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We not too long ago from our 4-day street journey to Oman and it’s time to share with you our ideas on what too see in Oman in 4 days in addition to share our full itinerary. For those who’re occupied with visiting Oman and unsure, the place to begin, the place to remain, whether or not you want an SUV for a street journey in Oman, I’ll reply all these questions and extra.
So with out additional ado, let’s get began! However first, let’s clear a few steadily requested questions on Oman eVisa, SUV for Oman street journey and extra.
Helpful hyperlinks for Oman
Right here’s an summary of the hyperlinks used on this article, so you’ve gotten them multi function place for comfort.
eVisa to Oman: no extra visa on arrival
Let’s begin with some necessary modifications that had been launched earlier this yr. Principally, visas on arrival to Oman had been cancelled again in 2019. Additionally, the airways now ask you to supply your visa /eVisa voucher to Oman earlier than check-in and boarding.
Excellent news: the eVisa to Oman prices solely 5 OMR for 10 days and takes as much as 4 days to get. It took us solely 8 hours to get this visa although. We accomplished the shape at night time on Sunday and we bought our visas the very first thing within the morning on Monday.
You possibly can apply to your eVisa to Oman right here (based mostly on eligibility). You have to signal as much as this technique, then decide your nationality and the system will inform you about all of the attainable visas you might /want to use for.
Learn this publish about one of the best photograph areas in Oman >>>
Do you want an SUV (4×4) automotive to discover Oman for the last word Oman street journey?
For those who’re questioning, whether or not you want an SUV or in different phrases, 4×4 automotive to discover Oman, the reply if not so easy. It will depend on your journey plans – in the event you intend to remain on the seashore more often than not or simply to a few locations like Nizwa or Bimmah sinkhole, then you definitely don’t want an SUV in Oman.
For those who determine to discover additional – head to Jebel Shams, be capable of take any street you need, drive a bit within the sands within the Sharqiya sands and maybe drive additional to Wadi Rum, on this case, you would want an SUV in Oman.
We rented our automotive by way of Rentalcars.com utilizing their full insurance coverage (it was cheaper than shopping for full insurance coverage from the supplier instantly). We additionally all the time e book by way of Quidco. Our automotive supplier was Price range and we initially booked Hyundai Tucson, nevertheless, Price range didn’t have this automotive on arrival and upgraded us to one of the best class – we bought a model new Toyota Fortuner and it was one of the best automotive for this 4-day journey to Oman.
For those who e book your personal automotive, make sure that to e book from a well known supplier, as we witnessed a few fellow travellers caught in Jebel Shams with a flat tyre. Their automotive wasn’t outfitted with a handbook, toolkit to alter the tire or perhaps a lock to open a spare tire compartment and so they rented it by way of some native firm.
Sadly, accidents like this will not be unusual in Oman particularly in the event you drive off-road so much, so once more, I like to recommend hiring from a great worldwide supplier on Rentalcars.com.
What to put on in Oman?
Head to my publish about what to put on in Oman to learn extra, however lengthy story quick, you want to costume respectfully. For a feminine, I like to recommend a protracted costume overlaying shoulders or a jumpsuit with sleeves and for a person – linen trousers and a t-shirt.
Itinerary for the street journey in Oman in 4 days:
I hope you discovered the ideas above helpful. Let’s get began with issues to see in Oman in 4 days. You possibly can modify this itinerary and if it’s too packed for you, you possibly can stretch it to 7 days in Oman relying on how a lot time you want to spend on the seashore.
We stayed in Oman for 4 days and 4 nights (we flew with Qatar Airways, nevertheless, there are many direct flights from Europe, test the provision and costs how). We additionally stayed each night time in a special place and solely spent one night time in a resort in Oman, you possibly can, in fact, keep longer.
Day 1 in Oman: Exploring Muscat and visiting a conventional Omani restaurant
On the primary day of our street journey in Oman, we arrived round 4 pm, collected our employed SUV that we rented although Rentalcars and went to test in and go away baggage in our first lodge. We picked Centara because it’s a well known chain and the worth was very interesting. The service within the lodge was impeccable and the room was good and comfy.
As soon as we left our baggage, we went for a drive within the metropolis to see the Qurum seashore, the port and drive previous the spectacular Oman Royal Opera Home.
Muscat shouldn’t be a walkable metropolis and there are barely even footpaths for pedestrians, so the simplest strategy to see the town is definitely driving by way of it.
After our drive, we went to the well-known Kargeen restaurant that truly required an advance reservation as a result of it was completely full. Make certain to e book it upfront right here. The speciality of Kargeen is a goat – all of the meat dishes are product of goat. The parts are completely big – I like to recommend ordering only one predominant and one starter for two individuals.
Day 2 of the street journey in Oman – Jebel Shams and Nizwa
On day 2, we had our breakfast in Centara Muscat and headed straight to the Sultan Qaboos Mosque. The mosque is the principle spotlight of Muscat and it’s very spectacular inside. It’s really probably the most lovely mosque we ever visited, the doorway is free, so you must undoubtedly pay Sultan Qaboos Mosque a go to.
For non-Muslims, it’s open each day from 8am to 11am solely. I like to recommend arriving early, because it will get fairly crowded, as teams from the cruise ships arrive round 9-10am. As a feminine, you want to cowl your self from wrists to ankles and likewise put on a scarf to enter the mosque. For those who don’t have an acceptable outfit, don’t fear – you possibly can hire an abaya proper on the entrance. Males have to put on lengthy trousers.
General, as I already talked about, the mosque may be very spectacular and value visiting despite the fact that it’s fairly fashionable.
Driving to Jebel Shams (+Balcony stroll) with out a tour information: do you want a 4×4 automotive?
After visiting the Sultan Qaboos Mosque, we began driving to Jebel Shams. We had a number of issues, as we learn on-line that the street is actually robust and solely a really expert driver with numerous expertise driving 4×4 automotive can go in.
Driving to Jebel Shams or the Grand Canyon of Oman takes round 3.5 hours from Muscat. Because the street is ideal up till the ascending level to Jebel Shams and the landscapes are attractive, the time passes quick.
The ascending half wasn’t as sophisticated as I’ve imagined. Pepe by no means drove an SUV earlier than and there was completely no downside utilizing that street. Sure, I’d say you want a 4×4 automotive to drive as much as Jebel Shams and the balcony stroll, however you don’t should be an expert driver.
Nonetheless, we did see fairly a number of sedans going as much as the Balcony stroll, however as I mentioned earlier than, it’s not solely Jebel Shams the place you’ll require a 4×4 in Oman.
Visiting Jebel Shams
You don’t have to hike the Balcony stroll to see the gorgeous views of Jebel Shams. One viewpoint is positioned earlier than the Jabal Shams resort, there may be the second 3 minutes driving from it and the third superb Jebel Shams viewpoint is positioned proper at the beginning of the Balcony stroll.
I completely advocate visiting Jebel Shams because it appears to be like actually spectacular in actual life and no pictures can present you ways gorgeous it’s. Many individuals determine to remain there in a single day tenting or keep in both of the 2 resorts in Jebel Shams.
There’s additionally a 3rd resort with spectacular views, nevertheless it’s not fairly in Jebel Shams and it’s distinctive and opulent – you possibly can test it out right here.
We wished to remain in Alila Jabal Akhdar – some of the spectacular resorts I’ve ever seen, nevertheless it was totally booked 2 months earlier than our journey, so we drove all the best way to Nizwa (about 1.5 hours).
Exploring Nizwa and staying in a conventional Omani home
We arrived in Nizwa simply earlier than the sundown, checked in in our very spectacular lodging (a conventional Omani home within the coronary heart of the town surrounded by the citadel) Nizwa Heritage Inn and headed straight to the Nizwa Fort to see the sundown. The doorway prices 5 OMR and covers the fortress and the museum inside.
We additionally went for a stroll within the city, however other than the fort, there may be not a lot to see. Nonetheless, as this place has only a few vacationers, you possibly can see in Nizwa how Omani individuals used to dwell earlier than.
Day 3 of 4 days in Oman: Visiting Sharqiya Sands and staying in a resort
On day 3, we had been fairly drained, so we didn’t get up very early. We left our lodging round 11 am and headed all the best way to the sand dunes which are closest to Nizwa and Muscat. The closest sand dunes to Muscat are known as the Wahiba Sands or Sharqiya Sands close to Badyiah. They’re positioned nearly 2 hours 45 minutes driving from Nizwa. To drive there, you want a 4×4 (this time for positive), nevertheless, it’s undoubtedly price it. We didn’t drive there for some time, nearly 40 minutes or so and noticed so many camels. The sand dunes are very spectacular and I can think about how lovely they’re at sundown.
As we had been restricted by time and we actually wished to swim in Oman as effectively, we didn’t keep in one of many desert camps. Nonetheless, you probably have barely extra time or simply totally different priorities, you possibly can undoubtedly keep within the Wahiba Sands in a single day.
Some nice camps to have a look at: Safari Dunes Camp, Desert Nights Camp.
Additionally, you possibly can take one of many driving within the desert excursions, the place a information will take you for a experience within the sand dunes (I don’t advocate doing it by your self). We didn’t drive within the dunes ourselves – we simply took a street that goes between the dunes.
Staying in a resort in Oman
It took us about 3 hours to drive to our resort, Shangri La positioned outdoors Muscat. It additionally took me ages to choose a resort, as despite the fact that Oman has a protracted and spectacular coast, there are only a few resorts. Omanis are actively constructing new resorts, nevertheless, proper now there are about 4 or 5 and the remaining are positioned in Salalah (it’s actually removed from Muscat).
As you possibly can think about, all 5 are fairly costly and we merely picked one of many least expensive ones with breakfast included. That was Shangri-La Al Jissah.
Staying there actually was a pleasure and the seashore was superior.
There was conventional dwell music at night time and the dinner was additionally superb.
Final day in Oman: Bimmah Sinkhole and Muscat
On the final day in Oman, we determined to take probably the most from our resort and keep there till the checkout. Due to that (and the climate), we determined to not go to the well-known Wadi Shab and simply go to the Bimmah Sinkhole.
The explanation why we didn’t go to Wadi Shab in April
We visited Oman in April and the climate was highly regarded. It was 40 levels within the desert and 36 in Muscat. Visiting Wadi Shab requires 45 minutes mountain climbing below the recent solar a method, so I wasn’t positive if I might make it. Oman in April is definitely actually scorching, so in the event you aren’t feeling effectively when it’s so scorching, I like to recommend choosing one other month. As a Northerner, I don’t benefit from the warmth that a lot and I did really feel unwell twice in Oman, so watch out.
That’s the one cause why we didn’t go to Wadi Shab, nevertheless, in the event you’re visiting Oman in every other month that April (earlier than April and after November), you possibly can undoubtedly go.
Attending to Bimmah Sinkhole from Muscat
Driving to Bimmah Sinkhole from Shangri La took about 90 minutes. Within the sinkhole, you possibly can put on no matter you need, nevertheless, on the entrance to it (there’s a 5-min stroll to it), you want to look presentable (no swimming shorts allowed).
We really actually loved the Bimmah Sinkhole, it was an amazing expertise, so we spent there greater than an hour (near 2 hours). The water was heat and it was filled with fish that eats your useless pores and skin cells, so it was like a spa therapy.
We needed to return our automotive at 6pm, so we headed again to Muscat, driving by way of the town once more to see its magnificence. We had been nonetheless staying in a single day in Muscat in a lodge A’Sinamar near the airport, however our flight was departing at 6am, so we determined to return the automotive early (it took an hour to return it, because the process in Oman is kind of distinctive).
I hope you loved this publish about what to see in Oman throughout 4 days: the itinerary for Oman and our street journey in Oman. In case you’ve gotten any questions, don’t hesitate to ask!
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