• Hello and welcome to Oman! Slide right out of the airport along with our representative, who’ll be at hand to assist you with your transfer to the hotel. You’re at liberty to unwind and relax for much of the day but don’t forget that 6 pm meeting scheduled to thresh out all the pre-trip formalities.

• It’s going to be a busy first day, so get stuck into your breakfast before setting off to the National Museum to get an overview of the country – an ideal way to get your head around Oman. 
• Follow this visit by striding onto the gardens of the Great Mosque of Sultan Qaboos, which dominates not only the Muscat skyline but all other architectural wonders of the city. Decipher the intricate mosaic work and all elements that contributed to its construction – the chandelier and carpet, in particular, both fabled to be the largest of their kind. 
• Complete your forenoon with a walk along the boulevard to view Al Alam’s Palace, one of six royal residences of the current Sultan. 
• Travel back to the 16th century at Al Jalili Fort, jutting out towards the Old Muscat harbour and squeeze your time in between this and the next stop by sitting down for lunch at a local restaurant. Leave the buildings and history of the past for the contemporary as you wander through the fish market and then saunter down the Mutrah souk with its dazzling display of handicrafts, textiles and beads, as well as the swell and tide of its local inhabitants who navigate its tricky bargains with panache.

• Drive an hour and a half to Nizwa this morning and alight at the entrance of Oman’s most famous fort, distinguished by its round tower and peek into the 12th-century Omani defence systems, artefacts, and stories writ literally on its walls. 
• Leave the fort grounds and weave your way to the souk marked by corners and lanes that are adorned by spices, silver jewellery, carpets, rose water and essences to lure the bargain hunter. Shake yourself away from this organised chaos and make your way to Jabreen Castle to discover its quirky rooms that hide painted ceilings. 
• Close out the day by knocking at the gates of the 13th century Bahla Fort whose ramparts invest in panoramic views of the settlement below.

• Today is a long day of travel interspersed with regional delights and local flavours that assuage the passage of time spent on your vehicle. Heading southwards this morning, make a pit stop at approximately 1.5 hours at the village of Sinaw where the local women and men gather in their traditional attire to do business in the souk. Catch the bartering that goes on here (especially if you’re lucky to be passing through on a Thursday) of goats, camels and other domestic animals. Spices, local food and local colours seal the deal for you here even as ventures of profit and loss conduct themselves impartially. 
• Leave this scene of old-style commerce and drop your feet at Bidiyah before making your way to the Wahiba Sands.
• In the afternoon, as the sun begins its retreat westward, hop onto your 4X4 wheel drive and chase it over the chocolate-coloured dunes. Kick up some sand as you drive through this barren expanse, and then ease up a little as you watch a copper sun lick the dunes with a reddish glow. 
• Return to your lodgings after sunset and relax to the picture of stars sprinkling themselves upon the desert sky.

• Journey on eastwards this morning, leaving the barren albeit spectacular Sands for the coastal town of Sur with its delightful little traditional settlements strewn with twisting lanes and old houses with distinctive carvings on their doors. Originally one of Oman's most important trading ports, its importance has conversely diminished with the rise of Muscat. Nevertheless, sew the remnants of its glorious past together as you step into its dhow yard and watch the traditional dhow makers busy at their craft. 
• Finish your wanderings with lunch at a local restaurant, and later during the night, transfer to Ras Al Jinz to watch the sea turtles emerge out of the waters and head for terra firma in order to nest.

• Make your way back to the capital city today by leisurely side visits to waterholes that offer a laid-back, no-problems-to-deal-with-today feel. Take your pick from the limpid waters of Mibam Oasis at Tiwi or walk through a gorge and enter a turquoise pool hidden within the recess of a cave at Wadi Shab. 
• Sink your toes in the sandy white beaches off the coast of Oman next, only to wash them clean in the blue-green water of the Bimmah Sinkhole that invites you for a refreshing swim. Enmesh yourself in this languid mood and make it last until you gather to say farewell to the tour over a final dinner.

Note: The Mibam Oasis, the pool at Wadi Shab and Bimmah Sinkhole are all rain-dependent; therefore, the visits here will be planned accordingly. In the event that swimming at these places is not possible, a picnic lunch and swimming at White Sands Beach will be arranged.

• It’s time now to bid farewell to your group leader and new friends, but not without a backpack full of memories. Departure Transfers are included on the day. Check-out time in most hotels is 12 pm. Please confirm with your tour Leader or the hotel reception.