Adventure to Salalah & Empty Quarter

Best time to go: September to November & March to May
Best for: Repeat Visitors, Adventure & Off-the-beaten track, Historical

Salalah is located in southern Oman in the dramatically beautiful region of Dhofar. The area is synonymous with the frankincense trade, and you will uncover a land of incense-infused souqs, white-powder beaches, whitewashed forts and dramatic mountain scenery.

The area experiences a summer monsoon, and this turns this corner of the Middle East into a verdant backwater. This is totally at odds with the rest of Oman. Spend two nights exploring the areas to the north and south of Salalah. You will explore ancient fishing villages, picture-perfect white sand beaches, historic forts and tombs.

You then turn inland for an adventure in the remote Empty Quarter. Explore the Atlantis of the Sands – the lost city of Ubar. Spend a night under canvas as you explore wild wadis, the mountain scenery of Jebel Qamar and Wadi Aful where frankincense trees grow wild.

Return to Salalah for another two nights. You will visit the stunning Mirbat Beach before returning home.

This itinerary can be tweaked and changed and added to any of our suggested itineraries which focus on the area in and around Muscat, or indeed Musandam.

Guide Pricing

Starting At

LOCATION:

£2495	-	£3650
Silver		Gold

Price per person including all accommodation, private transfers, unique experiences and excluding international flights. We can arrange international flights should you wish.

Highlights

Spend a night under the stars in the Empty Quarter
Explore the Frankincense Coast with your private driver/guide
Explore amazing beaches, historic tombs and ancient fishing villages
Truly off-the-beaten-track

Day 1-3

Gold: Anantara Al Baleed Resort Salalah

Silver: Juweira Boutique Hotel

Day 4

Day 5-7

Gold: Anantara Al Baleed Resort Salalah

Silver: Juweira Boutique Hotel

Day 8

Days	Location	Hotel
Day 1-3	Salalah	Juweira Boutique Hotel Anantara Al Baleed Resort Salalah
Day 4	Empty Quarter	Overnight Mobile Camp
Day 5-7	Salalah	Juweira Boutique Hotel Anantara Al Baleed Resort Salalah
Day 8	Fly home

Day 1

Salalah

Arrive in Salalah where we will meet you and provide a private transfer to your hotel.

Day 2

Frankincense Trail

Today, you will set out with private driver/guide to explore Job’s Tomb and Mughsail Beach, known as the Frankincense Trail. You first stop at the tomb of the Prophet Job (or ‘Nabi Ayoub’ in Arabic) and the landscape beyond Salalah that is dotted with frankincense trees. Continue to Mughsayl Beach and the blowholes, which shoot seawater up into the air through the rock during high tide.

Day 3

Taqa - Khor Rori - Mirbat - Ain Razat

Set off with your private guide to the quaint fishing village of Taqa, known for its impressive castle. Continue to site of Khor Rori (or Sumhuram), a port from which frankincense was exported. Head further east to the town of Mirbat, the ancient capital of the Dhofar region dating back to the 9th century and which played an important role in Arabia’s frankincense trade. Continue to the tomb of Mohamed bin Ali, who died in 1135, and is housed in a twin-domed structure is a fine example of medieval architecture. You will return to Salalah via Ain Razat where manicured gardens are fed by natural underground springs.

Day 4

Empty Quarter

Delve deep onto the Empty Quarter from Salalah, and explore what is thought to be the lost city of Ubar, also known as the Atlantis of the Sands. The site is currently under excavation by archaeologists, and its hidden stories will soon become clearer. You will also drive through the dunes in a 4×4 through the Empty Quarter, also known as Rub’ al-Khali.

Day 5

Empty Quarter - Salalah

You return back to Salalah, spending the afternoon at leisure.

Day 6

Salalah

Explore Salalah with your private guide. Walk along the waterfront Corniche, and visit the Museum of the Frankincense to learn about the Dhofar region. Start the day by visiting a garden farm where coconut, banana, papaya and vegetables are grown, made possible by the unique tropical conditions that exist in Salalah. Stop outside the stunning Shanfari Mosque before heading into the bustling Al Husn Souq, where you can find the Dhofari frankincense, rated the best in the world. Continue to the Cattle Market before walking along the waterfront corniche towards Al Husn Palace, the summer residence of Sultan Qaboos.