SAFARI DRIVE GOES TO OMAN

When you think of Oman, what kind of images spring to mind? For us, it was the endless desert, swirling dust and sand, extreme heat and lack of water. But there was something else about Oman that really roused our interest and Charles and I decided to look into it a bit further.

Waking up in the Empty Quarter

We quickly realised that our hackneyed view of this extraordinary country needed amending immediately! After lots of research, we knew Oman had serious potential as a self-drive destination so in March this year, we set off on a detailed recce. It was also an unusual opportunity for us to travel together to a place, where neither of us had been before.
Our journey began in Salalah in the south. From here, we headed north into the Empty Quarter, an environment that completely bowled us over. Its desolate beauty was staggering. We camped out in the open in the desert and it was an experience I will never forget. I remember waking up each morning with the wonderfully warm, terracotta glow of the sun on the sand dunes and we both sat in our pile of duvets and blankets drinking Arabian coffee and watching the shadows shorten around us.

We continued back south and to the coast, carrying on up to the towering dunes, interesting woodland and dramatic coastline of Wahiba Sands. We then progressed via Sur to Muscat, where the old walled town, with its splendid forts, ancient houses and narrow alleyways, rubs shoulders with the ultra modern new town whose impressive, state-of-the-art architecture dominates the sky line. We eventually headed inland to the Hajar mountains and Al Jebel al Akhdar, where it really hit us that Oman is not just about deserts, sand dunes and crumbling citadels. It really is a country of extraordinary contrasts. At Al Jebel al Akhdar, we drove past amazing terraces of bushes and trees bearing apricots, peaches, figs, pomegranates and almonds. Throughout Oman, we came across great wadis – beautiful, verdant oases of crystal clear, palm fringed water. We found magnificent forts and time-worn, old walled villages.

The latest addition to our portfolio of countries

Well, the long and short of it is that Oman is our latest Safari Drive destination. We now have a fantastic ground crew in place, including a wonderful Bedouin guide to accompany you into the Empty Quarter. Having experienced it first hand, we can recommend Oman as a great place for anyone who has never self-driven abroad before. It’s an extremely safe country with an excellent road system. The Omani people are bursting with friendliness and their hospitality is boundless. There is so much to see and somehow you feel like you’re the first person in the world to see it.

A 12 day self-drive safari in Oman based on two people travelling, including international flights, costs from £1,870 per person.

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