We utterly fell in love with Oman. It is one of those destinations that completely surprises you with just how diverse it is. One day you are swimming through bright blue wadis, the next you are driving through vast desert landscapes, hiking in the mountains or wandering through ancient villages and forts. It is the perfect destination for an active adventure.
If you are planning a trip and want to experience the very best of the country, this two week Oman road trip itinerary covers all of our favourite places, stays and practical tips.
There are direct flights from the UK to Muscat on a daily basis.
I recommend hiring a 4 wheel drive high clearance car from one of the car rental providers at Muscat airport. This is necessary to access the desert and Jebel Shams.
October to March is the best travel window, with the most comfortable temperatures across the country. Peak season is January, so I would avoid that month if possible.
I would recommend a minimum of 10 days in Oman to really experience the beautiful and diverse landscapes of the country, but this itinerary is two weeks to allow for some relaxation time too.
Always carry local cash for tipping. Make sure you pack appropriate clothing which respects the local culture, especially as a woman. Loose linen trousers and shirts will become your staples. Water shoes and dry bags are essential for the wadis.
Day 1: Muscat
Day 2: Bimmah Sinkhole & Wadi Shab & Wadi Tiwi
Day 3: Wadi Hawer & Wahiba Sands
Day 4: Wahiba Sands
Day 5: Ibra, Birkat al Mouz & Jabal Akhdar Mountains
Day 6+7: Jabal Akhdar Mountains
Day 8: Misfat al Abriyeen & Jebel Shams
Day 9: Jebel Shams Balcony Hike
Day 10: Bahla Fort, Jabreen Castle & Nizwa
Day 11: Wadi Qurai & Muscat
Day 12: Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque
Day 13: Daymaniyat Islands
Day 14: Travel Home
Arrive into Oman and get yourself settled. I recommend heading straight to the car rental at the airport and hiring a four wheel drive, high clearance vehicle as this will be necessary to complete the road trip comfortably. Stay overnight in Muscat before the adventure really begins on day two.
Stay: The Chedi or Movenpick Muscat.
Get on the road, head out of Muscat and start driving towards the coastal town of Sur, making stops at three incredible swim spots.
Make sure you bring a dry bag, water shoes and appropriate clothing. I recommend swimming in a full coverage swimsuit, or putting a rash vest and shorts over the top of it.
Stay: Best Western Sur
Drive inland from Sur and head to Wadi Hawer. This is one of the more peaceful and underrated wadis in Oman, but it is definitely an adventure. I recommend either pre-booking a guide beforehand, or there are usually a few in the car park you can hire on the day. I would not recommend trying to navigate it alone, as it requires confident scrambling and route finding through challenging terrain. However, it is totally worth the effort.
Wadi Hawer was a highlight of our whole trip. It is truly one of the most beautiful places I have ever visited – with crystal blue pools and deep canyons surrounded by rugged mountains. It will take your breath away! Set aside around 4 hours to explore this wadi. Again, make sure you bring a dry bag, water shoes and appropriate clothing – I recommend putting a rash vest and shorts over your swimsuit as a woman.
If I were you, I would avoid nearby Wadi Bani Khalid. In our experience, it is busy, noisy and overdeveloped. Instead, continue on your adventure by driving into Wahiba Sands and stay at a desert camp. Try to arrive in time to enjoy the sunset from the dunes.
Stay: Desert Nights Resort
You can’t visit the Middle East without a desert experience! Wahiba sands is a huge area of rolling sand dunes, dotted with resorts and camps.
We set aside a full day to throw ourselves into all the activities you can do there, some of our highlights were:
All of these activities could be booked directly through our hotel. I would recommend avoiding camel rides or any form of animal tourism.
Stay: Desert Nights Resort
It’s time for a change of scenery! Leave the desert behind and drive up into the Jabal Akhdar mountains, otherwise known as the “green mountains”. This area was only opened to tourists around 20 years ago and has rapidly become a UNESCO protected region home to a series of gorgeous hiking trails.
On your drive up, I recommend stopping off at:
Once you’re in the mountains you’ll be staying at altitude, so make sure you have some layers packed. It can get chilly in the mornings and evenings. I recommend choosing a hotel which has a pool so you can hike in the mornings and relax in the afternoons.
Note: There is a checkpoint before you enter the Jabal Akhdar mountains where local authorities will check if you have a 4WD car.
Stay: Alila Jabal Akhdar or Sama Hotel.
The Jabal Akhdar mountains are rugged, wild and beautiful. They feel untouched and underrated. Two full days is just the right amount of time to experience the beauty of the region as there aren’t actually too many established hiking routes available.
These were our personal favourites:
If you have any spare time, you can also explore the ruined villages of Wadi Bani Habib and Al Aqr, Al Ayn, and Ash Shirayjah (the “three villages hike”) in this region.
Stay: Alila Jabal Akhdar or Sama Hotel.
Jabal Akhdar is only a small region of the Hajar mountains in Northern Oman, so I recommend also heading over and exploring another beautiful area, Jebel Shams.
On your drive across, stop off at Misfat Al Abriyeen. This was by far the most gorgeous village we visited throughout our time in Oman. It is another ancient spot, but this one isn’t in ruins. It has been largely maintained and is still home to a small local community.
It is a beautiful spot which is over 500 years old, with farmed terraces you can explore, a cute village with narrow alleys to wander and a smattering of family run shops where you can purchase locally made honey, pottery and crafts. Take a stroll through the streets and grab a coffee in a rooftop cafe. It is the perfect stop mid drive.
Note: The road up to Jebel Shams includes a section which isn’t tarmaced so this is the perfect time to engage your 4WD.
Stay: Jebel Shams Resort or Sama Heights.
Jebel Shams is actually the name of the highest mountain in Oman (3018m) but it is also given to the wider surrounding area. Jebel Shams itself towers over Wadi Ghul, a rugged canyon which plunges 1000m deep, otherwise known as the “Grand Canyon of Oman” – and it definitely lives up to that name!
I am not exaggerating when I say the Jebel Shams Balcony Hike is the most scenic trail in all of Oman. It’s a narrow trail along the edge of the canyon, around 10km long with minimal elevation gain, and non-stop views from start to finish.
It’s an out and back trail, with the furthest point being an abandoned village, terraced garden and a small pool surrounded by plenty of resident goats. The village is easy to find but making your way to the pool can be a challenge, so I recommend downloading the AllTrails route (the elevation on alltrails is incorrect) before you start and looking for the trail markers.
On the way back there’s a small cafe you can stop at for drinks and snacks with a view, so make sure you bring cash. I also recommend bringing some apples for the friendly goats, you’ll be their best friend!
After your hike, relax at your hotel and make sure you catch the sunset from the nearby sunset point. Or if you’re staying at Jebel Shams resort, just walk to the back of the property for a stunning sunset view.
Tip: Don’t park under the trees in the car park, as the goats will climb on your car to get to the leaves!
Stay: Jebel Shams Resort or Sama Heights.
It’s time to leave the mountains of Oman and head to the old capital of Nizwa, via a couple of very scenic stops.
Stay the night in Nizwa, head to Tamrah restaurant for dinner overlooking the fort and then spend your evening immersing yourself in the hustle and bustle of the souq. It’s a great place to pick up some gifts for friends and family.
Stay: Alaqur View Inn
The return journey to where it all began, Muscat, is on the cards today. But not before you stop off at one of my favourite hidden gem wadis, Wadi Qurai, an underrated swim spot nestled in a beautiful canyon.
It is a short and sweet hike (1.3km each way) to get to the main pool. The route itself mainly follows the falaj (water irrigation channel) but there’s also some scrambling required along the way so good footwear is recommended. Don’t just jump into the first pool you find, I recommend climbing up higher and higher until you make it to the main deep, large and crystal clear pool with plenty of ledges to jump in from.
We had the whole place to ourselves. It is absolutely gorgeous and the perfect spot to spend a couple of hours relaxing. It is worth noting that the canyon goes into shade at around 2pm so try to get there mid to late morning so you can make the most of the sunshine. You may also notice a sign saying no swimming, but we spoke to a local farmer at the entrance and he said it’s fine and all the locals swim there.
Stay: The Chedi or Movenpick Muscat.
Just off the coast of Muscat are a series of pristine tropical islands known as the Daymaniyat Islands. They are a protected nature reserve made up of nine small uninhabited islands. They only opened to tourists in 2013 as before this they were reserved exclusively for marine researchers and conservationists.
The islands are a known nesting location for sea turtles, which means there is an absolute abundance of them. I am talking, a ridiculous amount of turtles!! As an experienced scuba diver, I have never before seen so many turtles in one place – I literally had 14 grouped in front of me at once. Unbelievable!
I recommend booking into a shared or private island snorkelling tour, we went with Cruise Oman and our tour departed from Seeb Port which is easy to access with a car. The islands are reached by a short 30 minute boat ride from the mainland. Once you get there, you will visit a couple of snorkelling spots and then get dropped off on a beach. It is the perfect way to spend a day experiencing yet another of Oman’s diverse landscapes, this country really has it all!
Stay: The Chedi or Movenpick Muscat.
If there’s one place you really cannot miss in Muscat, it is the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque. It is one of the largest and most impressive islamic buildings in the world, capable of holding more than 20,000 worshippers. You can easily spend an hour or two walking around and appreciating the architecture. It is beautiful, ornate and totally pristine. I was absolutely blown away by it!
The mosque is open 8.30am-11am from Saturday to Thursday and entrance is free. Reaching the mosque is easy with a car and there is ample free parking on site. Modest dressing is required for both women and men. This means long pants and shirts for men, and loose fitting clothing which covers your whole body for women, including a head scarf. Abayas and scarves are available for rent or purchase at the entrance.
I recommend arriving at around 8am to have a more peaceful experience, and then you can be finished up by 10am and have the rest of your final day for relaxation at your hotel. You deserve it after a whirlwind trip!
Tip: If you want to cram more into your final day, then you can also visit the Muttrah Souqs.
Stay: The Chedi or Movenpick Muscat.
Your Oman adventure has come to an end! Catch a flight out of Muscat back home, and treasure all the incredible memories you have made.
If you liked this travel guide, then check out my guide and itinerary of Jordan.
Safe travels,
Zanna x
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