Flying with British Airways via London needs patience and ample transit time. Our flight is quite on time until it reaches London airspace. The pilot seems not to know how to land that thing. It circles and circles and cercles. Finally we touch ground. Before deboarding we have to wait another 20 minutes until they find somebody who moves the stairs to the aircraft. However, there is nothing to complain on the onward flight to Muscat.
04.03.18Early morning. The plane is flying over black ragged rock in turn with urban area. Motorways meander through rock and town. We are landing in the so called Capital Area of Oman. Another piece of patience is required at customs. I pay about 100 USD for a visa. Not sure, if I pay for a multiple entry visa, but it seems to be fairly expensive. After about an hour we finally get out. We have prebooked a 4x4 SUV. Takes another half an hour or even more until we start the engine of our companion for the next two weeks, a Toyota RAV4. Driving on a broad motorway through suburbs of the capital area we quickly get to our destination, Ramee Guestline hotel which is located close to the beach at Qurum. Hotel staff are mostly Indians. Hotels and Restaurants in Oman are generally staffed with Indians, Pakistani and Philippinos. We spend the afternoon at the beach. It is not a place to spread your towel and sunbath with bikini and trunks. Only a few people are around, mostly kids and fischermen. Local women wear abayas, coats which cover their bodies from head to feet. We take some pictures with beach and palm trees. Our first jump into the sea shall be elsewhere.
05.03.18After an ample breakfast we visit Muscat and its sights. The day's highlight is the hike from Ryam Park accross a rocky ridge and along a wadi to Mutrah. Let's start with the first attraction, the recently built Sultan Qaboos Mosque. Gigantic is the best description to this piece of white marble. Its chandelier is the second biggest in the world, recently topped by the one of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan al Nahayan mosque in Abu Dhabi as mentioned here. Also seen the Opera building and its luxury shopping mall, the UFO at Ryam Park and Muscat's old town with the government building. In fact Muscat's old town appears sterile opposed to the lively corniche at Mutrah and its souk. As mentioned at the beginning, there is a trail which connects Ryam Park with Mutrah. The trail is marked and first leads to a pass surrounded by Oman's famous ragged black mountains. It leads down to a valley which becomes a narrow canyon. After about half an hour walk through the winding gorge we reach Mutrah and walk along the coast back to the car at Ryam.
06.03.18On the motorway to Misfah we stop at a petrol station. 40 liter of fuel cost less than 20 USD. We are indeed in an oil-producing country. Just for info: petrol stations are usually equiped with ATMs. We take a rest at Fanja, a characteristic Omani town. The new town has been built in the last 20 years along the main road whereas its ancient old town is depopulated and deteriorated built upon a hill. We park our car at the foot of the hill and enter the curtain wall through a gate. Some goats graze around the abandoned buildings. Back on the motorway we arrive at Nizwa in the early afternoon. Black jagged mountains surround the city. They look alike the costal ridge in Muscat. There is a large parking lot close to the city center. Nizwa appears tidy and renovated. Its souk and castle could be in Disneyland. Nevertheless we pay the hefty 7 OMR (~ 15 USD) and enter the castle. Most impressive is its donjon measuring 45m in diameter. After the visit we order some delicious fruit juices (mixed mint leaves and limes) at a café next to the souk. Somewhat later we continue our journey to Mizwa. The small village is situated at a flank of a hill, a scenic place above a Wadi. Abdul Rahman the owner of the Hospitality Inn welcomes us with a traditional Kahwa ceremony. We take our shoes off, enter the balcony covered with carpets, sit on the cushioned floor, wash our hands in a bowl of water before we get kahwa (the Oriental coffee spiced with cardamon) and dates served. Before sunset we descend to the wadi through a palm tree forest. There are aflaht (water-canals) along the path which irrigate the hanging gardens. What a paradisiac place.
07.03.18We have a kind of pan cake or French galette with date syrup for breakfast. Very tasty. Today's main attraction are the famous beehive graves at Al Ayn. Originally we were about to do a roundtrip, taking the gravel road which aparts from Wadi Ghul. Then we were somewhat scared of the road conditions and decide to take the motorway there and back. We stop at Bahla castle, the biggest brickearth fort in Oman. Next stop is the palace of Jabrin which is located not far from Bahla. It's told to be one of the most interesting castles. So we pay the entrance fee and go inside. A maze of corridors, alcoves, rooms, balconys. Very interesting and worth a visit indeed. Driving on motorways and good roads we reach Al-Ayn after an hour or maybe two. Approximately a dozen beehive alike piles of brick are lined up on top of a hill with the steep flanks of Jebel Misht in the background. Very impressive these thousands of years old tombs. We just walk into the site. There's no entry-fee, no guards, no fence. Back at Misfah we explore its Wadi once again. There is a footpath along the main Falaj which brings us deeper into the gorge. You could actually spend a full day or more to explore the region on the hike path with tour guide and donkey at a price.
08.03.18We stay another day in Misfah. Today's target is Jebel Shams. We take direction Jebel Shams Resort. The last 5 to 10km is gravel road. No need to use 4WD. The condition of the track is not too bad. Shortly before reaching the resort we turn right whereas the road to the left leads to the top, but is forbidden to the public. The peak area is military zone. Right after the resort there is a spot from where you have a stunning view down the Nakhar canyon, which is the so called Grand Canyon of Oman. From here you can see the balcony path which we are going to take. The road leads downwards to a village called Al Khitaym on a level of 1900m (Jebel Shams, the highest mountain in Oman measures 3009m). The 'Balcony Walk' is a highlight for Oman visitors. The path leads along a passage on the nearly vertical cliff to an abandoned village. The views are breathtaking. 300m above us is the plateau, 700m below us the Wadi Nakhar. The main path ends at the village. From there a trail leads to a natural pool which is located about 100m upstream. Some people take a swim. The hike takes about 5 hours all in all. It is an easy walk. Nevertheless good shoes are recommended. On the way back we stop at Al-Hamra and visit the old town. Its buildings are in a better shape than those of other towns. Quite many visitors stroll around. It is worth visiting Bait al Safah, a traditional citizen house. A young female guide shows us the rooms. Women are cooking and the host serves kahwa and dates.
09.03.18Nizwa's famous animal market takes place every Friday. We try to arrive early but can't make it before 10 a.m. We are too late apparently. Here some goats, there some chicken. The deals are made. The camels are on the vans, ready to return to their homes. Somewhat disappointed we head to the café where we were two days ago. Omani men with rifles, swords and knifes and standing around. On every table of the café a small armoury is exhibited for sale. The guys discuss, estimate, negotiate. What an extraordinary spectacle. Sometime before lunch we leave Nizwa behind us. The trip to Ibra takes about 3 hrs. We stay at Ibra hotel for about 50 USD, the least expensive accommodation on our trip. In the late afternoon we visit the old town which is situated at the other side of the dry riverbed. Less interesting than other old towns. Later we have dinner at an eatery. They serve huge portions of grilled meat. Just too much for the two of us.
10.03.18Not unhappy to leave Ibra behind us we arrive early at Al Wasil. That's where we get picked up by the Nomadic Desert Camp staff in about 5 hrs from now. We decide to drive to Wadi Bani Khalid which is an hour's drive away. Once in the valley, we park the car at the end of the road, walk along a falaj and get to a small lake with cristal clear water. There is a resort at the lake with restaurant and bathing facilities. We take the path which leads into the canyon. Deep water pools between steep rocks. We reach the famous cave. Flashlight on, I go inside. First I have to creep. Bats hanging on the walls. All of a sudden the air becomes thick and hot. I can hear the noise of a river. Another strait. Too adventurous for me. Fallback. Back at the natural pool, we have a swim and sunbath before we drive back to the meeting point. Half a dozen 4WD cars in a row get prepared to the sandy roads at Wahiba desert. We flatten the tyres. The convoy can start. Driving on the sandy track is like gliding on snow. Somewhat scary until you get used to it. The desert camp is half an hour's drive away from civilization. Inside a fence are bungalows without electricity for the guests. Toilets and showers are open-air. There is a nomadic tent with a fire-place. Carpets around the place. Cushions to lie down and observe the starry sky. But before dusk we have another car ride. A rally accross the dunes. Paris - Dakar. I get stuck somewhere. Accelerate backwards, accelerate forewards. I manage to manoeuvre the car out of the immersion. Later we stop at a camel ranch. What fascinating creatures. Smug, lordly, proud. Nobody can put them off their strides. After the camels the rally goes on. We stop at the feet of a dune, walk on top and wait for sunset. The guides boil kahwa. We make ourselves comfy around the fire with coffee and dates. Darkness sets in. Back at the camp we have a traditional beduine dinner under the starry sky.
11.03.18A full day in the desert. We have fresh camel milk for breakfast. Tastes like cow milk. Later we take a walk in the desert. Walking in the sand is awkward. Nevertheless we get used to it. Meet camels here and there. Somewhere we have a break under a lonely tree. Orientation is difficult. We don't know how far we walk. Things are closer than they seem. Back to the camp we get ready for the camel ride. Three hours on a camel back. Will I survive? The guide's beast is the most mulish, mine grazes wherever it finds a tussock. My wife's is the tamest. On top of the highest dune we have a break and wait for sunset. Another perfect day ends.
12.03.18We get up early for sunrise. The sand is humid. There is quite some life in the desert. Insects scramble around. After breakfast we drive back to Al Wasil. Get our tyres pumped and head direction sea. Two sites to be mentioned on the way to Ras al-Hadd. One is the fort of Bani Bu Hassan. We take a picture from the outside and take a glance through the portal. The guard invites us to go inside. It's fee of charge. So we enter the castle. Recently renovated with an attractive exposition. Really worth the visit. The gueard feeds us with brochures as we walk out. Once again we have experienced the famous Omani hospitality. The second site to be mentioned is the Hamoda Mosque at Bani Bu Ali with its 52 cupolas. After Bani Bu Ali in direction south to the sea the landscape becomes surreal. Desert, black topped mountains, beduine camps on both sides of the road. We arrive at the coast and drive up north. Some towns along the coast. Deserted beaches. We reach the Turtle Beach Resort hotel at Ras al Hadd in the early afternoon. Mordern, bungalow style rooms, a restaurant with terrace to the beach and a beach. We have a rest at the beach before dinner. Then we visit the turtle sanctuary Ras al-Jinz. It's a half an hours drive. At around 8 p.m. we arrive and pay an entrance fee of somewhat less than 20 USD. We are told to get the money back, in case there is no turtle arriving at the beach before 10 p.m. We wait an hour, then get the message of a sighting. In groups of a dozen people we wait our turn. The nightly walk to the beach takes about 15 minutes. Wait another 15 minutes until we are told to go to the spot where a turtle lays its eggs. No flashlight, no noise. We stand around the animal and watch how it lays about 100 eggs. After a couple of minutes we have to give access to the next group and walk to the second turtle which arrived somewhat later. At around midnight we are back at the hotel.
13.03.18This is our one and only full day at the beach.
14.03.18On the way up north we stop at Sur. It's a sleepy town. Some fishermen at Al-Ayjah. The dhow wharf is as abandoned as the wide beach. After taking some pictures we continue our journey. Next site is Wadi Tiwi. We drive into the valley. A narrow road, winding, steep. We enter a small village. Two-way traffic. Narrow alleys. I'm not experienced on such road-conditions and fall back. We leave Wadi Tiwi behind us without having spotted it. Wadi Shab is next door. We park our car below the motorway bridge, get a boat trip for 1 riel to the other side of the laguna and start our hike into the wadi. A dry river bed. No water. But then the canyon becomes narrow. Water pools. A river. We follow the river and have to leave our gear somewhere. The only way to get further in the wadi is by walking in the river-bed and swimming through the pools. We end up at a cave. You can only get inside by swimming. A hall with waterfalls and windows to the outside. No spot to stand, hold or sit down, so we get out of the dome quickly. Sama Wadi Shab resort is not far. Situated above a pebble beach. Quite overpriced for what you get. The restaurant is sterile, not inviting at all. The terrace overlooks the beach but the motorway on the other side is too noisy to feel comfy outside.
15.03.18Today's first stop on the drive to Sifah is the famous sinkhole: Bait al-Afreet. Not far from the coast there is a hole of about 40m diameter. It is 20m deep and has a pool inside. Its water is salty, sea water which reaches the place thourgh an underwater cave-system. Later we get to Quriat. No reason to stop here so we continue to Muscat. From there we drive back south again. The Sifawy Boutique Hotel is part of a new upper class holiday and residencial resort. A port, various pools, restaurants, shops, bars and a beach for residents and hotel guests only. Excellent price/quality ratio. We could easily stay more than just a night at this posh place.
16.03.18We enjoy the resort infrastructure before we check-out at noon. On the way back we stop again at Muscat and visit the national museum. Our last stay before going back home is Sundus Rotana hotel right at the airport. 5-star ambience in the outskirts. Lucky us, we are pleasantly surprised by one of the famous Omani dinner buffets. Sushi, local specialities, lobster, oysters, all sort of barbecue-meet, Italian, Asian food, a vast desert buffet and non alcoholic drinks for not more than 40 USD (there is an option which includes alcoholic beverages).
17.03.18Surprisingly I have a good sleep. We get up early and arrive at the airport well in advance. Returning the car takes hardly any time. The flight to London is smooth. Hethrow in fact is a nightmare airport. Little snowfall that day and one third of all flights are being cancelled, ours as well. So we have to wait two extra hours. Finally sitting in the plane it takes the pilot another hour to get through the de-icing procedure and onwards to the head of the runway. With quite a delay we get back home.