Tour Overview

Duration 13 Days / 12 Nights
Countries UAE (Dubai, Abu Dhabi), Oman (Muscat, Jabrin, Wahiba)
Route Dubai โ†’ Abu Dhabi โ†’ Muscat โ†’ Jabrin โ†’ Jebel Shams โ†’ Misfah โ†’ Wahiba Sands โ†’ Ras Al Jinz โ†’ Muscat
UNESCO Sites 3 (Bahla Fort, Bat Tombs, Ras Al Jinz Turtle Reserve)
Tour Type Private Tour
Price From US$2,440 per person

Data source: aroundegypttours.com โ€” verified real itinerary

Days 1-3: Dubai & Abu Dhabi โ€” The United Arab Emirates

Day 1: Arrive Dubai. Evening at Dubai Marina.

Day 2: Dubai highlights โ€” Burj Khalifa (world’s tallest building), Dubai Mall, Gold & Spice Souks, abra ride on Dubai Creek, Al Fahidi Historical District. Evening Dubai Fountain show.

Day 3: Abu Dhabi day trip โ€” Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque (a masterpiece of Islamic architecture with the world’s largest hand-knotted carpet), Louvre Abu Dhabi (floating dome museum), Emirates Palace, and the Corniche.

Day 4: Fly to Muscat, Oman โ€” Arabia’s Hidden Gem

Fly to Muscat (1hr). Oman offers a completely different Arabian experience โ€” traditional, understated, and deeply authentic. Unlike its flashy neighbor, Oman has preserved its heritage and natural beauty.

  • Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque โ€” Oman’s magnificent main mosque featuring a 21-tonne Swarovski crystal chandelier and the world’s second-largest hand-woven carpet (4,343 sq meters, woven by 600 women over 4 years)
  • Royal Opera House Muscat โ€” One of the finest opera houses in the Middle East, a stunning blend of Omani and Italian architecture
  • Mutrah Souq โ€” One of the oldest marketplaces in Arabia, a labyrinth of narrow alleyways selling frankincense, silver jewelry, Omani halwa (traditional sweet), and antiques. The scent of frankincense โ€” Oman’s most famous export for 5,000 years โ€” fills the air
  • Mutrah Corniche โ€” Sunset walk along the picturesque waterfront

Day 5: Muscat โ€” Forts, Palace & Coastal Beauty

  • Al Alam Palace โ€” The Sultan’s ceremonial palace with its distinctive blue and gold mushroom-pillar facade, flanked by the 16th-century Portuguese forts of Al Jalali and Al Mirani
  • Bait Al Zubair Museum โ€” A private museum showcasing Omani heritage: traditional weapons, jewelry, costumes, and reconstructed village interiors
  • Qantab Beach & Yiti โ€” Relax on Oman’s pristine coastline with dramatic mountain backdrops

Day 6: Nizwa โ€” The Cultural Heart of Oman

Drive inland (1.5hrs) to Nizwa, Oman’s former capital and cultural center.

  • Nizwa Fort โ€” Oman’s most visited national monument, a 17th-century castle with a massive circular cannon tower offering 360ยฐ views of the date palm oasis and Hajar Mountains. The fort’s ingenious defensive system included boiling date syrup poured through “murder holes” onto attackers
  • Nizwa Souq โ€” Famous for its Friday cattle market where traders in traditional dress haggle over goats and camels. The silver souq is renowned for handmade Omani khanjars (ceremonial daggers)
  • Bahla Fort โ€” UNESCO World Heritage site, a 13th-century mud-brick fortress that’s one of the largest in Oman, surrounded by a 12km wall. Local legend says it was built by jinns (spirits)

Day 7: Jabrin Castle & Jebel Shams โ€” Oman’s Grand Canyon

  • Jabrin Castle โ€” Oman’s most beautiful castle (17th century), a three-story palace with painted wooden ceilings, intricate stucco work, and hidden rooms. The castle was a center of learning for Islamic law, medicine, and astronomy
  • Jebel Shams (Mountain of the Sun) โ€” Oman’s highest peak at 3,009m, offering staggering views of Wadi Ghul โ€” the “Grand Canyon of Arabia” โ€” plunging 1,000m below. The Balcony Walk trail runs along the canyon rim for spectacular views
  • Misfat Al Abriyeen โ€” A 300-year-old mountain village with stone houses, terraced gardens, and an ancient falaj irrigation system (UNESCO intangible heritage). Walk through narrow alleyways and date palm groves

Day 8: Wahiba Sands โ€” The Desert Experience

  • Drive to the vast Wahiba Sands, a sea of golden dunes stretching 180km long. The shifting sands โ€” some rising 100m high โ€” were home to explorer Wilfred Thesiger, who crossed the Empty Quarter in the 1940s
  • Dune Bashing & Camel Ride โ€” Experience the thrill of driving up and down massive dunes in a 4×4. Ride a camel at sunset as Bedouins have for millennia
  • Bedouin Family Visit โ€” Share cardamom coffee with a Bedouin family in their traditional goat-hair tent. Learn about desert survival, camel husbandry, and the Bedouin code of hospitality that has sustained life in Arabia’s harshest environment for thousands of years

Overnight: Desert camp under the stars.

Day 9: Wadi Bani Khalid โ€” Desert Oasis

  • Wadi Bani Khalid โ€” One of Oman’s most beautiful wadis (valleys). Crystal-clear emerald pools are fed by natural springs and surrounded by date palms and rugged cliffs. Swim in the cool water, explore small caves, and enjoy a picnic in this desert paradise
  • Drive to the eastern coast. Evening at leisure on the beach

Day 10: Ras Al Jinz โ€” Turtle Reserve

  • Ras Al Jinz Turtle Reserve โ€” One of the most important nesting sites for the endangered Green Turtle in the Indian Ocean. During the night excursion (guided), watch female turtles haul themselves ashore, dig nests, and lay 100+ eggs. With luck, you’ll witness hatchlings emerging and scrambling toward the sea โ€” a deeply moving natural spectacle
  • Sur โ€” Visit the traditional dhow-building yard where wooden ships are still constructed by hand using centuries-old techniques. Sur was once one of the busiest ports on the Arabian Sea, trading with East Africa and India

Day 11: Coastal Road to Muscat

  • Drive the scenic coastal road back to Muscat (3hrs). Stops include:

    Wadi Shab โ€” A spectacular gorge with turquoise pools (45-min hike + short swim to a hidden waterfall inside a cave)

    Bimmah Sinkhole โ€” A stunning limestone sinkhole filled with brilliant turquoise water, connected to the sea by an underground channel
  • Afternoon free in Muscat for last-minute shopping

Day 12: Muscat to Dubai

Fly back to Dubai. Afternoon at leisure โ€” revisit favorite spots, shop at the Dubai Mall (Tax-Free!), or relax at Jumeirah Beach. Farewell dinner at a restaurant overlooking the Dubai Fountain.

Day 13: Departure from Dubai

Transfer to Dubai Airport. You’ve experienced the two faces of Arabia โ€” Dubai’s futuristic ambition and Oman’s timeless traditions, the skyscrapers and the Bedouin tents, the air-conditioned malls and the desert breeze carrying the scent of frankincense. Ma’a salama โ€” go in peace.

Inclusions

  • โœ… 12 nights accommodation (Dubai hotels, Muscat hotels, desert camp)
  • โœ… Professional English-speaking guides in UAE and Oman
  • โœ… All entrance fees to listed attractions
  • โœ… Airport transfers
  • โœ… Private 4WD vehicle in Oman (required for desert and mountain driving)
  • โœ… Private vehicle in Dubai
  • โœ… Daily breakfast
  • โœ… Flight: Dubai โ†’ Muscat, Muscat โ†’ Dubai
  • โœ… Wahiba Sands dune bashing + camel ride
  • โœ… Ras Al Jinz guided turtle watching
  • โœ… Bedouin family visit
  • โœ… Burj Khalifa “At the Top”

Exclusions

  • โŒ UAE and Oman visa fees
  • โŒ International flights
  • โŒ Travel insurance
  • โŒ Lunch and dinner (except where specified)
  • โŒ Tips
  • โŒ Personal expenses

Why Oman?

While Dubai grabs headlines with superlatives, Oman offers Arabia’s soul. No skyscrapers are permitted above 10 stories in Muscat (by royal decree). Forts are meticulously restored, not demolished. Wadi pools are pristine, not developed. The Bedouin hospitality is genuine, not packaged. Oman is what the Arabian Peninsula was before oil changed everything โ€” and it’s one of the safest, most welcoming countries in the Middle East. For travelers seeking the true Arabia, Oman is essential.

asiawondertours
Travel Writer & Explorer

Passionate travel writer sharing authentic experiences from around the globe.