Amman To Muscat (35 Days)

DAY 1-3: MUSCAT TO DESERT CAMP Welcome to Oman. Your first day is a free day for you to arrive, check in to your Hotel and introduce yourself to the local area. You can meet your Tour Leader and your group this evening. On Day 2, you will have your Pre-Departure Meeting in the morning. Muscat is beautifully situated on the coast, and we'll take a city tour to pack in the various highlights, including the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque, The Royal Opera House, Mutrah Souq, and the National Museum. Sur is our next stop to see the traditional dhows and fish market, before checking out some of the beautiful white-sand beaches nearby. We head to Wadi Shab for a short hike and swim in the natural pools, then continue to Ras Al Jinz beach where we will spend the night to try and spot some of the endangered green turtles that favour the region. DAY 4-6: WADI BANI KHALID TO IBRA We head to explore the stunning Wadi Bani Khalid this morning, before heading out into the desert tonight - let's enjoy camping under the stars after a spectacular sunset over the sand. We will then travel to Ibra, one of the oldest cities in Oman. Also home to some of the largest tribes in the country, Ibra is known for its beautiful handicrafts and the best silver jewellery in the country - a good place for shopping! Tonight we'll enjoy an Omani traditional feast with a tribal leader. DAY 7-9: NIZWA TO JEBEL SHAMS We'll then travel to Nizwa, the "Pearl of Islam". Famous for producing exquisitely crafted silver - especially the curved dagger, the khanjar - make sure you visit the souq for anything and everything! You will get to enjoy the cooler climate as we head into the Hajar mountains. Jebel Shams (Mountain of the Sun) is the country's highest peak, and you'll have the opportunity to trek the Balcony Walk for views of Oman's own "Grand Canyon of Arabia", Wadi Ghul. DAY 10-14: OMAN TO RIYADH After a couple of nights staying at Omani farms, we continue our cultural adventure with stops at Jabreen Castle and the formidable Bahla Fort. Bahla is one of Oman's oldest towns and is famous for its incredible fortress that dates back to the 13th century. Our final stop in Oman is to visit the UNESCO ancient beehive tombs at Bat and Al Ayn in Wadi Hajir. Crossing into Abu Dhabi, we'll follow the coast around The Gulf, and find somewhere to camp overnight beachside. Our first stop in Saudi Arabia is the largest oasis on earth which produces one of the biggest yields of dates in the world. While you're sampling the famous fruit, it's also worth reading up on Al Hofuf's history; as one of the main cultural centres in the Kingdom, its university was one of the first to accept female students. We head to the dazzling lights of Saudi Arabia's capital next. we take a 4 x 4 desert safari trip into the Empty Quarter, where you can gaze at the awe-inspiring dunes and strain your eyes for the elusive Arabian leopard. A harsh yet romantic landscape, it's like nowhere else on earth. We will return to Riyadh for a night after the desert. DAY 15-17: RIYADH TO ABHA From a mud-brick walled oasis town along desert trading routes, Riyadh - which means "garden" in Arabic - is now one of the richest cities in the world. You can explore the world-class museums, travel up the sky bridge or enjoy the many great cafes and restaurants. We then head up into the hills and the cooler climate as we climb higher to get to Abha which will be our base for a few nights. DAY 18-22: ABHA TO JEDDAH Abha, described as being the country's most bohemian town, it's a world away from the Saudi we've experienced so far. You can visit Al Muftaha village, a cultural gem famous for its calligraphy graffiti, and head out to explore the hanging villages of Aseer National Park. You might like to use your other free day to head South to the stunning Farasan Islands, visiting pearl merchants on land or the incredible marine life under the sea. Our next stop is Taif, still up in the hills and the cooler climate. Visit the largest souq in Saudi Arabia and sample the fresh fruits the region is famous for. Keep a lookout for the wild baboons that populate the roadsides as we travel to Jeddah, the most cosmopolitan, liberal city in the Kingdom. DAY 23-24: JEDDAH TO MEDINA The city's architecture in Jeddah takes inspiration from Rea Sea's spectacular underwater coral, and you can spend your time here exploring a more laid-back Saudi, the souqs or perhaps you might fancy some scuba diving - use your free time as you choose! From here we head to Medina, the "City of the Prophet". Medina is where the founder of Islam, Muhammed, was given refuge after being forced from Mecca. While the central area of the city is off-limits to non-Muslims, we are still able to visit many major sites and our guide will help explain different sections in more detail. DAY 25-26: MEDINA TO TAYMA Today we head to explore the other Nabataean masterpiece, the incredible Madain Saleh, often dubbed the "second Petra", but many believe it to be better than Petra. There are some great photo opportunities with the red rock mountains contrasted against the black basalt. Travelling onwards, we visit the oasis of Tayma, the oldest known settlement in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and possibly the entire Arabian Peninsula. The Oasis owes its existence to the natural wells that still exist today - the Haddaj Well dates back as early as the 6th century! DAY 27-28: TABUK TO JEBEL AL LAWZ Our next stop is Tabuk, an ancient stop for hajj pilgrims travelling to Mecca. The Ottomans controlled Tabuk and the pilgrimage routes that led here for centuries - remains such as the old Hejaz railway and Tabuk Castle serve as reminders. We'll have a free day to explore the area - be sure to visit the souqs for handicrafts or some good food. We then visit Neom, Saudi Arabia's futuristic mega-city, to see if they have managed to produce artificial clouds for rain or holographic teachers - and whether the estimated $500billion project really will be worth it! Tonight, we'll camp at Jebel Al Lawz, or "Mountain of Almonds" in Arabic. It's one of the only places in the country to receive snow and is famous for some interesting rock paintings. For the energetic amongst us, there will be time to climb to the top of this particular Jebel. DAY 29-30: JEBEL AL LAWZ TO WADI MUSA As we enter Jordan, we head to the bustling seaside town of Aqaba to explore the market and stock up on supplies. We leave the truck for 4 x 4s and take a jeep safari to the colourful sands of Wadi Rum. It was here, in his desert hideaway that Lawrence of Arabia organised the Arab Revolt against the Ottomans and learnt to ride camels with the best of them. Since Lawrence wrote the Seven Pillars of Wisdom this incredible desert landscape has become renowned for its stark geographical beauty. We'll spend the night gazing at the star-studded night sky in the desert, before heading to Wadi Musa the next day. DAY 31: PETRA We will spend 2 nights in Wadi Musa, the town that nestles above Petra, giving you a full day at Petra, and enough time if you wish to visit Little Petra. What can we say about this Nabataean masterpiece that has not already been stated in thousands of guidebooks? Suffice to say it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the new SEVEN WONDERS OF THE WORLD. DAY 32-33: KERAK TO DEAD SEA The next stop is Kerak, where we'll visit the ancient Kerak Crusader Castle, one of the main highlights of Jordan. Here Crusader knights from Europe battled with the Islamic armies of Saladin. From here we head to the Dead Sea, where you have the chance to cover yourself in Dead Sea mud or try to float in the salty water. DAY 34-35: DEAD SEA TO AMMAN From the Dead Sea, we head to our final stop, Amman. ​We will stay in Mandaba, which has been inhabited for 4500 years. We will have a walking tour of the town and visit St. Georges Church, which boasts a Byzantine mosaic floor map of the holy land - the oldest in existence. There are many other archaeological sites from the Israelites and Romans as well as 6th and 7th-century churches. You will have a choice of an optional city tour of Amman or a visit to Mount Nebo. Your trip ends in the morning after breakfast.