Mideast Journey Archives
Wedged between sea and sand on the SE corner of the Arabian Peninsula, Oman is an enlightened monarchy proud to be a staunch ally of the West. Tourism is a fast-developing enterprise in Oman, and for good reason: more than five hundred castles, fortresses and guard towers sprinkle the countryside; labyrinthine souks beckon with exotic fare; and throughout the country ancient history and culture hold great sway—not the least of which is the renowned hospitality of the desert tribes and their memorable Bedouin barbecues.

Nature vies for supremacy in Oman: spectacular mountains fringe great rippling dunal seas, deep gorges and fossil-strewn wadis dotted with robin's egg-blue springs lace the landscape, and high dragon-back ridges serrate the sky. Along the coast, rocky headlands linked by powdery-white beaches stretch more than a thousand miles to the Yemen border. In the interior, nature reserves shelter unique flora and fauna including the endangered Arabian Oryx. Oman is rich with secret and irresistible places—a country made for discovery.
THE CARTOGRAPHY
The Middle East
The Sultanate of Oman
The Strait of Hormuz

The United Arab Emirates

Formerly called the Trucial States, seven small independent principalities strung out along the Persian Gulf once struggled to eke out a living harvesting dates, diving for pearls and fishing. In the 1960s the British withdrew from their Indian Ocean territories, changing the geopolitics of the Arabian Peninsula. Prompted by discoveries of vast oil reserves and no longer constrained by foreign powers, the area's hereditary emirs and ruling families found common ground. In 1971 the seven mini-states emerged as the United Arab Emirates. Today the seven emirates of Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Ajman, Sharjah, Umm al-Quwain, Fujairah and Ras al-Khaimah constitute a federation flush with oil wealth and energized by a dynamic global commerce.

Traditional values, however, still prevail despite the dizzying pace of development that has produced in three decades the world's most modern infrastructure. The old and the very new are juxtaposed in the UAE, yielding a fascinating view of a country transformed.
for 2007...
OMAN & THE EMIRATES
RENDEZVOUS
DATE
JOURNEY/TRIP LEG
RENDEZVOUS
CITY
NO. OF
DAYS
GROUP
SIZE
TRIP
COST
January 8
 Oman & the Emirates
Dubai,
United Arab Emirates
14
12
$4,370 + air
HIGHLIGHTS
  • Cosmopolitan Dubai and the mix of ancient and modern in the Emirates;

  • Cruising the Gulf of Oman for four nights in a traditional Arab dhow with all the amenities;

  • World-class diving/snorkeling on reefs in the Gulf of Oman;

  • The jagged landscapes and fiords of Oman's remote Musandam Peninsula;

  • Sailing through the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow geopolitically-prominent chokepoint in the Persian (or Arabian) Gulf through which moves 70% of the world's oil;

  • Kumzar, a cliffside enclave of traders and fishermen at the very tip of the Musandam Peninsula;

  • "Wadi-bashing" in the Eastern Hajar Mountains through intensely picturesque gorges dotted with oases and turquoise-colored pools of water;

  • Sensory overload in the ancient souks of Muscat where medieval patterns of commerce govern trade in everything from frankincense to camel skins;

  • The mysterious lost (and found) city of Ubar in Oman's remote Dhofar Region;

  • The Rub' al Khali desert—the "Empty Quarter"—that unfolds seemingly without end into the vastness of Saudi Arabia, and national borders remain undefined;

  • Encountering Bedouins and traditional tribal peoples in desert enclaves of the Wahiba Sands;

  • Desert camping on clear, incredibly starry nights;

  • Watching Green Sea Turtles lay their eggs at night on remote Arabian Peninsula beaches
 
THE DAY-BY-DAY BRIEF
Day 1 (Rendezvous Day): Group members rendezvous in Dubai, tour the city in the morning and depart overland for the dhow port of Dibba in the Emirates on the Gulf of Oman close to the Oman border. Board a comfortable 12-passenger dhow with air-conditioned cabins and private facilities. Begin a 4-night cruise around the Musandam Peninsula through the Strait of Hormuz to Khasab, Oman with diving, snorkeling and landfalls enroute. Night aboard the dhow.

Day 2: Cruising and diving the Gulf of Oman. Night aboard the dhow.

Day 3: Cruising the Persian Gulf side of Musandam to Khasab. Night aboard the dhow.

Day 4: Cruising and diving the Gulf of Oman. Night aboard the dhow.

Day 5: Cruise to Dibba, disembark and proceed overland south to Muscat via Sohar along the Batinah Coast, with a stop at the Sohar Fort. Night in Muscat.

Day 6 Tour Muscat and environs: the Corniche, Sultan’s Palace, Grand Mosque, Jalali and Mirani forts, Muttrah souk and the Old Quarter. Visit the fortress at Nakhl; night in Muscat.

Day 7: Overland by 4WD to the wadis of the Eastern Hajar Mountains. Hiking in Wadi Shaab and Wadi Tiwi. Comfortable tent camp this night.

Day 8: Hiking from west to east in the Eastern Hajar Mountains, then overland to Ras al Hadd, the easternmost point of the Arabian Peninsula. Walk the beach after dark to observe female Green Sea Turtles hauling out and laying their eggs in the sand. Night in a permanent beach-side tent camp.

Day 9: Hiking in Wadi Bani Khalid and overland by 4WD into the 600'-high dunes of the Wahiba Sands. In a comfortable desert tent camp this night.

Day 10: Overland to the Bedouin oases of Jaalan Bani Bu Ali and Bani Bu Hassan, and to nearby desert fortresses. Continue to Nizwa to explore its souk, and to nearby Bahla Fort, the oldest fort in Oman and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Night in Nizwa.

Day 11: Return overland to Muscat. Depart late morning by air to Salalah, Oman's second largest city. Afternoon city tour and night in Salalah.

Day 12: Early morning departure for the Dhofar Region and the desert ruins of Ubar, the ancient frankincense capital of Arabia. Continue into the Rub al-Khali desert near Fasad; night camping in the mythical "Empty Quarter".

Day 13: Return overland to Salalah via Thumwaite and return to Muscat on an evening flight. Night in Muscat.

Day 14: Departure flights for home.
The Musandam Peninsula
THE GALLERY: ON LAND...
A Musandam Peninsula fort, Oman Mosque in Muscat, Oman
Nakhal Fort, Oman Omani and his camels
Muscat, Oman
Incense seller in a Muscat souk, Oman

Wadi-Bashing in the Hajars

Called "wadi-bashing" by the Omanis, the combination of hiking, wading and rock scrambling through the serpentine gorges of the Hajar Mountains has a great allure for all who seek out nature's magical places. Wadi Shaab is a fine example of a hidden redoubt rich with small palm-studded oases, inviting springs and wandering locals.
Overland in dunal Oman

Turtles Get No Privacy

At Ras al Hadd, Green Sea Turtles haul out throughout the year to lay their eggs on remote beaches at the eastern-most tip of the Arabian Peninsula.

In the Hajar Mountains, Oman
On the Musandam Peninsula, Oman
Wadi Shaab, Hajar Mtns, Oman
Arabian Oryx, Oman
Green Sea Turtle laying eggs
THE GALLERY: ...AND BY SEA
Cruising the Musandam Peninsula, Gulf of Oman
Typical Omani Musandam chartered cruising dhow
Cruising dhows at anchor off the Musandam Peninsula, Oman

Diving Oman

Oman's coastal islands such as the Daymaniyat Islands in the northern Arabian Sea and Gulf of Oman sites near Muscat are rich with marine life and offer outstanding diving. November through January is prime time when visibilities range up to 80' with an average water temperature of 83°F. Colorful soft and hard corals abound, reef sharks are common and huge schools of snapper and mackerel are a characteristic feature of many Omani dive sites. Bottlenose and spinner dolphins are frequent visitors, with opportunities to join them underwater.

Numerous whales and dolphins are seen in Omani waters from October through May
Standard double-occupancy cabin in the Calidex chartered dhow

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