Oman and the Treasures of the UAE – Al Ain and Dubai with excursions included

Visit the red desert of Wahiba and the charming Wadi Bani Khalid
OMAN,OMAN (AS)
Included in price

Depart for the endless red Wahiba Desert and the enchanting Wadi Bani Khalid. Stop in the area of Birkat Al Mauz “Banana Basin” and date palm plantations where we will see the irrigation system of the type of falaj. Translated from Arabic, it means “dividing into parts” which effectively distributes water among all the inhabitants. In 2006, five of Oman’s irrigation systems were added to UNESCO’s list of World Heritage Sites.We continue our journey by jeep.

Wadi means valley in Arabic. Wadi Bani Khalid is one of the most famous places in Oman that attracts local and foreign visitors throughout the year. It is a natural and stunning desert oasis, with transparent green pools of natural spring water amidst rocks and date palms, in complete contrast to the sands of Wahiba.Enjoy a walk in the Wadi or the opportunity to swim./ It is advisable to wear wide clothes and those for swimming. Skimpy clothing is not allowed as the place is also heavily visited by locals/.

Tourist program in Al Ain
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES,UAE
Included in the price

The city is part of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi and is adjacent to neighbouring Oman. It is about 150 km from Dubai and next to Abu Dhabi. Sheikh Zayed, the Father of the Nation, was born in Al Ain. It is an extremely fertile region, rich in greenery,water, with many farms, public parks and important archaeological sites,not accidentally called “the oasis of the UAE”. Most of the residences of the ruling family are located here.We’ll start the tour with the colourful camel market, which is the largest in the region; Mount Hafeet – which offers breathtaking views from 1300m high over the vast desert.We’ll stop for a photo break at the city’s main landmark – Sheikh Zayed’s palace, built in 1910.The Sultan lived here with his family until 1966 before moving to Abu Dhabi. Since 1998, the fortress-palace has been turned into a museum,restored with great creativity, and visitors can see a large collection of objects owned by the family.

Tourist program in Nizwa
OMAN,OMAN (AS)
Included in the price

Visit the New Market Complex, designed using Omani fortress architecture and elegant Islamic arches. The air-conditioned halls of this market are filled with fresh fruits and vegetables, herbs and spices, huge stacks of dates, and freshly caught fish. This is still the best place to buy traditional silver ” Khanjari ” Every Friday the cattle market is still held here. It’s a place where you can immerse yourself in some of Oman’s most original old traditions.

Visit the Nizwa fortress with its huge round tower, built in the 17th century by Imam Sultan Bin Saif Al Da Aruba to defend the road to the interior. The fortress spans the entire area, with a town growing up around the building. and is the most impressive tower in Oman.The superb panoramic view from the top gives visitors a feast for the eye and a glimpse of all of Nizwa.

Wahiba Sands Desert Safari
OMAN,OMAN (AS)
Included

Depart for the Wahiba Sands, an orange-coloured sea of sands stretching some 200 km along the Indian Ocean coastline with dunes ranging from 50-100 meters in height. Wahiba hosts a variety of flora and fauna. Bedouin tribes find their livelihood in this corner of the desert.

Evening safari in the desert. Our experienced drivers will drive the jeeps smoothly through these undulating dunes. We watch the spectacular sunset from the top of the sand dunes.

Visit to Wadi Tiwi + Bima Beach and Sinhkhol Crater
OMAN,OMAN (AS)
Included in price

Departure to Muscat by jeep and transfer to the bus en route. We continue the journey with short stops at the Sur area on the coast road and at Wadi Tiwi where there are farms mainly for bananas and papaya. We will find out from our guide about their cultivation process. Bima beach and Sinhul, a spectacular limestone crater with blue-green water at the bottom, are next.

Tourist program in Muscat
OMAN,OMAN (AS)
Included in the price

Visit the Grand Mosque, one of the largest in the world, built between 1995 and 2001 in the Islamic style and erected in his lifetime as a monument to the Ottoman ruler Qaboos bin Said on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of his reign. The entire prayer complex is spread over 416,000 square metres, with waterfalls and flower gardens, a separate women’s room and ritual washing pools with fountains. The main mosque has 5 minarets (the central one is 91 m high) and has a floor area of 40,000 sqm. The building uniquely combines the curves of the Indian architectural jewel Taj Mahal in the typical Arabic style. Every Friday, 20,000 worshippers offer prayers to Allah under the gilded dome in the 74.4 x 74.4 m prayer hall. Sultan Qaboos personally commissioned the architects for the stained-glass windows, the gilded 14-metre Swarovski crystal chandelier with 1,122 lamps.600 women hand-weaved the carpet, measuring 60 x 70 metres, weighing about 23 tonnes, with 1 billion and 700 million knots, over 27 months. 7 million baked clay tiles were used to decorate the complex. Marble was specially brought from Italy, whose polished columns are decorated with carved friezes of flowers. * Conservative clothing is required when visiting the temple – no clothing should be worn that highlights/reveals body parts or is see-through; it is necessary to be covered from head to toe, and for women a head covering scarf is required. The tour will continue with a visit / if possible / to the contemporary Royal Opera House, which opened on 12 October 2011 with a production of Turandot by Giacomo Puccini. The production is directed by the legendary Franco Zeffirelli and the conductor of the Arena di Verona orchestra is the celebrated Placido Domingo, who has commitments for several other operas. The unique architectural complex is spread over 80,000 square meters and the main hall seats 1,100 people. Half of the entire area is occupied by magnificent gardens. Visitors can see the main foyer with its elegant grand staircase, the balconies in the hall and the main stage.

Next stop at Souk Mutrah market – one of the oldest markets in Oman, with its narrow streets and mystical smell of sandalwood and great atmosphere. Here is a chance to mingle with the locals and buy souvenirs for friends and family.Here the curious can inhale the fragrance of the famous Omani incense, which is made from the resin of a special acacia tree that grows only on the outskirts of the Salalah district, taste exotic spices and buy souvenirs made of pure silver as well as pashmina scarves at stunning prices

We also visit the National Museum, established by Sultan’s decree in 2013 to preserve Omani cultural heritage. It opened on 14 December 2015, in a specially designed palace-like building, with 13,700 square metres, 7,000 exhibits in 14 permanent galleries, each covering a different aspect of Oman’s cultural heritage. Photo stop at the twin fortresses of Mirani and Jalali, built by the Portuguese in the 16th century, and the official palace of His Majesty, Sultan Qaboos. Al Alam Palace is one of six Sultan’s residences with over 200 years of history. The palace is now used for official visits by guests of the state and the Royal Family, so you will only see it from the outside. It is not open for visits by tourists.

Visit to Ain Al Tawara springs and Sohar fortress
OMAN,OMAN (AS)
Included in price

Roadside stop at the Ain Al Tawara hot springs in Nakl – natural springs with hot mineral water rich in sulphur, with many therapeutic benefits and skin soothing properties. We visit the Sohar Fortress, one of the most important fortresses in Al-North Batinah province, dating back to the late thirteenth and early fourteenth centuries.

*Note: If the Sohar Fortress is closed as an alternative visit the Nakl Fortress.

Dubai Sightseeing Tour
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES,UAE
Included in price

Explore Dubai’s most iconic landmarks. The tour includes a photo break on Palm Jumeirah in front of the Atlantis Hotel, a visit to Madinat Jumeirah – “Little Venice”, a panoramic tour of the modern city with iconic landmarks such as Burj Khalifa, Ski Dubai, Dubai Frame. Finish with an ‘abra’ boat ride and a visit to the traditional gold and spice markets.

Duration: about 8 hours