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Courtesy of Ministry of Tourism Oman Exotic Oman 8 Days/7 Nights Desert Nights Camp DAY 1 – Muscat On arrival you will be met and transferred by private vehicle to your hotel. This evening enjoy dinner at the hotel. Overnight: Shangri-La Al Waha Hotel (D). DAY 2 - Muscat After breakfast, you will take in the sights of Muscat, starting with a visit to the Grand Mosque. A drive along the corniche to Old Muscat to visit the “Sidab Women’s Sewing Group”, a nonprofit community organisation inspired and run by local women to help women from this fishing village to develop skills and create handicrafts that reflect Omani culture and earn an income in their small gallery. Take a special tour of the Muttrah souq, one of the most popular places in Muscat, with its narrow, winding alleys where exotic aromas and perfumes fill the air and bargains are to be found. Visit the museums and finally a look at the Al Aalam Palace, official residence of the Sultan. After lunch at a traditional restaurant you have a chance to discover the nearby beaches. Overnight: Shangri-La Al Waha Hotel (BLD). DAY 3 – Nizwa – Jabrin - Bahla Today you will visit the forts and castles of yesteryear. Travel by road in a 4X4 vehicle to Nizwa, the ancient capital and the birthplace of Islam in Oman. Visit the 17th century Nizwa Fort and the souq, renowned for its silver jewellery. After lunch at a local restaurant, drive to the mighty bastion of Jabrin Castle, perhaps the finest of Omani castles. The next visit will be Bahla famous for its pottery and a UNESCO world heritage site. On the drive back to Nizwa, stop at Tanuf to visit the ruins of the old city. Overnight: Golden Tulip Nizwa Hotel (BLD). DAY 4 - Nizwa - Wahiba After breakfast, visit the geological wonder of Al Hoota Cave. You will be guided by an expert through the underground tunnels for an unforgettable experience. The drive then takes in a cross section of geography through arid lands, wadis and oasis villages before reaching the undulating sands of the Wahiba. After lunch at a local restaurant, experience the traditional life style and hospitality of a Bedouin house before arriving at camp for the spectacular sunset and BBQ dinner. Overnight: Desert Nights Camp (BLD). DAY 5- Wahiba - Wadi Bani Khalid - Muscat After breakfast and a walk in the dunes, drive into the mountains to Wadi Bani Khalid, an oasis of clear running waters and verdant plant life. Enjoy a swim and picnic lunch before driving back to Muscat, stopping enroute at Ibra, thriving oasis of Al Mudayrib and the abandoned village of Al Mansfah. Overnight: Shangri-La Al Waha Hotel (BLD). DAY 6 – Salalah This morning transfer to the airport for flight to Salalah, where on arrival you will be met and transferred in a private vehicle to your hotel. Salalah abounds in natural beauty and is steeped in myths and legends dating back to biblical times. This afternoon enjoy a city tour. Overnight: Hilton Hotel Salalah (BD). DAY 7 - Salalah After breakfast, visit the fishing village of Taqa and the ruins of the legendary Palace of the Queen of Sheba in Khor Rouri. Continue to Mirbat, ancient capital of Dhofar, a region renowned for its Frankincense trade in ancient times. After lunch at a local restaurant drive to Jebel Qara to visit the tomb of Job of the Old Testament. Continue towards Mughsayl before returning to Salalah for flight to Muscat. Overnight: Shangri-La Al Waha Hotel (BLD). DAY 8 - Departure Transfer to the airport for your departing flight and end of the tour (B) INCLUDED: Private airport transfers, accommodation with breakfast and dinner, lunches as specified, mineral water & soft drinks during tours, Entrance fees to museums, monuments and Al Hoota Cave. Transfers and tours in air-conditioned saloon vehicles with specified touring in 4X4 air-conditioned vehicles with English speaking driver/guide, as per itinerary, and Economy Class return airfares between Muscat and Salalah. PER person - 8 Days/7 Nights TWIN Nov 10 - Apr 11 $3795 May - Sep 11 $3640 Oct 11 $3860 Seasonal supplements and minimum stay requirements apply in hotels at certain times of the year. Please note Forts and Museums are generally closed on Fridays and National Holidays. Single and sole traveller prices on application. 24 OMAN BENCH INTERNATIONAL 2011
Courtesy of Ministry of Tourism Oman Explore Oman - Naturally 10 Days/9 Nights Oman provides many wonderful opportunities for walking and trekking, especially the mountains of northern Oman, with their rugged scenery and calming solitude, where people live much as they have done for centuries. There are breathtaking views, dramatic canyons and gorges and high altitude plateaus. Visit also the vast dunes of Wahiba Sands, home to the legendary Bedouins. The treks range from easy walks to longer treks over difficult terrain. Many of the trails follow centuries-old routes through the mountains and are still in use by mountain villagers as the only means of access to some of the more isolated settlements. DAY 1 – Muscat On arrival you will be met and transferred by private vehicle to your hotel. Rest of the day is at leisure. Overnight: Radisson Blu Hotel DAY 2 – Muscat After breakfast you will be collected by your driver/guide for the full day of local sightseeing in Old Muscat, taking in the Sultan’s Palace, flanked by the 16th century Portuguese forts of Jalali and Mirani. Visit the Bait Al Zubair Museum with its fine exhibits of Omani history and culture and explore the enchanting Muttrah souq with its sights, sounds and aromas. Make a visit to the house of the Sidab Women’s Sewing group. The group is a non profit community organisation inspired and run by local women to produce handicrafts reflecting true Omani culture, to earn an income to help support themselves and their families. Overnight: Radisson Blu Hotel (B). DAY 3 - Muscat - Sur – Ras Al Jinz Today you embark on a long thrilling drive to Sur with stunning views of the waters of the Arabian Sea to one side and rocky cliffs on the other. Enroute, stops may be made at the Bimah Sinkhole, a spectacular limestone crater, the white sandy Fins beach, Wadi Shaab and the picturesque Wadi Tiwi. A walk through the narrow roads leads you to lush plantations and pools with clear water. Visit the ruins of Qalhat, one of the oldest towns and seaports in Oman, and the ruins of the tomb of the holy Bibi Miriam, standing high up on the cliff top. Stop at the coastal town of Sur, for a visit to the Dhow building yard. The drive continues to Ras Al Hadd, where the first sunrise in the whole of Arabian Peninsula is seen and Ras al-Jinz where one of the largest nesting areas for Green Turtles is located. An exceptionally large amount of these wonderful creatures nest here, with an average of 30,000. Overnight: Ras Al Jinz Turtle Reserve (BLD) DAY 4 – Ras Al Jinz - Wahiba Sands After breakfast drive along the rugged shores of the east coast with unspoiled and breathtaking views of the desert hinterland passing through fishing villages. Travelling inland towards Wahiba Sands you will see some of the less visited towns with their mosques, watch towers, old fortified houses, forts and crumbling walls. The Wahiba Sands stretch south from the mountains to the Arabian Sea, for almost 200kms in length and 100kms wide. Overnight: 1000 Nights Camp (BLD) DAY 5 - Wahiba - Wadi Bani Khalid – Jebel Akhdhar Rise early to explore the dunes on foot and watch the shifting colours. Depart after breakfast and drive through arid lands, wadis and oasis villages. Living within and along the Sands are approximately 3,000 pastoralist Bedouins belonging to different tribes. Make a stop at a traditional Bedouin house, unspoilt by tourism, for some local hospitality. The tour continues up to Wadi Bani Khalid with its beautiful mountain formations and landscapes. Walk to the pools where you can swim and enjoy a picnic lunch in the shade. Continue the drive towards Jebel Akhdhar with a stop at the pretty village of Birkat al Mauz, to enjoy a walk through the lush green date plantations. Drive up the winding road to Jebel al Akhdar (2000m), the green jewel of the Al Hajar mountain ranges, with its cool climate and large variety of fruit orchards and rose farms. Overnight: Jebel Akhdhar Hotel (BLD). DAY 6 - Jebel Akhdhar - Nizwa After enjoying the cool climate of Jebel Akhdhar, it’s time now to descend the mountain to Nizwa and visit Jabreen Castle, perhaps one of the finest of Omani castles, Nizwa Fort and the souq famous for intricate silver jewellery. Overnight: Falaj Daris Hotel (B) DAY 7 – Nizwa – Jebel Shams Today you will drive and explore the heights of the Hajjar Mountains and Jebel Shams (Sun Mountain), the highest peak in Oman at 3,000m. Drive through the mountain villages of Al Hamra with its 400-year old mud houses, Misfah, Wadi Ghul and the Wadi Nakr gorge, one of Oman’s greatest natural wonders. An optional Cliff walk can be taken from the Jebal Shams plateau. Overnight: Omani House (BLD) DAY 8 – Jebel Shams - Barka Today is a day for walking or drives in the mountains. This is also the region where honey has been produced since ancient times. Visit the traditional bee-keepers who can benefit from tourism into their community. Drive to Barka. Overnight: Al Nahda Resort & Spa (BLD) DAY 9 – Barka – Muscat Today travelling along the Batinah coast with its beautiful beaches, forts and fishing villages visit the 350 year old Nakhl Fort. Travel on to the hot water springs before returning to Muscat. This evening there is an optional Dhow cruise. Overnight: Radisson Blu Hotel (BL) DAY 10 – Muscat After breakfast, transfer to the airport for your departing flight (B). INCLUDED: Private airport transfers, accommodation with breakfast and dinner, lunches as specified, mineral water & soft drinks during tours, Entrance fees to museums and monuments. Transfers are in air-conditioned saloon vehicles with touring in 4X4 airconditioned vehicles with English speaking driver/guide. PER person - 10 Days/9 Nights TWIN Nov 10 - May & Sep - Oct 11 $3550 Jun - Aug 11 $3410 Please note Forts and Museums are generally closed on Fridays and National Holidays. Single and sole traveller prices on application. OMAN www.benchinternational.com.au 25
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