OMAN TOURS
For Cruise & Shore Excursions in Muscat - please Contact Arabesque for information
Private Oman Tours - journeys with a driver or a guide .
From a single morning Muscat City Tour through to a more extended tailor made Oman safari, let us know the type of Oman tour you are interested in. With Arabesque Tours, tailor-made means exactly that, tailored to you. For longer tours through Oman, we will make an initial very brief proposal about your time in Oman, with costs, to allow you to decide if you feel our suggestions suit you. After booking, we will add detail and embroider it so that your time in Oman is tailored to your needs.
Our Oman tours are private with driver, unless specifically indicated (if you require a guide please ask us). Our tours through Oman can be designed around your requirements – below you will find a few of our more popular Oman tours.
We are an Omani based company; registered with the Oman Ministry of Tourism.
Full and Half Day Tours & Cruise Excursions from Muscat
Full and Half Day Tours from Salalah
FULL DAY MUSCAT TOUR A full day Muscat tour by Arabesque Tours Oman which will include a visit to the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque with its dramatic interior and exterior, the Natural History Museum whose displays help to understand Oman wildlife. Lunch will be taken in a simple local restaurant. Following lunch, a walk in the area around Al Alam Palace followed by a visit to Bait Zubair Museum and concluded with an opportunity to shop in interesting Muttrah Souq.
MORNING MUSCAT TOUR. A morning Muscat tour by Arabesque Tours Oman, which will include a visit to the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque with its dramatic interiors and exterior. Later visit Muttrah Souq, a bustling market with a mix of every day requirements and holiday souvenirs; Bait Zubair Museum (or other if you prefer) for an excellent overview of Oman’s cultural heritage and a walk through 'old’ Muscat where Al Alam Palace, the official residence of Sultan Qaboos, is located.
DOLPHIN WATCHING IN MUSCAT: Enjoy time with the Dolphins an early morning sea based trip to enjoy the sight of one of the pods of Dolphins in Oman’s coast. The coast along Muscat is spectacular and reason enough to take this trip by Arabesque Tours Oman – add in a chance to see Common and Spinner Dolphins (we cannot guarantee a sighting but around 90% of our trips are successful) and this is a 'must take' tour.
EVENING SHOPPING IN MUSCAT. Retail Therapy For gifts or purchases for yourself we can introduce you to some unique shops. If you desire perfumes fit for Royalty we can take you to its source; perhaps some stunning Omani Silver, dazzling fabrics or simply to wander and enjoy a more leisurely pace of life. The ideal time is late afternoon or early evening.
FULL DAY OMAN FORT TOUR: Take this full day tour by Arabesque Tours Oman to view two of the most attractive forts in Oman. From Muscat, drive along the coast and after a brief stop at a beach fish market make a first stop in Nakhl. The fort here sits commandingly on a small hill with a view over the surrounding Oasis and countryside. The fort in Rustaq may not have such a magnificent location but with a history stretching back 1500 years, it has copious interest. Lunch taken in a simple local restaurant is followed by a leisurely drive back to Muscat.
FULL DAY OMAN WADI AND FORT: With a picnic for lunch, this full day tour by Arabesque Tours Oman combines a classic Omani fort and a drive into one of the most interesting valleys (wadis) in Oman. From Muscat (using 4WD vehicle) drive along the coast and after a brief stop at a beach fish market make a stop in Nakhl. The fort here sits commandingly on a small hill with a view over the surrounding Oasis and countryside. Later enter the Wadi and drive along much of its lower reaches with its combination of small villages and straggling classic Omani date oasis. Picnic lunch is enjoyed in a setting of your choice.
FULL DAY TOUR NIZWA: This is a classic full day tour from Muscat by Arabesque Tours Oman. The route journeys through dramatic Omani mountain ranges, which are such a feature of northern Oman. Nizwa with its goat souq and fort is a fascinating town. The view from the main tower in Nizwa fort is worth the climb. Further along the route lies Jabrin Fort with its rustic painted ceiling decoration and tomb of its builder, a former ruler of Oman. Lunch taken in a simple local restaurant is followed by a visit to one of the attractive villages that lie at the base of the Jebel Akhdar mountain chain.
OMAN’S GRAND CANYON: For those with a head for heights a full day visit by Arabesque Tours Oman to Oman’s grand canyon is an exhilarating experience. On the outward journey (using 4WD vehicle) a stop is made to one of the attractive villages that lie at the base of the Jebel Akhdar mountain chain. Climbing in the 4WD to around 2000 meters the scenery is classic limestone karst through which a 1000-meter deep wadi slicing its way through, Oman’s grand canyon. A walk along its edge and a picnic lunch with a magnificent view can round off the journey before returning to Muscat.
OMAN FULL DAY WAHIBA SANDS: The Wahiba (Sharqiyah) Sand desert was the subject of intense study by Britain’s Royal Geographical Society in the late 1980s. Today a visit to the Wahiba sands needs no scientific excuse as even a layman can appreciate their beauty and interest. Using 4WD drive through jagged mountain scenery on a full day tour. Engaging four-wheel drive, enter the Wahaiba sands, hopefully meeting some of the hospital Bedouin inhabitants of this area and having a chance to see camels in a classic setting. From the desert drive over the mountains and enter one of Oman’s many attractive Wadis ‘Wadi bani Khalid’. Here water pools reflect the blue sky and green date trees; a fruitful setting to remember on the journey back to Muscat.
OMAN TOUR OVERNIGHT NIZWA: This classic tour with Arabesque Tours Oman is taken in a 4WD. The route journeys through dramatic Omani mountain ranges, which are such a feature of northern Oman. Nizwa with its goat souq and fort is a fascinating town. The view from the main tower in Nizwa fort is worth the climb. Further along the route lies Jabrin Fort with its rustic painted ceiling decoration and tomb of its builder, a former ruler of Oman. Lunch, taken in a simple local restaurant, is followed by a visit to one of the attractive villages that lie at the base of the Jebel Akhdar mountain chain. Ascend Oman’s Jebel Akhdar (Green Mountain) to overnight in a simple hotel (Dinner and Breakfast). On the second day, take time to enjoy the fresh climate for gentle trekking through attractive mountain villages of Oman many of which have terraces that cascade down into the valleys below. Following a simple lunch in a local restaurant, descend from the heights and return to Muscat.
OMAN TOUR OVERNIGHT DESERT: The Wahaiba Sand desert was the subject of intense study by the Royal Geographical Society in the late 1980s. Today a visit to these sands needs no scientific excuse as even a layman can appreciate their beauty and interest. The route in a 4WD first visits a small town on the borders of the desert with Date oasis and Falaj. Then drive over the mountains and enter one of Oman’s Wadis ‘Wadi bani Khalid’. Here water pools reflect the blue sky and green date trees; a fruitful setting to remember before entering the desert. Lunch is taken in a local restaurant. Engaging four-wheel drive, the Wahiba Sands are entered, hopefully meeting some of the hospital Bedouin inhabitants of this area. Camels roam throughout this area offering wonderful photo opportunities. Overnight in a permanent camp with simple facilities and enjoy the canopy of stars. (Dinner and Breakfast) From the desert, head towards the coast and visit the town of Sur whose wooden Dhows plied their trade between Indian, Oman and Africa. Following the coast, pass the ruined medieval town of Qalhat and travel onward where tempting white sand beaches and turquoise sea invite a relaxing swim before arriving at your hotel.
OMAN GREEN TURTLE WATCHING OVERNIGHT: Journeying along the coast from Muscat past the village of Tiwi, this tour by Arabesque Tours Oman combines superb coastal scenery and the pleasure of viewing the Green Turtles of Oman.
Journeying along the coast from Muscat along Oman’s coast along the route, tempting white sand beaches and turquoise sea invite a relaxing swim. Steep sided Wadis with small date Oasis cuts through the honey coloured mountains and a simple picnic or restaurant lunch can be enjoyed during the journey to the overnight stop. After dinner take the short drive to the Green Turtle nesting beach – here patience is rewarded with the sight of these giant marine reptiles laying their eggs at night. An early start the following day can be rewarded with the last of these Turtles returning to the sea. After breakfast return to Muscat making a detour over the mountains and enter one of Oman’s many attractive Wadis ‘Wadi bani Khalid’. Here water pools reflect the blue sky and green date trees; a fruitful setting to remember. Lunch is taken in a local restaurant before returning to your hotel in Muscat.
If you wish to spend more time touring Oman – we can include Scuba Diving, Dhow Cruises, Musandam Tours, and Salalah Excursions. Our classic Muscat to Salalah safari of around 10 days is one where routes and accommodation can be selected to take into account your own preferences and equally importantly the number of participants.
Costings on longer tours can be provided against your tour preferences – we include some suggestions below.
LONG WEEKEND IN OMAN Visit the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque, Bait Zubair and Al Alam Palace. Afternoon at leisure. Overnight: your Muscat Hotel (please see our Accommodation Page)
Journeying along the coast from Muscat to the desert along Oman’s coast along the route, tempting white sand beaches and turquoise sea invite a relaxing swim. A detour is made over the mountains and enter one of Oman’s many attractive Wadis ‘Wadi bani Khalid’. Here water pools reflect the blue sky and green date trees; a fruitful setting to remember before entering the desert. Mid afternoon, your vehicle enters the sands of the desert where Camels roam through the golden sands on the way to your overnight accommodation (Overnight Dinner and Breakfast)
After breakfast, travel towards Nizwa stopping at small villages with their surrounding Date Oasis before continuing towards Nizwa. (Overnight Dinner and Breakfast).
Nizwa with its goat souq and fort is a fascinating town. The view from the main tower in Nizwa fort is worth the climb. Further along the route lies Jabrin Fort with its rustic painted ceiling decoration and tomb of its builder, a former ruler of Oman. Lunch taken in a simple local restaurant is followed by a visit to one of the attractive villages that lie at the base of the Jebel Akhdar mountain chain and return to Muscat.
NORTHERN OMAN’S MOUNTAINS: From Muscat drive along the coast and after a brief stop at a beach fish market before making a stop in Nakhl. The fort here sits commandingly on a small hill with a view over the surrounding Oasis and countryside. The fort in Rustaq may not have such a magnificent location but with a history stretching back 1500 years, it has plenty of interest. Lunch taken in a simple local restaurant is followed by continuing to Ibri (Overnight Dinner and Breakfast)
Depart for a visit to the 4000-year-old Beehive tombs near Bat. Lunch is taken in a local restaurant. After lunch, continue to visit Jabrin Fort and arrive in Nizwa (Overnight Dinner and Breakfast)
Nizwa with its souq and fort is a fascinating town. The view from the main tower in the fort is worth the climb. From Nizwa visit one of the attractive villages that lie at the base of the Jebel Akhdar mountain chain. Lunch taken in a simple local restaurant is followed by a visit to a small abandoned mud town and return to Muscat.
We are an Omani based company registered with the Oman Ministry of Tourism.
SALALAH HALF-DAY EXCURSION. Visit the Museum at Al Balid (a UNESCO site) and learn more about the ancient history of the southern region of Oman. Spend time in the Frankincense shops of Al Husn Souq and take back the most historic gift in the world. View the extraordinary tomb of Nabi (Prophet) Omran and ascend the mountain heights to inhale the antiquity of Nabi Ayoub's (Job) Tomb.
SALALAH FULL DAY to West Salalah. Visit the Museum at Al Balid (a UNESCO site) and learn more about the ancient history of the southern region of Oman. Spend time in the Frankincense shops of Al Husn Souq and take back the most historic gift in the world. Travel along the coast to Mugsayl Beach and enjoy the open vistas. Touch the source of Frankincense set in the magical landscape of Dhofar. Ascend limb the mountain heights to inhale the antiquity of Nabi Ayoub’s (Job) Tomb.
SALALAH FULL DAY to East Salalah. Visit Samharam the ancient Frankincense port at Khor Rori (UNESCO) and take time to stroll along the khor (creek) spotting birds. Ascend into Wadi Darbat (the source of Khor Rori ) and further to Tawi Attair (the Well of Birds) before descending to Mirbat and the sanctity of bin Ali’s Tomb. Return pausing at Ain Razat with its gardens set at the edge of the mountain escarpment.
During the winter seasons, ask us for Scuba Diving on the coast near Salalah or full day excursions to the Rub Al Khali Desert.
