Embark on a delicious journey that tantalizes your taste buds and uncovers the rich flavor of Omani cuisine is part of the Khaleeji cuisine and is influenced by Arab, Iranian, Indian, Eastern Mediterranean, and African cuisine. ,It reflects Oman's position as a vast trading empire at the intersection of traditional spice trade routes. Dishes are often based on chicken, fish, and lamb, as well as the staple of rice. Most Omani dishes tend to contain a rich mixture of spices, herbs, and marinades.
The must try dishes are Maqboos· Shuwa · Omani Bread · Dates · Kahwa · Meshkak · Halwa · Omani Laban.
7 day, 8 Nights Travel Itinerary
DAY 1: ARRIVAL MUSCAT
Arrive Muscat, the scenic capital city of Oman. On arrival at Muscat International Airport, meet & greet by our representative and transfer to your hotel.
Overnight Stay in Muscat (No Meal)
DAY 2: HALF DAY MUSCAT CITY TOUR & EVENING TOUR OF SEEB FOOD STREET
After breakfast, meet your guide and proceed for a half-day tour of Muscat city. The tour starts with a visit to The Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque (open for visitors from Saturdays to Thursdays from 0800-1100hrs only) which is one the largest mosques in the world with beautiful art works, chandelier & a one piece carpet covering the entire prayer hall. After visits, proceed for a visit of the Bait Al Zubair Museum, one of the largest heritage and permanent art collections in the country and serves as a real window on Oman’s rich heritage and culture. After the visit, continue your drive to the “AL ALAM PALACE” (photo stop only – entry is not permitted) flanked by the two Portuguese Forts of “JALALI & MIRANI”. Continue your drive along the Corniche (waterfront) to the “Mutrah Souq”, one of the oldest markets in Oman. The narrow alleys of the souq and the smell of the mystic frankincense and sandalwood in the air are typical of this souq. After visits, have lunch from Bait Al Luban, a tradional Omani restaurant. Return to the hotel and the afternoon is free for own activities.
In the evening, meet your guide and proceed to explore the famous Al Seeb Food Street. Oman’s delicious street food is popular all around the globe. If you talk about the best Omani street food to dig into, you clearly can’t miss “Mishkak”. Explore some of the popular food truck joints in Seeb to find out more about the Mishkak story. You might also want to try some delicious Omani burgers and snacks.
After visits, return to the hotel.
Overnight Stay in Muscat (Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner)
DAY 3: MUSCAT – JEBEL AKHDAR
After breakfast, check-out from the hotel and proceed for a fascinating round tour of central Oman. Your first destination today will be Birkat Al Mouz, a small town located at the foothills of Jebel Akhdar. Visit the century old houses, and the beautiful dates and banana plantations in the village. The village is also home to the Falaj irrigation system listed as one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Oman.
After lunch from a local restaurant, continue to Jebel Akhdar, the green mountains of Oman. Jebel Akhdar is part of Al Hajar Mountains range in Ad Dakhiliyah Governorate of Oman. It rises to a height of 2,980 m and encompasses the Saiq Plateau at 2,000 m above sea level.
In the evening, visit a local village and learn how the traditional Omani Shuwa is made. Shuwa is roasted meat cooked in a special oven, a pit underground. Meat rubbed with spices is wrapped in dry banana or palm leaves, placed in sacks and cooked in an oven until tender. The special oven is prepared by putting a drum or metal container in a pit. Fire is made in this container and then the sacks of meat are dropped in to it. The container is closed with a lid and pit is covered. The meat is let to slow cook in the fire for 1 – 2 days. This is usually a communal activity by the entire village during festivals, marriages, and other special occasions.
Overnight Stay in Jabal Akhdar (Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner)
DAY 4: JABEL AKHDAR – COOKING CLASS
Drive to the cooking class after breakfast. We conducted cooking classes for guests who are interested to learn Omani cuisine and indulge in the aromatic and delicious flavors. Our fun and joyful classes are conducted by Omani professional chef who are creative and have long experience in field. The menu of Omani authentic dishes contains a salad, main course, dessert, and drink. The participants are offered welcoming Omani coffee and our special dates on arrival.
(Menu: Welcoming Omani coffee and Dates, Rocca salad with Jabal Pomegranate, Chicken Qabouli, Sajo, Omani dessert & fragrant hot Custard, Omani Drink)
After lunch, proceed to visit Jebel Akhdar. In fact, Jebel Akhdar is not a mountain as such, but a labyrinth of wadis and terraces. The cooler mountain air and greater rainfall encourage scented Damask roses (which flower in March and are the source of the region's celebrated rose water), prize pomegranates, apricots and other fruit to grow in abundance. Visit Diana’s view point. As the name suggests, the rim of the cliff here, with its celebrated panoramic view of the farmed terraces below, has a royal connection. Diana, Princess of Wales, enjoyed this spot on a royal visit to Oman with the British king in 1986. You will also visit Al Aqor. This tiny hamlet clinging to the edge of the cliff, below Diana's Viewpoint, is typical of the villages on the Saiq plateau. Growing an assortment of vegetables and fruit in terraced allotments, it is kept fertile by water conducted along ancient irrigation channels known as Aflaj.
Overnight Stay in Jabal Akhdar (Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner)
DAY 5: AL HAMRA - MISFAT AL ABRIYYIN
Check-out and drive to Al Hamra, one of the oldest villages in Oman with and it is interesting for its well-preserved row of two- and three-storey mud-brick houses built in the Yemeni style. There are many abandoned houses in the upper parts of the village. Proceed to one of the villages named Misfat Al Abriyyin. Tonight you will be staying at Misfah Old House, the closest you’ll come to an Omani homestay. The Old House itself, built in the traditional Al Hamra style, overlooks a sea of date palms, and a set of shared and private terraces.
Misfat Al Abriyeen is an authentic, ‘living’ Omani mud village build into a mountainside in the Al Hamra region. Made up of houses, a maze of shaded passageways, beautiful gardens and open terraces, it’s a well-known spot among both local and international visitors. The village is characterized by its unique style of architecture. Houses use huge rock slabs as their foundations, and are themselves built up into towering, multi-level dwellings using smaller rocks and stones excavated from the mountainside. Most of those who still live in the village work the land for a living. The verdant greenery in Misfat is striking; as are the towering date palms and small fields of vegetables you happen upon every now and then. The terraced gardens and fields are all fed by an irrigation system that funnels fresh water down from a nearby wadi through spiraling channels made of stone and concrete. It’s easy to find your way around the village by yourself – or you can choose from one of the walking trails marked out with small numbered flags.
Overnight Stay in Misfah Old House (Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner)
DAY 6: NIZWA – WAHIBA SANDS
After breakfast, check-out from the hotel and drive to Nizwa. The historic town of Nizwa, with its giant fort and high-walled souq, lies on a plain surrounded by a thick palm oasis and some of Oman’s highest mountains. Visit Nizwa Souq, famous for its livestock market (only on Fridays), pottery, spices and the silver ornaments, followed by a visit to the most visited national monument in Oman, the Nizwa Fort.
After visits, have lunch from a local restaurant and continue to Al Sharqiyah region. Visit the palm-fringed Wadi Bani Khalid, the ever-green oasis of entire Sharqiyah region. The river never dries out completely throughout the year there is a continuous water current. (Clients are requested to bring swim wear and their own towels.)
Later proceed to Wahiba Sands and check-in to your desert camp.
Overnight Stay in a Desert camp in Wahiba (Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner)
DAY 7: WAHIBA SANDS – MUSCAT
Located approx. 220kms southeast of Muscat, Wahiba Sands aka Sharqiya Sands, is a vast mass of undulating Red and White Sea of sand and dunes rising up to 200 meters. The region also hosts a variety of flora and fauna. Home to the Bedouin, the sands offer visitors a glimpse of a traditional way of life that is fast disappearing as modern conveniences limit the need for a nomadic existence.
The sands are a good place to interact with Omani women whose Bedouin lifestyle affords them a more visible social role. Despite their elaborate costumes, with peaked masks and an abaya (full-length robe) of gauze, they are accomplished drivers, often coming to the rescue of tourists stuck in remote sands. Enjoy the drive through the stunning dunes and arrive at a Bedouin village, have a traditional Bedouin lunch from one of the houses. Later drive back to Muscat.
Overnight Stay in Muscat (Breakfast & Lunch)
DAY 8: DEPARTURE MUSCAT
Breakfast at the Hotel
In time, transfer to Muscat International Airport for departure.
Rates: Starting from USD 2481 per person in sharing occupancy
TRAVEL PERIOD: OCT 2024 until APRIL 2025
PEAK PERIOD: From 20th December 2024 to 10th January 2025 – rates on request only.
Inclusions:
- 07 Nights’ accommodation in standard rooms on BB basis.
- Meals (Breakfast in all hotels)
- Day 2: Traditional Omani lunch at Hotel Bait Al Luban. Dinner at Al Seeb Food Street.
- Day 3: Omani cooking class with lunch at Jebel Akhdar. Dinner in local restaurant.
- Day 5: Lunch in local restaurant in Al Hamra. Dinner at Misfah Old House.
- Day 6: Lunch from local restaurants and Dinner in hotel/camp
- Day 7: Lunch with Bedouin family at Wahiba Sands.
- Transportation by 4WD
- Service of profession English speaking guide cum chauffeur
- Entrance fees for forts and museums wherever applicable
- Bottled Drinking water throughout the duration of tour
- All Applicable current taxes & 5% VAT.
Exclusions:
- Any International /Domestic Airfare and their departure taxes.
- All items of a personal nature, i.e. curios, min-bar, telephone calls, laundry etc.
- All beverages (unless otherwise stated within the Program)
- Any new Oman Government taxes
- Travel Insurance
- Gratuities i.e. drivers, guides, hotels, restaurants, etc.
- Any services not mentioned in the “cost include”
Lufthansa City Center