Oman vacation on a shoestring

A budget tailor made tour of Oman, staying in traditional villages and rustic camps, while taking in the country deserts, beaches and ancient sites.
Muscat Al Hamra Misfah Nizwa Wahiba Sands Wadi Bani Khaled Sur Raz Al Jinz Bimah Sinkhole Wadi Arbayeen
Price
£1650 excluding flights
Duration
8 Days
Type
Tailor made
Reviews
More info
Price includes private airport transfers, accommodation, driver guide and private vehicle on tour, meals where indicated.
Prices are based on availability and are subject to change and vary according to standard of accommodation & season.
Make enquiry

Description of Oman vacation on a shoestring

Price information

£1650 excluding flights
Price includes private airport transfers, accommodation, driver guide and private vehicle on tour, meals where indicated.
Prices are based on availability and are subject to change and vary according to standard of accommodation & season.
Make enquiry

Departure information

This trip can be tailor made throughout the year to suit your requirements

Travel guides

Oman
You couldn’t get two more contrasting neighbours. While Dubai is like walking into Disneyland in the desert, Oman is like waking up in an Arabian Arca...
Middle East
The cultural crossroads between east and west, the Middle East tends to make headlines for all the wrong reasons, and for many people the images that ...

Vacation information

Dietary requirements:
We can cater for vegetarian and vegan diets.

Reviews

2 Reviews of Oman vacation on a shoestring

4.5 out of 5 stars
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Reviewed on 01 Mar 2020 by

1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?


The night camping in the desert; watching the turtles lay their eggs

2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?


Maybe reduce the pace/driving if you have children or at least make sure you have a day to relax at the end

3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?


Yes. Please support the excellent work carried out by Ras al Jinz scientific center

4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?


Incredible Arabian Nights experience

Reviewed on 01 Feb 2020 by

1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?


Exploring far into the Muscat souk, getting past the trashy trinket area.

2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?


Hope for a guide that speaks your language well, or be fluent in Arabic yourself. The depth of culture calls for a better understanding of where you are and
what you're experiencing.

3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?


no

4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?


Deeply fascinating to this WASP westerner. I was REALLY impressed by the people and achievements of Oman guide by the wisdom of its sultan and
government. I didn't see a scrap of litter anywhere

Read the operator's response here:

Hi Peter and thanks for your feedback. As you only traveled with us for 4 nights, it was a shame you didn't get to experience any of the ongoing conservation
projects or local projects enjoyed with longer itineraries. I hope you got a glimpse into the fascinating Sultanate of Oman, with their careful balance of
modern progress whilst honouring local customs and traditions. We also trust the short time you spent with the Omani guide gave you some insight into the
nation. We'd love to assist you with a more in-depth trip to the region!

Responsible Travel

As the pioneers of responsible tourism, we've screened this (and every) vacation so that you can travel knowing it will help support the places and people that you visit, and the planet. Read how below.

Planet

This tour visits the Ras Al Jinz beach, one of the largest nesting areas for green turtles in the Indian Ocean. An average of 30,000 turtles nest at this beach. The Ras Al-Jinz Turtle and Nature Reserve was established in 1996 to better protect Oman’s Sea turtles and their natural environment. Clients are encouraged to donate to the research center.

Once considered an endangered species the Sultanate of Oman has taken on the protective role in the conservation of the turtles, whose ancestors have inhabited the Omani waters for more than 200 million years.

The total protected area is 120km with a 45km of coastline, extending for 1km into the sea. The Ras Al-Jinz scientific visitor’s center offers a unique Eco-tourism experience, an unparalleled encounter with sea turtles, and promotes social responsibility. It houses a research library and research facilities for marine biology and archaeology promoting social responsibility and sound environmental practices.

Access to the beach is controlled by the authorities to protect the turtles.

People

Your guide for the tour is a local Omani National and will be with you for the duration of your time out on your 4WD adventure, able to share with you their local knowledge of their history, culture, customs and lifestyle. Often the guides have strong links with the local Bedouin people, with whom they interact on a regular basis or have associations with the local tribes.

The aim of this being to offer you a genuine contact and experience of the destination to feel the essence of the culture and history, so you come back with enjoyable memories and appreciation that you and your kids will treasure. It also benefits the local people to get a better cross cultural understanding between the local culture and visitor so that tourism can impact in a positive way.

This tour will give you and your family an exciting encounter with the lives of the mountain village people, the Bedouin tribes of the desert and the fishing people of Sur and experience of traditional Omani activities.

MISFAH: During the tour you will stay at with a local Omani family at their guesthouse in the rural village of Misfah. Not only will this let you experience traditional Omani life it also positively supports the local community and brings economy to the village.

WAHIBA: This trip visits several local communities in the Wahiba Sands Desert allowing clients to purchase handicrafts made by the locals. Any money from the sale of the handicrafts helps the local Bedouins to support their families. Local Bedouin guides are hired to explain their way of life to clients on parts of this tour. This enables them to earn a regular living from the visiting tourists.

The Wahiba desert camp, 1000 Nights Camp, is locally owned and employs local people to help run the camp, provide local food and traditional entertainment supporting the local community. There is no electricity at the camp with no light pollution or sound pollution as the camp uses natural resources to blend in with the environment. All waste from the campsites is taken away and recycled. There is no evidence left of any travelers staying in the desert.

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