to come from the side that
we did.

A large group of camels heading south at

Barbazum; trying to find more green?
The track beyond Barbazum. A myriad of
such tracks winding southwards. Is this a
main through-going connection?
Frankincense trees in the wadi. A sign Looking back on the crossing between
that we were approaching the watershed wadi Watawb and wadi Saalafan. No way
finally. back, but clear signs of life in this new
wadi with abandoned bedu huts. The
first ones in some 50 kilometres.

Getting into wadi Saalafan meant a major change. Here there were many signs of
habitation. The remains of vegetation increasing, albeit looking very dry and dusty.
The checkpoint was clearly delineating the outsikirst of green Salalah as beyond it
we ran into good tracks, fields and villages. A rolling, empty landscape, with many
animals still trying to find a living between the dry vegetation. We had made it.
Finding a track to Tawi Atayr was not difficult and we had hopes again of reaching
the beach early in the afternoon. From Tawi Atayr in the direction of Mirbat.
Somewhere on the slopes there would be the famous Baobab trees, which we still
had on our wish list to visit.

The road to Mirbat was under construction, but we could partly follow the old track
down, more or less ending in wadi Hannah, right between the Baobab 'forest'.
Gigantic trees, looking like an upside-down carrot. They originate from Africa and
those growing near here could point to age-old trade connection with eastern Africa
or they are the last ones of a a once much wider population (Wickens, 1982)?
Baobabs can live for thousands of years, but grow very slow. Their horizontal roots
extend for tens of metres from the tree. What would these trees have seen besides
huggy Lilian? For more on plants in Dhofar check out Arnhem, 2007 and our visit in
2010 with more information (Wadi Hinna story)

Gigantic Baobab trees, looking like an

upside-down carrot. Roots extending for
tens of metres horizontally. We did not
see the largest one, which is reported to
be some 30 metres high and with a trunk
diameter of 15 metres.

One concern. The new road will open this

area for easy day tourism, which can be
more destructive than thousands of
years battling the elements. Many of the
trees already show the signs of carved
names.
Enjoy these giants. Take nothing but
pictures and leave them in peace.

For the time being that road is not finished and we had to return to Tawi Atayr and
from there to the road along wadi Dirbat to get down at the coast. A bit of a
disappointment after a long day of driving, but less than one hour later we had
found a good spot to camp near Khor Rhori, in the shelter of some old rocks.
Noticeably warmer and even muggy compared to the cool and dry places of the
past days.
Camp near Khor Rhori. Wadi Dirbat and The travertine dam blocking the end of
its famous dam in the distance. Zoom wadi Dirbat, already described very well
shown in next photograph. by Theodore Bent and his wife Mabel,
some 100 years ago.

Day 3: Early morning exploring the views near Khor Rhori from the area where we
camped higher on the plateau at the back of Khor Rhori. An ancient landscape
where every boulder is part of an old story that still needs to be told.

With the main target of our journey achieved we had no clear plans for the rest of
the days. Perhaps spoiling ourselves in a 5 star hotel in Salalah? As it turned out the
Crowne Plaza in Salalah had plenty of space, but we would have to wait for five
hours before booking into a room. It seemed the front desk lady was not caring too
much missing potential customers. Still a bit to learn in terms of customer
opportunities I would say. One hour later we stopped at wadi Dawkah (Dawqa), a
Unesco Heritage site dedicated to the Frankincense tree. To our surprise we could
not find a caretaker and therefore the only information we can provide is a picture
of the information sign at the entrance. The site is part of the Land of Frankincense,
described by Unesco as:

"The frankincense trees of Wadi Dawkah and the remains of the caravan oasis of Shisr/Wubar
and the affiliated ports of Khor Rori and Al-Baleed vividly illustrate the trade in frankincense
that flourished in this region for many centuries, as one of the most important trading activities
of the ancient and medieval world"

Wadi Dawkah is one of the north draining wadis that starts about 80 km north of Salalah just
behind the mountain belt . The upper lands behind the north facing cliffs, in which the wadi has
its origins, receive little benefits of the monsoon rains, and are scattered with trees of Acacia
Ethaica, Commiphora Habessinica, Euphorbia Baldamifera and Grewnia. Moving toward the
desert, the vegetation becomes gradually sparser. The vegetation of Wadi Dawkah frankincense
park is mainly represented by frankincense trees growing in its flat bed. The portion of the Wadi
Dawkah identified as a cultural landscape for nomination to the World Heritage List, falls
approximately between latitude 17° 20' - 17° 23' N and longitude 54° 03' - 54° 05' E. Other
species, as Acacia Tortilis, Merua Crassifolia, Acacia Ethaica and Silvadora Persica are found
in the northern part of the wadi and on the edges of the surrounding slopes.

Certainly plenty of Frankincense trees, protected by a fence. There are many more
bigger trees in the wadi beyond the fence, which we would have loved to see. For
more about Frankincense trees in Dhofar refer to the booklet written by Al
Ghassany (2008).

A few hours later we were already beyond Shaleem heading to Ras Sharbitat, a bit
of the coast where we had never been before.

It turned out to be a good decision to regret the expensive room in the Hotel and
instead finding a great spot in a beautiful bay. To my surprise we can even see two
of the Hallanyat Islands vaguely blurred in the far distance.

View across Khor Rhori. The bump in the

middle is the site of the ancient city of Wadi Dawkah; a Unesco Heritage Site
Shumhuram. At that time the Khor was associated with the preservation of the
an important harbour for the Frankincense tree.
Franincense trade.
Frankincense trees in wadi Dawkah.
More like big bushes, several metres
high.
Sunset over Ras Sharbitat, one of the
few place in Oman where the sun is
setting in the sea (with Shuwaymiyah
somewhere below)
Ras Sharbitat (Sharbathat) campsite,
next to a large lagoon with clear water,
flamingos and plenty of fish. In front a
lovely clean, white beach and at the
back a sculpted cliff.

Opposite Sharbitat we see the vague contours of one of the Hallanyat Islands (Kara
Muria Islands) near sunset, but they quickly fade away.

Day 4: Driving northwards, from Ras Sharbitat, now back on blacktop again. The
first deviation at Al Kahil, where the coastal plain opens widely, yet with surprising
dense woodlands. Because of the soft sand we were obliged to stay on tracks and
that does not take you close enough to the sea to enjoy the large lagoon.

Looking almost like an African plain, low Another totally different landscape; the
trees with a dense and almost horizontal coastal area near Al Kahil, south of Ras
canopy. Not surprisingly we spotted a Madraka.
few gazelles speeding away. The regular
inhabitants appear to be large herds of
goats and their bedu owners. No time
and no extra car to visit the large "pink"
lagoon.

Back to the main road, passing Ras Madraka and Duqm. Deciding to get out of the
busy traffic associated with the building of Duqm harbour. Then we spotted another
road we have not tried yet, signposted Bintawt. No problems with this excellent
graded road. Without it you would have to cross a vast sabkha, flat and almost a
snow landscape because of the soft white sands. In the far distance appears a radio
mast and indeed we discover that the reason for this good road is a huge industry-
scale set of evaporation ponds, where seawater enters via a large channel into large
ponds where it evaporites, leaving salt that can be sold. No real place to camp. A bit
earlier a number of tracks head for the real beach, hiding behind the low hill with
the communication mast on top. Some fishermen around, but plenty of space to put
up a tent between the low dunes. Again a lovely spot with a gorgeous beach.

Evaporation ponds and connecting A vast sabkha, pefectly flat. Difficult to

channels at Ras Bintawt. see where the land ends and where the
sea begins.

Campsite in the dunes at Ras Bintawt. Dendritic channels and lobes develop on
Our last night out on the beach. the beach with the dropping tide when
water flows out of the sands and meets a
tighter sand (the black zone).

Somewhere out there is Bar Al Hikman Sunset at Ras Bintawt.

and Masirah Island.

Day 5: Heading home. We decide to

check the new road from Shana to Al
Ashkhara, crossing the Wahiba sands
from south to north. Meeting a local
football team at the petrol pump in Hayy
they convince us that this road is indeed
ready. Driving up north we pass the
junction to Shana (Masirah Island Ferry
crossing). So far so good, still tarmac. In
An Nakoah things are less clear. We
follow the track north and end up on the
track we did a few years ago following
the beach. Not something to do with only The long drive from Al Ashkarah to Sur.
one car. Turning around we see big Camels in the back of a Toyota truck.
trucks and bulldozers between the sand This one featured an orange cap which is
dunes. Heading through the labour camp normally used for skating in the
there is indeed a much better track. Netherlands. Climate change?
Many cars coming from the other
direction suggest there is a connection.
Indeed some 8km beyond it appears the
tarmac road is finished and we blast on
between what otherwise would have
been difficult sand dunes. From Al
Ashkhara to Ras Al Jinz, checking
accommodation for visiting the turtle
beaches (which we subsequently visited
in December 2009). Next to Duqm and
the coastal highway to Quryiat and home
to Muscat. It did even rain when passing
Qalhat.

References (Visitor)
Day 1: Arrival Day. Meet and Greet and transfers to the Beach Hotel. Day at Leisure.

Day 2: After breakfast we set off on the Quriyat road, offroading along the rugged
coast, with mountains on one side and the ocean on the other. This is a nice drive
and you will pass through small fishing villages on the way to the wadi. Wadi shaab
is and amazing oasis full of palms and trees in the middle of the rocky gorge. We
reach the water pools after a delightful 40 minutes walk through the wadi where we
can paddle and swim to the hidden cavers and waterfalls. We finish the trip with the
picnic lunch on white beach on the turquoise water of the Gulf on Oman. After lunch
we drive to Ras-Al-Hadd and via the village of Sur and the Dhow Yards. In the
evening the guide will guide us to Ras-Al-Jinz to see the turtles struggling laying
their eggs at the beach.(night at the Turtles Resort.

Day 3: We then engage 4WD and head to the Sharqiyah Sands to the beautiful
overseas at Wadi Bani Khalid. We stop for rest and swim before we move inside for
a nice traditional Oman coffee the rarely Bedouin enjoying their life in the desert.
After the coffee we set on the camel for the short ride and view the sunset over the
sand dune. We set up our camps and enjoy the dinner prepared by the Bedouin
family (Al Areesh Camp/Al-Raha Camp).

Day 4: After breakfast we positioned along side two wadis, Nizwa is a fertile sea of
green with an oasis of date plantations stretching 8kms from the town. Today,
Nizwa is still the largest and most important town in this area of the interior and is
noted for it’s 17th century fort and atmospheric souq full of silversmiths, art,
especially ornately engraved khanjars. Today is cattle market day in Nizwa and to
experience the atmosphere and hustle, bustle at its best, it's wise to rise early. We
then have plenty of time to explore the fort and the rest of the city before of time to
explore the fort and the rest of the city before enjoying a traditional Oman lunch at
the local restaurant. Night at the Falaj Daris Hotel/Similar.

Day 5: After the breakfast we Set off to the highest mountain of Jabal Akdhar,
offering wonderful views of the dramatic landscape and an insight into the local way
of life. Visit Diana Point, view the village surround by the mountain with green
plants. Off to the village of Wadi Bani Habib, where they growth different fruit
plantation like cherry, peach flowers, pomegranate and saffron create an amazing
palette of colors and scent throughout the year. The area is also famed for its
abundance of roses which are used for rose water, perfumes and flavor. Night at the
Jabal-Akdhar Hotel.
Day 6: Today we drive back to Muscat via Barkat Mouz and Fanja. Check in 3* hotel
in Muscat for afternoon leisure.

Day 7: Muscat city. We ahead out and takes a tour of Muscat city. Starting from
Amouge Factory and then at Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque, one of few mosques
open to non Muslims tour highlights include visiting the sultan's palace, Bait Al-
Zubair Museum where you’ll find out the traditional Omani weapon, jewelery,
costume, household utensils and furniture, early European maps and prints of the
Arabian Peninsula and East Africa, early photographs, satellite images, coins,
stamps, musical instruments, documents, manuscripts and books. Then Visit Jalali &
Miran Fort before stopping for the date and coffee and a walk along the corniche to
explore the Muttrah souk and the fish market. Lunch at Mumtaz Al-Mahal or
Kargeen before drop off at the airport for departure.

Day 1: Arrival Day. Meet and Greet and transfers to the Beach Hotel. Day at Leisure.

Day 2: After breakfast we set off on the Quriyat road, offroading along the rugged
coast, with mountains on one side and the ocean on the other. This is a nice drive
and you will pass through small fishing villages on the way to the wadi. Wadi shaab
is and amazing oasis full of palms and trees in the middle of the rocky gorge. We
reach the water pools after a delightful 40 minutes walk through the wadi where we
can paddle and swim to the hidden cavers and waterfalls. We finish the trip with the
picnic lunch on white beach on the turquoise water of the Gulf on Oman. After lunch
we drive to Ras-Al-Hadd and via the village of Sur and the Dhow Yards. In the
evening the guide will guide us to Ras-Al-Jinz to see the turtles struggling laying
their eggs at the beach.(night at the Turtles Resort.

Day 3: We then engage 4WD and head to the Sharqiyah Sands to the beautiful
overseas at Wadi Bani Khalid. We stop for rest and swim before we move inside for
a nice traditional Oman coffee the rarely Bedouin enjoying their life in the desert.
After the coffee we set on the camel for the short ride and view the sunset over the
sand dune. We set up our camps and enjoy the dinner prepared by the Bedouin
family (Al Areesh Camp/Al-Raha Camp).

Day 4: After breakfast we positioned along side two wadis, Nizwa is a fertile sea of
green with an oasis of date plantations stretching 8kms from the town. Today,
Nizwa is still the largest and most important town in this area of the interior and is
noted for it’s 17th century fort and atmospheric souq full of silversmiths, art,
especially ornately engraved khanjars. Today is cattle market day in Nizwa and to
experience the atmosphere and hustle, bustle at its best, it's wise to rise early. We
then have plenty of time to explore the fort and the rest of the city before of time to
explore the fort and the rest of the city before enjoying a traditional Oman lunch at
the local restaurant. Night at the Falaj Daris Hotel/Similar.

Day 5: After the breakfast we Set off to the highest mountain of Jabal Akdhar,
offering wonderful views of the dramatic landscape and an insight into the local way
of life. Visit Diana Point, view the village surround by the mountain with green
plants. Off to the village of Wadi Bani Habib, where they growth different fruit
plantation like cherry, peach flowers, pomegranate and saffron create an amazing
palette of colors and scent throughout the year. The area is also famed for its
abundance of roses which are used for rose water, perfumes and flavor. Night at the
Jabal-Akdhar Hotel.

Day 6: Today we drive back to Muscat via Barkat Mouz and Fanja. Check in 3* hotel
in Muscat for afternoon leisure.

Day 7: Muscat city. We ahead out and takes a tour of Muscat city. Starting from
Amouge Factory and then at Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque, one of few mosques
open to non Muslims tour highlights include visiting the sultan's palace, Bait Al-
Zubair Museum where you’ll find out the traditional Omani weapon, jewelery,
costume, household utensils and furniture, early European maps and prints of the
Arabian Peninsula and East Africa, early photographs, satellite images, coins,
stamps, musical instruments, documents, manuscripts and books. Then Visit Jalali &
Miran Fort before stopping for the date and coffee and a walk along the corniche to
explore the Muttrah souk and the fish market. Lunch at Mumtaz Al-Mahal or
Kargeen before drop off at the airport for departure.

Day 1: Arrival Day. Meet & Greet and transfers to the Beach Hotel. Day at Leisure.

Day 2: Muscat City. After breakfast we ahead out and take a tour of Muscat city.
Starting at Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque, one of few mosques open to non Muslims
tour highlights include visiting the for, the sultan's palace and the Bait Al-Zubair
Museum before stopping for the date and coffee and a walk along the corniche to
explore the Muttrah souk and the fish market.( half day tour) Night at the Beach
Hotel 3*

Day 3: Grand Canyon. We set off in 4WD heading for Oman’s Grand Canyon and its
breathtaking views at 2000m. Setting off from Al-Kateen village we follow the
balcony trail along the mountain edge to an abandoned village which clings to the
rocks completely hidden from view from above and below. Just where locals used to
produce their food and short walk further takes us to the small lake that feeds the
terracing. The walk back along the balcony trail offers more.

Day 4: Nizwa/Jabal Akdhar. After breakfast we positioned along side two wadis,
Nizwa is a fertile sea of green with an oasis of date plantations stretching 8kms
from the town. Today, Nizwa is still the largest and most important town in this area
of the interior and is noted for it’s 17th century fort and atmospheric souks full of
silversmiths, art, especially ornately engraved khanjars. You might be lucky for
Friday market day in Nizwa and to experience the atmosphere and hustle, bustle at
its best, it's wise to rise early. We then have plenty of time to explore the fort and
the rest of the city before of time to explore the fort and the rest of the city before
enjoying a traditional Oman lunch at the local restaurant.

Day 5: Wahiba Sand: After breakfast we then engage 4WD and head to the
Sharqiyah Sands to the beautiful overseas at Wadi Bani Khalid. We stop for rest and
swim before we move inside for a nice traditional Oman coffee the rarely Bedouin
enjoying their life in the desert. After the coffee we set on the camel for the short
ride and drive to the dune for the sunset. Set up our camp and enjoy the night at
the middle of the desert.

Day 6: Turtle Reserved: After the early breakfast we set off in 4WDs to Ras-Al-Hadd
via Bibi Mariam’s Thomb. Stop at Sur to see the Dhow Yards and the Sur village
before we check in to the Hotel. In the evening after the dinner we drive to Ras-Al-
Jinz to see the turtles struggling to lay their eggs at the beach.

Day 7: Today we check out and set off in 4WDs for the beauty of Wadi Shaab via
Sur to see the Dhow yards. A leisurely walk through the lush green, palm lined wad
with dramatic rock formations takes us to the swimming pools. Here we can relax
and enjoy our picnic lunch before taking a swim and discovering the hidden cave.
Back to Muscat and night at the Chedi Muscat 5*.

Print directions
Total distance: 433.6 mi
Total Time: 8 hrs 21 min

1 Depart 37B St toward 28C St 0.1 mi 28 secs

2 Turn right onto 22C St, and then immediately turn right onto 105 / 78 ‫ د‬Rd / Abu Baker Al Siddique Rd 1.1 mi 2 min

3 At roundabout, take 3rd exit onto 110 / 89 ‫ د‬Rd / Al Maktoum Rd 0.7 mi 1 min

4 Turn right onto road 0.2 mi 28 secs

5 Take ramp left for 11 ‫ إ‬/ Sheikh Rashid Rd 0.7 mi 40 secs

At exit 59, take ramp right for 83 ‫ د‬/ Al Rebat St toward ‫ أم رمول‬/ Umm Ramool / ‫ القرهود‬/ Al Garhoud / ‫ الراشدية‬/ Al
6 1.6 mi 2 min
Rashidiya

7 Bear left, and then bear left onto 83 ‫ د‬/ Al Rebat St 1.4 mi 1 min

8 Take ramp right toward ‫ رأس الخور‬/ Ras Al Khor / ‫ حتا‬/ Hatta / ‫ البادية‬/ Al Badia 1.1 mi 2 min

9 Keep straight onto 62 ‫ د‬/ Nadd Al Hamar Rd 1.4 mi 2 min

10 Take ramp right for 44 ‫ إ‬/ Ras Al Khor Rd toward ‫ عمان‬/ Oman / ‫ حتا‬/ Hatta 5.9 mi 5 min
11 Pass through 3 roundabouts, remaining on 44 ‫إ‬ 18.9 mi 17 min

12 Keep left to stay on 44 ‫إ‬ 9.3 mi 10 min

13 Pass through 3 roundabouts, remaining on 44 ‫إ‬ 28.8 mi 26 min

14 Road name changes to 5-‫طريق‬ 15.6 mi 13 min

15 At roundabout, take 1st exit onto 1 -‫طريق‬ 4.3 mi 4 min

16 Pass through 18 roundabouts, remaining on 1-‫طريق‬ 153.3 mi 2 hrs 19 min

17 Road name changes to Sultan Qaboos St 0.1 mi 2 secs

18 Take ramp right toward ‫ صللة‬/ Salalah / ‫ نزوى‬/ Nizwa 0.5 mi 28 secs

19 Enter roundabout 0.0 mi 3 secs

20 Exit roundabout at 1st exit onto Nizwa Rd 6.8 mi 6 min

21 Road name changes to 15 -‫طريق‬ 14.8 mi 12 min

22 Take ramp right toward ‫ صور‬/ Sur / ‫ إبراء‬/ Ibra 0.5 mi 1 min

23 Keep straight onto 23 -‫طريق‬ 157.2 mi 3 hrs 51 min

24 At roundabout, take 2nd exit 2.8 mi 3 min

25 Turn right onto road 0.3 mi 45 secs

26 Turn right onto road 0.0 mi 9 secs

27 Keep left onto road 1.2 mi 2 min

28 Turn right onto road 3.5 mi 5 min

29 Enter roundabout 0.0 mi 3 secs

30 Exit roundabout at 1st exit 1.0 mi 2 min

31 Turn right onto road 0.6 mi 2 min

32 Arrive at road on the left 0.0 mi 0 secs

Print directions
Total distance: 766.4 mi
Total Time: 12 hrs 13 min

1 Depart 37B St toward 28C St 0.1 mi 28 secs

2 Turn right onto 22C St, and then immediately turn right onto 105 / 78 ‫ د‬Rd / Abu Baker Al Siddique Rd 1.1 mi 2 min

3 At roundabout, take 3rd exit onto 110 / 89 ‫ د‬Rd / Al Maktoum Rd 0.7 mi 1 min

4 Turn right onto road 0.2 mi 28 secs

5 Take ramp left for 11 ‫ إ‬/ Sheikh Rashid Rd 3.2 mi 3 min

6 At exit 56, take ramp right for 79 ‫ د‬/ Oud Metha Rd toward ‫ العين‬/ Al Ain / ‫ حتا‬/ Hatta 2.3 mi 3 min

7 Keep straight toward 66 ‫ إ‬/ Dubai-Al Ain Rd 1.4 mi 1 min

8 Keep straight onto 66 ‫ إ‬/ Dubai-Al Ain Rd 65.7 mi 56 min

9 Road name changes to 113 St / Emirates St 1.9 mi 1 min

10 Pass through 2 roundabouts, remaining on 113 St / Emirates St 3.3 mi 4 min

11 At roundabout, take 3rd exit onto 110 St / Ardh Al Jaw St 0.6 mi 53 secs

12 At roundabout, take 2nd exit 1.0 mi 1 min

13 At roundabout, take 1st exit onto 117 St / Bani Yas St 1.4 mi 2 min

14 At roundabout, take 3rd exit onto 120 St / Mohammed Ibn Khalifa St 0.6 mi 1 min

15 Pass through 3 roundabouts, remaining on 120 St / Mohammed Ibn Khalifa St 2.4 mi 4 min

16 At roundabout, take 3rd exit onto 131 St / Shakhboot Bin Sultan St 1.2 mi 2 min

17 At roundabout, take 2nd exit onto 114 St / Abu Bakr Al Siddiq St 0.6 mi 1 min

18 At roundabout, take 3rd exit onto 137 St / Zayed Ibn Sultan St 0.4 mi 1 min

19 Pass through 9 roundabouts, remaining on 137 St / Zayed Ibn Sultan St 14.6 mi 20 min

20 Road name changes to 21-‫طريق‬ 0.3 mi 47 secs

21 Pass through 7 roundabouts, remaining on 21-‫طريق‬ 77.0 mi 1 hrs 10 min

22 At roundabout, take 1st exit onto 29 -‫طريق‬ 4.0 mi 5 min

23 At roundabout, take 2nd exit 56.6 mi 1 hrs

24 At roundabout, take 3rd exit onto 29-‫طريق‬ 8.8 mi 9 min

25 Turn right to stay on 29 -‫طريق‬ 4.1 mi 5 min

26 At roundabout, take 2nd exit onto 29-‫طريق‬ 59.5 mi 1 hrs 2 min

27 Turn right onto 31 ‫طريق‬ 402.5 mi 5 hrs 50 min

28 Pass through 3 roundabouts, remaining on 31 ‫طريق‬ 46.2 mi 50 min

29 At roundabout, take 5th exit onto A'robat St 0.8 mi 55 secs

30 Road name changes to A Robat St 1.5 mi 1 min

31 At roundabout, take 2nd exit 1.4 mi 1 min

32 At roundabout, take 3rd exit onto A'nahdah St 0.7 mi 1 min

33 Turn right onto 23rd July St 0.1 mi 28 secs

34 Turn left onto A'salamah St 0.1 mi 30 secs

35 Road name changes to A'salam St 0.0 mi 16 secs

36 Turn left onto 26 Way, and then immediately turn left onto 30 Way 0.1 mi 52 secs

37 Turn right onto 28 Way 0.0 mi 7 secs

Arrive at 28 Way
38 0.0 mi 0 secs
The last intersection is 30 Way
We travelled to Salalah by road from Dubai on 11-7-09. We were husband wife and two young
kids. The distance is about 1400kms from Dubai. Salalah is a very nice and peaceful place.
Few travel tips:

UAE residents (expatriates) and other passports holders on which visa on arrival is allowed must
depart from Al-Ain’s Hili border checkpost and enter Buraimi (Oman)

1. Must take exit stamp on passport from Dubai border check post. They will not ask you to
take exit because until oman checkpost is a free-to-go area without visa. And oman
checkpost will come after about 40 kms. If there is not exit stamp they will send you back
to Dubai checkpost to take exit. Exit fee is dh25 per passport. Oman visa is 2 riyal per
passport. Must buy oman car insurance. Must carry car Mulkia (car ownership docs).
UAE residents must also carry Batakha (ID card)

2. After entering Buraimi from Hili border checkpost take second roundabout showing route
7 to Muscat. Go straight until you find the roundabout showing Salalah (turning left) or
Hafeet (go straight). Salalah sign turning left is actually the way for Muscat so if you go
that way you will reach another checkpost

3. If you want to avoid Muscat go straight towards Hafeet which is Ibri road. You will reach
Oman border post. Do border formalities. Go straight until Ibri and then Nizwa. From
Nizwa take Salalah route. Nizwa to Salalah is about 900kms and single track road. Some
200kms road is under maintenance also hence the speed will become slow and the ride
will not be smooth. But still the road is ok. Rest of the road is very good. However the
overall ride is tiring as this whole 900km stretch of the road is desert with no scenery

4. Recommended to fill petrol from every fuel station. Specially after Nizwa there is a town
Adam. After Adam about 300km no fuel station. Otherwise usually 90-100km have a fuel
station. Petrol price is cheaper in Oman, riyal 0.12/litre

5. Upon entrance into Salalah through Dhofar mountains a sudden change of temperature
will occur plus greenery will start suddenly. For example until we reached Dhofar
mountain range it was 47-48degC all throughout starting from Buraimi. On Dhofar
Mountain the temperature changed to 26degC. In Salalah the temperature was min 26 to
33 DegC max which in later days changed to 26-30degC due to cloudy weather and then
rained

6. Best time to visit Salalah is after rains. This year the rains just started from 20-July so
best time to visit Salalah would be after 15-August when it would be lush green and
waterfalls will be started

7. The places to see around Salalah are different wadis and mountain spots plus waterfalls
which gives fantastic views even without waterfalls

8. Salalah is a small town but all facilities are there so no need to worry about anything.
There are many places to stay. One can drive into Salalah and find many apartments
having signboards for rent. We stayed in Hamilton Plaza Hotel (Hamdan Plaza Hotel)
which is a very nice one
9. Best places to see in Salalah, which we liked, were Wadi Darbat, Ain Gargiz, Mountains
having Nabi Ayub tomb, Ain Razat, Mughsail (blow holes)

10. Oman roads overall are very good and driving is quite peaceful unlike UAE. So it is a
pleasurable experience to drive on Oman roads

11. Since we had kids we preferred to break the journey and stayed one night at Nizwa.
There are few motels/guest houses during Nizwa-Salalah route also and those can be
selected also for a night stay if someone wants to break this long journey. I will not
recommend night travel as from Ibri to Salalah (app 1000kms) is single track road
without any road lights. Al-Ain to Ibri is dual track road

12. There are Toilets at every fuel station but not good quality like UAE. Few ATMs also
along the route

1. Friday, October 24, 2008

2.
me & my wife were planning to do something different or adventurous during Eid
holidays in October 2008. Away from our family and homeland, we had nothing special
to do in Dubai. We decided to visit Salalah. Salalah is one of Oman’s southern most
cities. It is situated on a fertile plain, amongst the lush coconut graves and banana
plantations, set against the dramatic mountain back drop of Jabal Dofar. Salalah is an
ideal year round tourist destination. We had decided to travel by road, I had Honda CRV.
The distance that I was supposed to drive, from Dubai to Salalah, was around 1370 km.

3. Day 1
We left for Salalah on 1st October at 4am and took Hatta Road. We reached the Hatta
Border by 5am. Afterwards we followed the 3 very usual steps.
1st to stop on UAE Check Post to get the Exist stamp on the passports
2nd to stop on a custom check post to have a custom check and
3rd and the last is to stop on Oman’s check post to get visa on the passports.
Then we finally started our journey towards Salalah Oman.
At 8:30am we continued towards Muscat there we saw boards pointing directions to
 Salalah, we made sure that we were going in the right direction.
We reached Muscat at 8:45am and took diversion to Nizwa. Nizwa, is located in the heart
of Oman about 165 km from Muscat the capital city. Then after1:30 hrs drive we entered
Adam , where we could see nothing but the desert.
4. For the safer side I would recommend all the car-travelers to keep filling their vehicles at
every filling station on way from Nizwa to Salalah, as you come across a filling station
after every 300km (maximum distance), and that is quite a distance even with a full tank.

I was driving a car at a speed of 180 and covered the distance from Adam to Thumrayat
in 6 hours and the total distance is about 800 Km, but believe me the road is very
boring…nothing but the irresistible dessert. 25 Km before salalah the greenery by the
side of the road catches your eye and you can see the small muddy hills of Salalah. The
temperature started cooling down to 30C. As soon we entered the green Mountains of
Salalah, the tiredness of the boring dessert wore off... we felt as fresh as if we had just
started the journey.
5. We checked in Haffa House Hotel around at 3pm. We took a refreshing bath and went
out for a walk and came across Nabi Imran’s (May Allah be pleased with him)
mausoleum which was just at a walking distance from our hotel.After visiting Nabi
Imran’s(May Allah be pleased with him) mausoleum we went for a drive inside the city.
Our day concluded after a whole day long-drive. We drove through the maximum of the
Salalah city. Back at hotel, while enjoying the dinner, we chatted about the whole day's
trip and went to sleep. We had to refresh ourselves for our next day adventure.
6.

Day 2.
We woke up at 7 in the morning after a hearty breakfast; we head to discover Salalah
City. We explored the both old and new Salalah city and went to the shops and restaurant
and famous markets. Then we headed off to the spectacular beach. We enjoyed the most
peaceful & soothing moment while looking at the most amazing sight of the shore lush
with the coconut trees there were also shops of bananas and coconuts. I bought some
bananas and my wife drank coconut water.
Around noon we reached the Nabi Ayub's (May Allah be pleased with him), located in
the mountains about 4o Km from Salalah. The Tomb marks where the Prophet rests in
Peace, and there is also the spring where Prophet AYUB (May Allah be pleased with
him) slammed his foot to the ground to bring about water. This is just down the road from
the burial. There is also a mosque, where Nabi Ayub(May Allah be pleased with him) is
believed to say his prayers. Also there is Nabi Ayub’s (May Allah be pleased with him)
foot mark.

After saying the Fatiah at the tomb we headed onwards to Wadi Darbat.

As we reached Wadi Dardat around 2pm.Wadi Darbat is known by the majestic views of
water falls, lakes, mountains, caves and wild life and lush green vegetations of the natural
park. Each year from the middle of July to the end of August, the Khareef Festival is
celebrated here. This is the time of the year when the visitors can experience the cooler,
cloudy, summer climate with refreshing rains, commonly known as the Khareef season,
(the summer monsoon). During the season, the water fall as high as 100m is one of the
most spectacular natural view.
But as it was October not July, we didn’t experience splendid view but the 1 hrs that we
spent there were the most relaxing and peaceful.
 At 3 pm we left for Mughsayl. It is 40 Km from Shalala. Mughsayl boasts over 4Km
sandy beach outlined by sculptured cliffs with the blow holes formed in the limestone
rocks where water reaches a height of 30 meters. By the time we arrived at the place, our
stomachs were rumbling and we stopped at a local restaurant for lunch. We ate chicken
curry with white rice, the taste was ok. But the view of the lavishly green area and the
feel of the cool breeze from the beach were worth having the lunch in that
restaurant.Moreover, there is a geyser that spouts according to surging of the wave in the
west side of the coast, and at a certain point in the water a rainbow appears. The whole
view is spectacular and breathtaking.

We enjoyed the rest of the evening there. Some people also went down in the water.
Around 6 pm we headed back to Salalah City. It was getting dark. On our way back, we
stopped on a small restaurant on the side of the road. We enjoyed a hot cup of tea. We
ordered my wife’s favorite and Oman’s famous Paratha and Chicken Tikka. We stayed
there for quite some time and chatted about all what we enjoyed and discovered in
Salalah.
Then we again continued towards our Hotel in Salalah. On our way, we came across an
amusement park. Inside it was a hive of fun activities. There was a play land for children
and different fun competitions were organized for children inside a stadium. The Omani
Folk Dances were being performed at the stage of the open theatre. We enjoyed the
performances and it was 10pm when we finally reached the hotel.

7. Day3
Our last day to explore Salalah and visit as many places as we could manage. We woke
really early in the morning, did our breakfast and started our venture around 7am.
 We decided to head towards Mirbat, which about 50 km away from Salalah. Mirbat was
famous in the 9th century for the breeding and exporting of horses and for its trade in
Frankincense. It lies on a small peninsula in a wide bay and has a nice port. On the way
to Mirbat we took the way to Khor Rori (30km from Salalah). it is perhaps the most
dramatic and potentially evocative site. The excavations here had revealed a walled
rectangular shaped town five stones inscription were written in Arabic southern alphabets
describing the establishment of the town, from which it is evident that the town was built
to ascertain the dominations of Frankincense trade. After exploring Khor rori, on the way
to Mirbat we decided to look for a very famous and unique place known as Anti Gravity
Spot (about 8 km before Mirbat), there is no sign board mentioning this spot only one
board pointing Tawa Atir .
From there we took the road to the left. It was s quite a barren area but we continues to
follow the road. Then we saw few more cars over there. Then I just turned off/Neutral my
car and released the brakes. Then it started to happen… I experienced the most amazing
thing… my car gradually started to move uphill on its own. I turned back to the road a
few more times to experience my car defying gravity! I made videos to share with my
friends the whole experience.

8.
Then we went back to the main road to Mirbat. Muhammad Bin Ali’s Tomb is also
located in it and noted for the white Domes. There is a large cemetery around the Tomb
which has unusually shaped and inscribed headstones.

On way back to Mirbat we saw board named Sadh, we turned to the road to Sadh.
It had fine beaches and dramatic coastlines were excellent for camping and boating. The
land was sheltred for the monsoon with steep cliffs dropping to sandy bays.
We left for Salalah at 3pm but in way we went up on the mountains. We stayed there till
5pm and took a lot of photographs to capture the fabulous beauty of the place.
 The last place that we planned to visit was Sahnout Dam. Wadi Shanout is located in Al-
Saada city about 15 Km from Salalah. The plateau which over looks the springs is an
excellent view.
We arrived at the hotel around 9 pm and packed our entire luggage before going to bed.
The next morning we checked out and before leaving took a brief look around to say
good-bye to Salalah. We knew that we will be back – soon.
My plan is to go again to salalah but in moonson season during khareef festival because
in moonson salalah looks totally different rain, mist-soaked mountains,green-cloaked
valleys, spring and water falls.

1700 km Off-Road Oman Tour - 10 days

Private adventure tour for individuals and groups

Accommodation in Camps and Superior Hotels (4 star)

Muscat (1) • Sur (1) • Ras Al Junayz (1) • Ras Al Ruways (1) • Ras Al Madrakah (1) ) •Al Shuwaymiah (1) •
Salalah (3)

Category: private adventure tour, roundtrip, off road, scenic land journey

Day 1: Arrive Muscat

Arrive at Muscat airport and transfer to our hotel.
Overnight: Muscat Hotel (1 night)

Day 02: Muscat - Sur (B, D)

We will drive along the magnificent coastline to Sur, pass the coastal town of Quryat, famous for its beautiful
beaches. Stop at the "Sinkhole", where a part of the mountain has collapsed and filled with seawater. Picnic
lunch is served at the White Beach with time for a swim in the Indian Ocean. Proceed to Tiwi and the
picturesque Wadi Shaab - wonder into the wadi and its lush green vegetation. Before proceeding to Sur, a last
stop is made at the archaeological site Bibi Myriam by Qalhat.
Overnight: Sur (1 night)

Day 03: Sur - Turtle Beach (B, L, D)

Depart for a tour of the port town of Sur and its dhow yards where the traditional wooden ships are built. Enjoy
a boat ride along the spectacular coastline. Continue off-road to Ras Al Junayz, the famous "turtle beach"
where we spend the night. Guided walk to watch the turtles at night. This area is protected and is known for an
unusual high nesting activity all year around.
Overnight: Ras Al Junayz at Al Naseem Camp (1 night)

Day 04: Wahiba Crossing (B, L, D)

Pass through coastal towns and fishing villages, Al Ashkhara and Jaalal Bani Bu Ali. View the beautiful mosque
with its many domes and enjoy a delicious lunch, before embarking on a sensational drive crossing the
Wahibah Sands and its splendid high sanddunes. Meet Bedouin families living at the edge of the desert far
from the civilization. Reach Ras Al Ruways where the high dunes meet the Arabian Sea. Camp dinner and
overnight in Ras Al Ruways.
Overnight: Ras Al Ruways (1 night)

Day 05: Ras Al Ruways – Ras Al Madrakah (B, L, D)

Driving on a good track along the coast and reach the coastal village of Ras Al Madrakah and wonder at
shipwrecks in this remote area. Camp dinner and overnight by Ras Al Madrakah.
Overnight : Ras Al Madrakah (1 night)

Day 06: Wadi Shuwaymiah (B, L, D)

The coastal track continues to amaze you whilst driving through the many villages on the way towards Al
Shuwaymiah. In the spectacular Wadi Shuwayamiah with its weathered limestone molted into strange shapes
and patterns, we make a refreshing stop and camp overnight.
Overnight : Al Shuwaymiah (1 night)

Day 07 Marmul - Thumrait - Salalah (B, L)

Be prepared for an overwhelming contrast when you pass through the Marmul Oilfield with its "nodding
donkeys" and flaring gas. In Thumrait we return to 'civilization' and continue to Salalah, the capital of Dhofar.
Overnight: Salalah (3 nights)

Day 08 Salalah (B)

Morning – Half Day Salalah City Tour
Discover the Capital of Dhofar with first of all a visit to Salalah Museum, to learn about the history, culture and
traditions of the Dhofar Region. Visit the Gold Souk to discover a variety of gold and silver Jewellery. Stop at
the Central Market with its buzzing and lively atmosphere. Walk past the residence of HM Sultan Qaboos and
arrive at the Frankincense Souk where the fragrances of the Orient come together.
Lunch en route at Local Restaurant (paid by clients locally)
Afternoon – Half Day Western Dhofar
This tour drives across the northern part of the impressive Qara mountains and heads south where the
mountains are greener, to reach Hiob’s Tomb, visited by Islamic pilgrims. Returning towards Salalah town, via
the famous frankincense road that leads to the border of Yemen, there is a photo-stop at the frankincense
trees. After visiting Mughsail Beach, renown for its blow holes the tour returns to Salalah.
Overnight: Salalah

Day 09 Salalah (B)

Morning – Half Day Eastern Dhofar
We stop at Ayn Razat, located at the foot of the Qara Mountains, with its natural springs, rich plants and
flowers. Continue up the mountains, home of the Jebalis and their large herds of camel and cattle. In
Sumhuram archaeological excavation site we inspect the ruins of this old frankincense port city and its store
rooms. Continue along the coast and stop at Bin Ali Mosque and the grave of one holy man buried here in the
14th Century. Proceed to Mirbat, the former trading place for horses, and stroll around the old part of the town
to admire the beautiful architecture and the old Dhofari houses. Returning to Salalah we stop at Taqa’s
wonderful white sandy beach.
Overnight: Salalah

Day 10 Salalah (B)

After breakfast at the hotel, day at leisure until departure. Transfer to Salalah Airport for our flights to Muscat or
home. Thanks for visiting Oman.

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