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8 DAYS CLASSIC OMAN

Start in Port Moresby, with the National Museum and Nature Park providing a fitting introduction to your trip. Move on to Tari where you will be based at award-winning, eco-friendly Ambua Lodge set in a spectacular mountain landscape. Meet the flamboyant Huli Wigmen, with their extraordinary headgear. Take a charter flight down to the Sepik River, where you will be based at the wonderfully remote Karawari Lodge, a fine example of rustic comfort in the middle of the steamy lowlands. Learn about the painful rite of passage of crocodile scarification. Take another chartered flight back to the highlands, and settle in to the breathtaking Rondon Ridge, set above the town of Mt Hagen. Go on nature walks and meet even more intriguing tribes like the Polga Mudmen and the Chimbu Skeleton Men. Extend your trip to Rabaul to encounter the Baining fire dancers, view the active Tavurvur stratovolcano and its hot springs, and search for the past in the World War II wrecks.

ITINERARY DAY-TO-DAY

DAY

MUSCAT

Exploration the capital, Muscat. Discover the opulent Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque, Royal Opera House and Fish Market. Visit the traditional Muttrah Souk and the Old Town. Marvel at art and cultural treasures from the past at the new National Museum. Enjoy a sundowner Dhow cruise with views of Muscat’s promenade.

DAY

MUSCAT / NIZWA / BAHLA / JABRIN / JABAL AKHDAR

Visit Nizwa, the former capital of Oman, and explore the traditional souk famous for its silverware and pottery, before exploring the Nizwa Fort. Drive to Jabrin and visit the impressive 17th-century Ya’ruba-dynasty Jabrin Castle. Continue on to Bahla, and visit the monumental Bahla Fort, the country’s only UNESCO-listed fort. Explore the “green mountain” of Jabal Akhdar, and check in to your spectacularly-sited accommodation.

DAY

JABAL AKHDAR

The breathtaking mountain world of Oman has a lot to offer. Depending on your interests, you can explore the surroundings while hiking, mountain biking, or even rock climbing. Alternatively, you can simply soak up the tranquility by the pool and unwind with a massage in the excellent spa.

DAY

JABAL AKHDAR / EMPTY QUARTER

Set off into the desert today and on your way, stop by the ruined village of Birkat Al Mawz and admire the ingenuity of the UNESCO-listed Aflaj Irrigation System. Take another stop in Al Mudhaireb for its vibrant marketplace and gain an authentic insight into the life of the locals.

Reach the Wahiba Sands. Enjoy the mesmerizing camel ride into the sunset towards your "desert hotel". Indulge into the great variety of tastes that your private chef has to offer and relish absolute silence far away from civilization in this unique atmosphere

DAY

EMPTY QUARTER / MUSCAT / SALALAH

Today, drive towards the coast. Continue along the eastern Hadjar Mountains until you reach the palm-fringed Wadi Tiwi and Wadi Shab. Check out the Bimmah Sinkhole, a limestone crater formed thousands of years ago by the collapse of a subterranean river. Continue your journey by flying south to Salalah.

Optional Extension: 2 Days Turtle Viewing at Ras Al Jinz

DAY

SALALAH

Head east to the Dhofar region, and stop by Taqah Castle and the impressive ruins at Sumhuram. The adjoining port of Khor Rori was once an important trade centre and the main conduit for the export of frankincense. Drive by the Tomb of Bin Ali, an Islamic scholar. In Mirbat, the former capital of Dhofar, visit the old merchant houses, built in traditional Omani-style. Returning to Salalah, explore Ayn Razat Gardens , Al-Mughsail Beach and the Tomb of Prophet Ayub (Job).

DAY

SALALAH

Visit Al Balid Archaeological Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, home to ‘The Museum of the Frankincense Land’. Stop by the impressive Sultan Qaboos Mosque and Al Husn Palace. Next to the palace of the same name is the Al Husn Souk, famous for the sale of high-quality Frankincense.