Salalah Tours Oman

SALALAH TOURS

Half day – Salalah City

This tour will give you a variety of old and modern culture of the region. We drive through the greenery of coconuts, Banana and Papaya plantations. The visit to the Museum gives an introduction to the history and culture of Dhofar. In the Heritage Souk, you can find different types of Omani crafts and incense burners. Visit of the New Souk will give you an exact view of the Arabian market. Drive to the Gold souk offers modern and olden style Dhofari ornaments. On the way to Al Hafa, you can see some typical Dhofari houses with caravan windows and doors. Walking past the Sultan’s residential palace Al Husn, reaches to the Old Souk where Frankincense, Dhofari traditional clothes and cosmetics are available. Before returning to the hotel, visit the ancient city of Zufar, the ruins of Al Balid, which was visited by Ibn Batuta and Marco Polo, describing it as a ‘beautiful, large and noble city’.

Half day – The Best of the West

Drive across the Qara mountains where you can see the real beauty of Dhofar mountains. Stop at Job’s tomb, where the remains of the Islamic prophet possibly identified as Job of the Old Testament can be found. From here you can see a unique panoramic view of the Al Garbib Plain. The tour continues towards Mughsayl. You pass by frankincense trees and can stop and smell the aroma of the holy incense. You will reach the magnificent sandy beach outlined by sculptured cliffs and blowholes where plumes of water can reach a height of 30m or more. The view up the coast where the mountains drop in to the sea is magnificent. Visit Mughsayl and Salalah Bird sanctuaries.  Drive on the new road towards Yemen before returning to the hotel.

Half day – Splendours of the East

Drive towards east. We pass the Royal Farm and Marmura Palace on the way to Taqa, the village is famed for Sardines and Fertilizers. Here you can see an interesting castle. East of Taqa lies the ruins of Sumhurum (Khor Rori), where the legendary palace of Queen Sheba is believed to have been. Khor Rori was also a port for Frankincense trade. A drive along the coastal road takes you to the old city of Arabian horses and Slave trade, Mirbat. After a photo stop at Bin Ali Mosque, built in the 14th century, visit Mirbat Castle and the Old Merchant Houses, which is similar to Yemeni architecture with its carved doors and windows. Returning to Salalah, we continue through the home of Jebalis with their camel and cattle herds. At the foot of the Qara mountains, we reach a natural spring of Ain Razat which is a beautiful park surrounded by hills.

Full day – Salalah East and West Combination (excludes lunch)

4WD trip – Full Day – Wadi Ayun (includes picnic lunch)

We drive through a scenic route in the mountains. We reach a forested valley and one of the beautiful springs at the foot of Jabal Qara: Ain Garziz. Drive up to Nabi Ayyub. Here you will find a Mosque and Tomb with a breathtaking view over the Salalah plain. Continue through the mountain after passing by few villages. In this area, you will see the Frankincense Trees growing. Picnic lunch. Later you will reach the magnificent deep blue-green pool of Wadi Ayun. The deep wadi cut into the barren hills running northwards. Return to Salalah via Qairum Herti. Proceed toward South to have a spectacular view of the thick woodlands and Salalah plain. Return to the hotel.

4WD trip – Full Day – Wadi Darbat (includes picnic lunch)

Drive towards east of Salalah and visit the Taqa Castle, a fortified house of the Wali and Typical Dhofari Houses with carved doors. Continue through the mountain down to Wadi Darbat: there is a lovely lake which falls a 500ft vertical drop over. This is one of the world’s magnificent natural phenomena. In Darbat caves, see paintings and inscriptions. Enjoy a picnic lunch and later find out Twai Atayr Sink hole with 211 metres depth and 130 metre width. This is a magnificent site for bird watching and its major attraction is the sound of singing birds. On the way back to Muscat, visit Ain Hamran excavation site. Return to hotel.

4WD Trip- Full day – Empty Quarter and Lost City (includes picnic lunch)

Drive across the Qara Mountains and on to the Nejd area of Dhofar. We make a brief stop at Thumrait. We drive further to the daunting Empty Quarter or Rub Al Khali. Here we find high sand dunes that rise to a height of 250 metres and above. From here, we drive to the lost city of Ubar, which was buried in the sands. We will have lunch at Thumrait. On our return to Salalah, we pass by Frankincense trees. Return to hotel.

4WD Trip- Overnight Camping – Empty Quarter and Lost City (full board basis)

Above Salalah tour rates include:
* Land transport in air conditioned vehicle as per the itinerary
* Salalah City Hotels Pick-up & Drop-off
* Bottled water and soft drinks during excursions
* English speaking driver / guide

Above Salalah tour rates exclude:
* Entry fees to forts and museums – please see above for supplements
* Meals unless mentioned – please see above for supplements

SALALAH TOUR from Muscat – 4 days / 3 nights – SAMPLE PROGRAM

Day 1 Muscat – Salalah

Early morning at 9.00am we will drop you off at the Muscat airport to take your flight to Salalah at 10.40am. Salalah, the capital of a region with a tormented history, door of Hadramaout and the Joyful Arabia was for a long time a direct link with neighbouring Yemen and commercially enriched specially with frankincense. On reaching Salalah we will drive you to the Crowne Plaza Hotel. Rest of the day at leisure.
Overnight at Crowne Plaza Hotel, Salalah.

Day 2 Tour of West Salalah – Al Mughsayl – Salalah

Morning at leisure. We will pickup you up in the afternoon at 2.00pm and drive through the Dhofar region. From the coast line to the mountain side the soil is fertile due to the summer monsoon because the winds from the sea are stopped by the barrier of Samana and mainly Qarah mountains. We will visit Nabi Ayoub’s tomb, where the remains of the Islamic prophet are buried. He is identified as Job of the Old Testament. From here you can see a unique panoramic view of the Al Garbib plain and Salalah. As the tour continues towards Mughsayl we will pass by Frankincense Trees. Stop and smell the aroma of the holy incense and later reach the magnificent sandy beach outlined by sculptured cliffs and blow holes, where plumes of water can reach a height of 30 meters. The Mughsayl bird sanctuary is stop over resting point and home to several species of migratory birds. Return to hotel by late evening.
Overnight at Crowne Plaza Hotel. (B)

Day 3 Tour of East Salalah – Salalah – Taqa – Mirbat – Jebel Samhan

After breakfast we visit the ruins of Al Balid (can be seen from outside), which was visited by Ibn Battuta and Marco Polo. From here we go to the New Souk and the Gold Souq, which offer modern and old style Dhofari ornaments. We pass the Royal Farm and Mamura palace on the way to Taqa. This village is famous for sardines and fertilizer. We can also see interesting castles. We will discover the eastern coastal part of Dhofar and the Djebel Samhan. Some kilometres away from Salalah in the East of Taqa lies the ruins of Samhurum (Khor Rohri), where the legendary palace of Queen Sheba was believed to be and was the port of huge frankincense trade towards the Mediterranean sea. The ruins of the city can partly be seen, and dominates a beautiful bay cut from the sea by a barrier of sand. After a photo stop at Bin Ali Mosque, built in 14th century. We visit the ancient houses of Mirbat which are similar to Yemeni architecture with its carved doors, windows and Mashribiya and its port. Later we will move on a track along a wadi with water before reaching the plain of Djebel Samhan. The line at the edge opens the view on the plain of Mirbat at approximately 1000 meters below. It is a splendid panorama. Afternoon at leisure.
Overnight at Crowne Plaza Hotel. (B)

Day 4 Salalah – Muscat

Early morning at 11.30am we will drop you off at the Salalah airport to take your flight to Muscat at 1.05pm. On reaching Muscat we will drive you to your hotel. (B)

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