(A UNIT OF NOVA GROUP OF COMPANIES)

NOVA TRAVEL

Muscat enchants visitors in a way that no other city in the Gulf can even begin to match. The old port area, is the site of the sultan's main palace and a fascinating place to wander around. There are three forts in Muscat, all of which took on their more or less present form in the 1580s during the Portuguese occupation of Muscat. Mutrah Fort sits on a hill while Jalali and Mirani forts guard the entrance to Muscat. All of the forts are still used by the police and/or military and are closed to the public, but it is permitted to photograph them. Muscat has by far the best aquarium in the Gulf; all of the specimens on display are native to Omani waters and most are accompanied by thorough descriptions in English

Salalah is the capital of Dhofar province, which is the southern region of the Sultanate of Oman. Lovely parks and groves of banana, papaya, watermelon and vegetables give the city a tropical atmosphere and have earned it the name Garden City. Along the coast lie miles of uncrowded beaches, bordered by a brilliant blue sea. Other attractions include ancient forts, archaeological sites, fishing villages and the tombs of prophets. While it is mainly the rugged landscape and the beaches that appeal to visitors with a penchant for unspoiled locales, the modern and fast-growing city offers an interesting museum, architectural highlights such as the Al Husn Palace and colourful, bustling souks, where everything from frankincense and fragrant perfumes to gold and silver jewellery is sold. Most of all, Salalah has to be appreciated as an off-the-beaten-track location and for the uniqueness that marks the Dhofar region

Itinerary 9 Days

Day 1: Fly to Muscat
Arrive Muscat by afternoon and rest of the day at Leisure

Overnight : Hotel Accommodation in Muscat
Meals : Dinner

Day 2: Muscat

Guided tour of Muscat to see the Natural History Museum, which houses an array of fascinating items including a whale hall that contains a display of skeletons, skulls and bones of whales of all different types and sizes.Visit the privately run Bait Adam Museum for a welcome lunch and private tour with a curator or family member. Remainder of the day at leisure. 
Overnight : Hotel Accommodation in Muscat
Meals : Dinner

Day 3: Muscat • Jebel Akhdar • Bahla

Visit Jebel Akhdar (Green Mountain), in the northern part of the Hajar mountains, to admire the dramatic and breathtaking views of the Wadi Ghul, Oman’s Grand Canyon. Jebel Akhdar is notably renowned for its aromatic, pink roses from which rosewater is produced. Continue to Bahla, an ancient town famous for its ceramics, and visit Jabrin fort, the best preserved and most whimsical fort in Oman, to admire the richly decorated ceilings that contain many original floral motifs. (B)
Overnight : Hotel Accommodation in Muscat
Meals : Dinner

Day 4: Muscat

In the morning, visit the magnificent Grand Mosque*, built from 3,000,000 tonnes of Indian sandstone with a dome rising 50 metres above the floor. Pass the old merchant houses and see the Sultan’s Palace and the forts of Al Jalali and Mirani. Continue to Bait Al Zubair, a family-owned museum displaying Omani artefacts considered to be some of the finest in private ownership. The extensive collection includes ancient weapons such as the khanjar, costumes and household equipment. In the afternoon, explore the newly designed National Oman Museum. Although the museum is still under construction, its large collection has fantastic silver ornaments, copper crafts and samples from Omani ships that will immerse you in the history, culture and heritage of the sultanate. (B)
Overnight : Hotel Accommodation in Muscat
Meals : Dinner

Day 5: To Sur

Drive to Sur along a dramatic coastal road. On arrival, explore the harbour to see traditional boat-building yards, the Maritime Museum and Sunaysilah castle, before visiting the excavation of a 10th-14th century AD Islamic settlement at Ras al Hadd. In the evening, visit Ras al Jinz nature reserve to see the project that aims to protect endangered green turtles.
Overnight : Hotel Accommodation in Muscat
Meals : Dinner

Day 6: Fly to Salalah

Return to Muscat. En route, visit the town of Jalan Bani Bu Ali, filled with shops and attractions, including the famous souk in the south of the town that sells both traditional and modern goods. Stop at Wadi Bani Khalid, famed for its natural beauty with its picturesque mountain pools. Afternoon flight from Muscat to Salalah.
Overnight : Hotel Accommodation in Salalah
Meals : Dinner

Day 7:Salalah

Day at Leisure

Overnight : Hotel Accommodation in Salalah
Meals : Dinner

Day 8: Salalah & surrounds

Visit to the tranquil archaeological site of Khor Rori, the ancient port city of Moscha where frankincense was once exported and the Queen of Sheba reigned. Continue to the town of Mirbat where you can admire the old wooden merchant houses and the town’s fort, made famous by the Battle of Mirbat during the Dhofari insurrection of the 1970s. Proceed to the tomb of the Islamic scholar, Muhammad Bin Ali. The tomb itself is a small white mosque with two onion-shaped domes to cover the tomb. You will then visit the scenic Mughsail Bay, which ends in a set of dramatic cliffs that stretch towards the Yemeni border. In the evening, explore the Al Husn souk, one of the most fascinating souks in Oman that is particularly famous for its frankincense, attar and bukhoor (perfumes). (B)
Overnight : Hotel Accommodation in Salalah
Meals : Dinner

Day 9: Empty Quarter desert

Begin the morning at J ob’s Tomb, regarded as one of the most important religious sites in Dhofar. Continue to the Rub’al Khali, or the Empty Quarter, an immense desert covering about 650,000 sq km. Here you will visit the recently excavated Shishar, fabled lost city of Ubar. Enjoy lunch in a bedouin tent on the edge of the desert. In the afternoon, drive to the Fassad water holes, located on the Yemeni border. Evening farewell dinner.
Overnight : Hotel Accommodation in Salalah
Meals : Dinner

Day 10: Fly to back home via Muscat

Morning transfer to the airport for return flight to back homer via Muscat.

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Oman: Land of Frankincense