Itineraries

Day 1:
Muscat – Wadi Bani Awf.

In the morning we’ll pick you up at your hotel and bring you to your cars. We will distribute the equipment, fuel up and do some last minute shopping before we head out.
Only 50 kilometers out of Muscat, there is a small sand dune area near Barka. This is an ideal place to stop and test the group’s sand driving skills. Our crew will evaluate your skills and teach you ways to improve. From here it is not far to Wadi Bani Awf, a beautiful mountain pass that crosses the Al Hajar Mountains. A small track with steep ascents leads to a dramatic landscape. You’ll also have the chance to admire the romantic town Balad Sayt at the halfway point. Somewhere along this mountain pass we’ll make camp at an altitude of 1500-2000 meters.

Day 2:
Wadi Bani Awf – Rub Al Khali.

We’ll exit the mountains and head straight towards the Rub Al Khali desert. This will take most of the day and we’ll make a few stops along the way for lunch and fuel. The landscape will become more and more desolate until there is almost nothing. Far on the horizon the first sand dunes become visible, dancing in the hot air as if they were just mirage. Depending on the route and weather conditions, we can enter the Rub Al Khali via the Umm As Samim (‘the mother of poison’), a huge clay and quick-sand field where clay crystallizes in large hexagon shapes. Alternatively, if entering the RAK from the south, we can visit the Salt Dome – a rarely visited geological feature in central Oman. At the end of the afternoon, we’ll enter the RAK where we’ll take it slowly to get customized to the terrain. We will make a first dune crossing and demonstrate how we create our driving strategy using navigation and scouting. Soon after that, we’ll set up our first desert camp and enjoy some food and the stars.

Day 3:
Rub Al Khali

Most people wake up around sunrise and take their time to enjoy a nice breakfast. We’ll then pack the cars and get on the move as it starts to get hotter and hotter. You’ll be doing the driving but you’ll be with one of our crew members who can teach you new driving skills or, if necessary, take over in a difficult section. Getting stuck is all part of the fun. Finding the best way (that is, the easiest way) to get free is very rewarding and, working as a group, it’s a great way to build team spirit. You will also come to appreciate the value of good route planning and navigation – and, if you’re really into that, we’ll let you lead the way.

Day 4:
Rub Al Khali

The last full day in the desert. You’ll now be more confident in desert driving so we’ll try some more challenging stuff. But there will still be plenty of time for taking pictures, sanitary stops, lunch and snack breaks. There’s definitely no rush! By the time we set up camp you will feel quite at home in the desert.

Day 5:
Rub Al Khali – Beach (Madrakkah, Rass al Hadd or White Beach).

At the end of the morning we’ll exit the RAK area and head to the ocean. We can pick from a number of our favorite spots depending on your wishes. One of the nicest spots on this route is ‘White Beach’ on the Gulf of Oman coast but there are a few other good spots on the Indian Ocean coast as well. We will camp on the beach and all enjoy that well deserved plunge in the deep blue – washing out tons of desert sand!

Day 6:
Beach – Muscat.

After a last dip in the ocean, we’ll head back towards Muscat. If time allows, we can visit a scenic nature site along the way such as Wadi Tiwi, Wadi Bani Khalid or the big sinkhole. We have to allow for some time in Muscat to return the cars which will give you the chance to check in at your hotel and freshen up. In the evening we’ll see you for drinks and a nice farewell dinner.

Day 1:
Salalah – Fazayah beach.

You’ll take the early morning flight from Muscat to Salalah where we’ll pick you up at the airport and take you to your cars. We will distribute the equipment, fuel up and do some last minute shopping before we head out. The very scenic coastal road with its hairpin curves goes down to Fazayah beach, the most beautiful one in Oman. We’ll camp here and enjoy a splash in the warm waters of the Indian Ocean. At night, the food on the grill and the salt spray of the ocean make a perfect match.

Day 2:
Fazayah – Wadi

After a good breakfast and a last dip in the sea, we’ll drive further along the Indian Ocean coast, stopping at some dramatic cliffs. Then we’ll head north into a barren wadi system, navigating through wide valleys over rocks and boulders. Somewhere in this wadi we’ll make up our camp.

Day 3:
Wadi – Rub Al Khali.

After exiting the wadi system, next stop is Al Mazyouna, a sleepy but pleasant border town where we’ll buy some last minute provisions (wood!) and fuel up. This place has that typical ‘middle of nowhere’ feeling. In the afternoon we’ll take a small road through this nowhere which will lead us straight into the Rub Al Khali. After two hours, the shimmering sand dunes of the RAK will be visible on the horizon, almost like a mirage. Once we hit the the sand, we’ll take it slowly to get you accustomed to the terrain. We’ll make our first dune crossing and demonstrate how we use navigation and scouting to put a route strategy together. Soon after, we’ll set up our first desert camp and enjoy food, drinks, good company and the stars.

Day 4:
Rub al Khali.

Most people wake up around sunrise and take their time to enjoy a nice breakfast. We’ll then pack the cars and get on the move as it starts to get hotter and hotter. You’ll be doing the driving but you’ll be with one of our crew members who can teach you new driving skills or, if necessary, take over in a difficult situation. Getting stuck is all part of the fun. Finding the best way (that is, the easiest way) to get free is very rewarding and, working as a group, it’s a great way to build team spirit. You will also come to appreciate the value of good route planning and navigation – and, if you’re really into that, we’ll let you lead the way!

Day 5:
Rub Al Khali

The last full day in the desert. You’ll now be more confident in desert driving so we’ll try some more challenging stuff. But there will still be plenty of time for taking pictures, pee breaks, lunch and snack breaks. There’s definitely no rush! By the time we set up camp, you will feel quite at home in the desert.

Day 6:
Rub Al Khali – Salalah.

At the end of the morning we will exit the desert. Depending on the time and the wishes of the group, we could visit the ‘lost city of Ubar’, an archeological site said to be the remains of an ancient trading town from where caravans left towards the Levant in ancient times. In the afternoon we will reach Salalah, ‘the green city’ where we can enjoy a coconut in streets shaded by banana trees. After a nice dip in the Indian Ocean and having washed out all (well, most!) of the sand, we’ll meet in the gardens of a nice ***** hotel for our farewell dinner.

Day 1:
Muscat – Rub Al Khali. Early morning pick up.

This is a relatively short trip so we’ll take the quickest route to the desert. In the morning we’ll pick you up at your hotel and take you to the cars. Cars will be fully equipped and fuel up, we might do some last minute shopping before heading out. It will take us half a day to reach the Rub Al Khali, arriving after lunch which gives us enough time to drive well into the dunes and set up camp. There will be plenty of time for photo breaks. In the evening we’ll pick a nice camping spot and setup camp together. We will take care of the fire, grill and drinks while you marvel at the night sky full of stars.

Day 2:
Rub Al Khali.

Most people wake up around sunrise and take their time to enjoy a nice breakfast. We’ll then pack the cars and get on the move as it starts to get hotter and hotter. We’ll be doing the driving – expect a thrill ride over the high dunes. Our crew members will explain how driving and navigation go hand in hand. Even our experienced crew can get stuck – but that is all part of the fun. Finding the best way (that is, the easiest way) to get free is very rewarding and, working as a group, it’s a great way to build team spirit. You will also come to appreciate the value of good route planning and navigation – and, if you’re really into that, we’ll let you lead the way! There’s definitely no rush! The teamwork of the day will be an inspiration for your discussion in the evening.

Day 3:
Rub Al Khali

The last day in the desert. You’ll now be accustomed to desert driving so we’ll try some more challenging stuff. But there will be plenty of time for taking pictures, toilet breaks and snack stops. After lunch, we’ll head out of the desert and transit straight to Muscat in order to get there before the evening. In Muscat, while we return the cars, you can check in to your hotel and freshen up. In the evening we’ll meet for drinks and a nice farewell dinner.

Specials

We can customize each trip according to your wishes. Set us a challenge!
Here are some ideas we would love to try out:

• Bring an astronomer (with his or her telescope) to give evening lectures about the universe.
• We can prepare a special trip for documentary makers, photographers, geologists and so on.
• An extreme trip travelling through the desert from Salalah to Muscat or even onwards to Dubai or Abu Dhabi.

About the hotels

We do not include the hotels in our pricing so you’re free to choose the ones you like best. But we can certainly help you make your selection and make a local booking for you – often at a reduced rate. We do recommend you take a 4 or 5 star hotel the first night (ideally located near the airport for convenience) and that groups should stay in the same hotel the night before a trip. After the trip you might be interested in staying in one of Muscat’s high-end luxury resorts.