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Wahiba Sands & Wadi Bani Khalid: Oman's Beauty
5.0
119 Ratings
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Experience the thrill of a desert safari in Wahiba Sands and take a refreshing dip in the emerald green pools of Wadi Bani Khalid in Oman. Discover Bedouin culture and enjoy camel rides in the desert.
Experience the thrill of a desert safari in Wahiba Sands and take a refreshing dip in the emerald green pools of Wadi Bani Khalid in Oman. Discover Bedouin culture and enjoy camel rides in the desert.
Duration:
8 hours
Cancellation:
24 hours
Highlights
- Muscat Governorate - The pick-up will be from your hotel or any location within the Muscat area. From there, it’s about a 2-hour drive to Wadi Bani Khalid.
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Wadi Bani Khalid - The journey continues to Wadi Bani Khalid, one of the largest and most beautiful wadis in Oman. The total visit, including travel time, will be around 3 hours.
This…
- Muscat Governorate - The pick-up will be from your hotel or any location within the Muscat area. From there, it’s about a 2-hour drive to Wadi Bani Khalid.
- Wadi Bani Khalid - The journey continues to Wadi Bani Khalid, one of the largest and most beautiful wadis in Oman. The total visit, including travel time, will be around 3 hours.
This remarkable wadi boasts towering canyon walls and stunning crystal-clear pools, making it a must-see. Visitors can relax and enjoy a refreshing swim in the cool freshwater, sunbathe by the pools, or simply soak in the peaceful surroundings.
For those feeling adventurous, there is the option to explore deeper into the wadi or even visit its hidden caves. Additionally, there is an opportunity to enjoy lunch at a nearby local Omani restaurant.
Note:
For those who prefer not to swim, relaxing by the first pools, where the water is shallow and easily accessible, is an option.
It is recommended to bring:
Sun protection & a hat
Good walking shoes
Swimwear, extra clothes & a towel
Snacks and water
Swimwear Guidelines:
Ladies are kindly requested to wear shorts (covering the knees) and a t-shirt when swimming in Wadi Bani Khalid.
- Wahiba Sands - After visiting Wadi Bani Khalid, the journey continues to the Wahiba Sands desert. Here, visitors can meet a Bedouin family in the heart of the desert, enjoy coffee and dates with them, and have the option to ride a camel for 3 OMR per person for about 7 to 10 minutes, with opportunities for photos and videos. Handmade items such as bracelets, bags, and keychains are also available for purchase. After exploring the Wahiba Sands desert, the drive back to Muscat will commence.
- Muscat - Following the visit to Wadi Bani Khalid and the exploration of the Wahiba Sands Desert, the return journey to Muscat will begin. The drive back will take approximately 2 hours.
What's Included
- Bottled water included
- English-speaking Omani tour guide
- Experience Bedouin hospitality with family visits
- Transportation in a comfortable 4WD vehicle
- Convenient pick-up and drop-off in the Muscat area
- Bottled water included
- English-speaking Omani tour guide
- Experience Bedouin hospitality with family visits
- Transportation in a comfortable 4WD vehicle
- Convenient pick-up and drop-off in the Muscat area
What's Not Included
- Lunch
- All personal Things
- Camel ride 3 OMR or 8 USD per person
- Dune Bashing is not included (If you want you need to book from the Camp by their car)
- Lunch
- All personal Things
- Camel ride 3 OMR or 8 USD per person
- Dune Bashing is not included (If you want you need to book from the Camp by their car)
Additional Information
Discover the Marvels of Wahiba Sands & Wadi Bani Khalid
Set off on an adventure to the heart of Oman with a trip to Wahiba Sands, one of the country’s most stunning deserts. Engage with welcoming Bedouin families, explore their distinctive lifestyle, and savor a traditional greeting with homemade Omani coffee and sweet dates.
In front of the Bedouin…
Discover the Marvels of Wahiba Sands & Wadi Bani Khalid
Set off on an adventure to the heart of Oman with a trip to Wahiba Sands, one of the country’s most stunning deserts. Engage with welcoming Bedouin families, explore their distinctive lifestyle, and savor a traditional greeting with homemade Omani coffee and sweet dates.
In front of the Bedouin dwelling, camels await—if you’re interested in a brief camel ride, it’s available for just 3 OMR per person, payable directly to the locals.
Proceed with your journey to the tranquil oasis of Wadi Bani Khalid, one of Oman’s most renowned wadis. A leisurely walk leads you to breathtaking emerald-green pools, surrounded by dramatic cliffs and lush palm trees—ideal for a swim or a serene retreat amidst nature.
- Please note that dune bashing is not included in our service. It is not provided with our vehicle. If you’re interested, you can book the dune bashing experience directly with the camp, using their designated 4x4 vehicles.
- If you’d like to experience the sunset, we recommend choosing the 11:00 AM departure time.
Location
Oman Sharing Tours
شارع نوفمبر ١٨
Arrival in Muscat – Pick-up only
Upon arrival, a transport will be waiting to take you to your hotel.
Overnight stay at Muscat
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
5.0
(119 Ratings)
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Greggys2025
Apr 19, 2025
Amazing Day Tour - We booked the Wahiba Sands Desert and Wadi Bani Khalid tour, including a magical sunset experience, with our wonderful and respectful tour guide. He was not only kind and knowledgeable but also an excellent driver, making the journey smooth and relaxing. Watching the sunset from the golden dunes was truly unforgettable—a beautiful and serene moment that made the whole experience even more special.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Joanagraces2025
Apr 17, 2025
very nice and beutiful tour - We are a family of five—my mom, dad, my wife, and our two kids—and we booked a full-day tour starting from the Royal Tulip Hotel. The journey took us through the stunning natural beauty of Wadi Bani Khalid, followed by an unforgettable experience at the Wahiba Sands Desert. We absolutely loved this trip—every moment was special!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
905g_raldineb
Apr 15, 2025
Desert discovery in Oman - Travel with my son
Yusuf is a humble, discreet, patient person, attentive to our needs. He introduced us to the culture of his country and the paradise landscapes.
He's a very trustworthy and generous person.
I recommend Yusuf without hesitation
Geraldine
Hello this is Mael Geraldine's son I found this trip well with a good guide Yusuf is an honest and kind person, I found wadi shab was a very good experience it is excellent for people who love swimming. And the desert was also good just before we stopped to swim and it was as well and the desert was good too
Maël
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Goplaces646374
Apr 8, 2025
Beautiful views and excellent tour guide. - Tour guide (Abdul Majeed) was excellent. Very informative and helpful and took great care of us.
Views and experience was amazing at all the sights.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
442hamzahn
Apr 8, 2025
Excellent excursion! - Driver/guide was amazing. Full of helpful information. Very friendly
Desert was beautiful, and so was Wadi Bani Khalid. Tour is not rushed and very easy going. Plenty of time to do as you please.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Catia
Mar 30, 2025
Beautiful experience in the landscapes of Oman. - We enjoyed the beauty of the wadi and the swim in the perfect temperature emerald water. Beautiful also the desert dunes, too bad we didn't have more time to enjoy that always fascinating panorama. Jihad, our guide, was impeccable, considerate and helpful as well as a great driver! A really pleasant day! To be recommended
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Muhammadisamahdim
Mar 5, 2025
Omani Experience Manifest! - Upon my late booking, the company were extremely well-spoken, considerate, and adaptable and actually accepted my booking the night before, even though they said they need 24 hrs - this was a good indicator of how the experience would be!
In the morning, as we waited in the lobby, our guide, Waleed, came in introduced himself, and sat us down in his spacious tour car.
Waleed was very friendly, patient, & knowledgeable about Oman, there was no question I asked him that he could not answer. There was no problem with communication and he was funny too! During the drive, we talked about anything and everything, and when we were more quiet, he was more quiet: perfect for both extroverts & introverts! The journey itself was long, but time flew when we spoke with Waleed.
We first went to Wadi Bani Khalid (natural valley with water). The Wadi was sublime. He let us stay as long as we wanted to swim and relax by the water, which was crystal clear & alleviating against the hot Omani sun. The rock formations, against the lush greenery & the blue-green water was such a divine experience.
We then headed to Wahiba Sands (desert). We were able to stop during the journey as frequently as we wanted for toilet breaks, prayer for Muslims, pictures of the surrounding area, market purchases, etc. We could see the changing landscape as we went further and further into the desert. We visited a Bedouin dwelling, where they sold their handmade products as well as providing coffee & dates, as the excellent hosts they were. There was an opportunity for anything we wanted to do: camel riding, quad biking, & dune bashing (driving along the sand dunes, you can understand why they call it bashing). If you have back problems I wouldn’t recommend dune bashing!
At the end of the day, we had an opportunity to view the sunset. Clouds started to form so we were worried we wouldn’t be able to see the setting sun, but just as all hope was lost, the hot desert winds blew away the clouds and we took the most beautiful pictures.
We then asked Waleed, who was driving us back to our hotel, if we could be dropped off to an Omani restaurant instead and he let us. A true representative of Omani hospitality. We then took a nap in the car after a short conversation until we arrived!
This experience was absolutely Omani in every sense with a good sense of hospitality, adventure, culture, & relaxation! I not only recommend, but implore readers to do this experience. Never before has the term ‘unmissable’ made so much sense!!
10/10, 5 stars, thumbs up, would 100% do this again!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Humirak2025
Feb 25, 2025
Unforgettable experience - Our trip was incredible! We were very well taken care of by our guide Muneer. He took us to both the desert and Wadi Bani Khalid. He took us to two different parts of the desert as we had requested and stopped multiple times along the way to show us the beauty of Oman. We were blown away by the beauty of the country. Our favorite part of the day was the Wadi, we could have spent all day there. All of our affairs were taken care of and he explained the history of the country and landscape so well. We enjoyed ourselves thoroughly and would highly recommend to anyone visiting! We will certainly be back!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Astridsk6936pq
Feb 24, 2025
Fantastic experience - Very good company, great experiences,
lots of insights and very friendly Tour Gides who answered a lot of questions and responded to our wishes.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Elliek472
Apr 11, 2025
Not quite as described - We booked this tour based on the TripAdvisor description, which promised an off-road adventure with stretches of sand dunes for a true desert experience. That was our main goal. However, our tour guide, Yousef, took us straight to a Bedouin tent and then to a wadi, informing us afterward that we’d head back to Muscat. We were shocked! I pointed out that the description promised three hours in the Wahiba Sands, but we hadn’t seen any desert. Yousef explained that this was the standard tour itinerary.
Yousef was amazing—kind, respectful, and genuinely committed to ensuring we had a great experience. He connected us with the company to address the issue. After his follow-ups, the company agreed to provide the desert safari tour as described on TripAdvisor. We finally got to see the sunset over the dunes, and the experience turned out to be wonderful. However, if I hadn’t insisted and if Yousef hadn’t gone above and beyond, we would have missed out on the incredible experience of feeling the sands and watching the sunset.
Be aware that the “deep desert” experience isn’t part of their standard tour, despite what’s advertised. We only got it after significant frustration and follow-up. That said, Yousef’s professionalism and kindness made up for the initial disappointment, and I’m truly grateful for his help.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
