Wild Oman: Journey Through Arabia

The local currency is the Omani Rial (OMR). Credit and debit cards are widely accepted in hotels, larger restaurants, and supermarkets, but you’ll need cash for small shops, local eateries, and in more remote areas like wadis and villages. ATMs are easy to find in Muscat and major towns.

For Omanis, wadis are the country’s life force: dramatic river canyons carved through mountains and deserts, often hiding lush oases, flowering palms, and deep pools of turquoise water perfect for swimming. These natural corridors are a blend of geology and greenery, and they offer a unique way to experience the country’s wild, untouched beauty. You’ll explore two different wadis on this trip, each offering its own flavor of adventure:

Wadi Tiwi is a lush canyon framed by banana plantations, ancient villages, and emerald pools. You’ll take a short hike through agricultural terraces and traditional falaj irrigation systems before scrambling, swimming, and jumping your way through narrow channels and natural rock slides. It’s an immersive and active canyoning experience – adventurous, but beginner-friendly.

Wadi Hawer, by contrast, is more remote and less frequented, giving it a serene, hidden-gem feel. The hike here is lighter but still adventurous, with opportunities for swimming and relaxing among smooth boulders and shaded pools, surrounded by wildflowers and the occasional palm-fringed trail.

Expect a mix of light hiking, scrambling over smooth rocks, and wading or swimming through water. While the terrain is manageable for most fitness levels, a sense of adventure (and balance) goes a long way. You'll wear a life vest and will be led by an experienced and safety-focused guide. Expect to be in and out of water a lot, negotiating obstacles, and jumping off rocks into deep blue pools. Some of the water jumps are up to 10 ft high, but are optional.

What to bring:

• Closed-toe water shoes or sturdy sneakers that can get wet
• Quick-dry clothing or swimwear suitable for hiking and swimming
• A light towel and change of clothes for after the wadi

Drybags and buoyancy aids will be provided, along with all health and safety gear required.

As you will be traveling with a vehicle, your luggage will need to travel with you so we advise keeping it reasonably small and light.

Oman is a conservative but welcoming country, and modest dress is appreciated in public and cultural spaces.

For women: in public areas, it’s advisable to wear light clothing that covers your shoulders and knees. Short-sleeved tops, knee-length shorts, leggings, and long skirts or pants are all acceptable. At places of religious significance, such as mosques, women must cover their hair and wear clothing that covers arms, legs, and torso completely.

For men: T-shirts and shorts are fine for most settings, but long pants and a shirt are required when visiting religious sites like mosques.

Swimwear: you can wear a bikini at private beaches in large hotels and resorts, but at public beaches, small family-run hotels or wadis, it’s respectful to swim in a one-piece suit or cover up with a T-shirt and shorts or leggings. A lightweight cover-up or sarong is handy when walking to and from the water.

Oman has strict alcohol regulations, but alcohol is available in licensed hotels and some restaurants, mostly in major cities like Muscat. Outside of these, including in wadis, villages, and desert camps, alcohol is generally not served nor permitted. It is illegal to drink in public, and bringing alcohol into Oman is restricted (usually 1-4 liters per adult, only from duty-free). We recommend respecting local customs and enjoying the experience for what it is – there’s no shortage of natural highs on this adventure!

This trip is scheduled to take place outside of the Ramadan period, so you won’t be affected by the typical restrictions that are in place during the holy month. Ramadan is a significant religious observance for Muslims, during which many locals fast from sunrise to sunset. When traveling during this time, it’s common for: some restaurants and shops to operate reduced hours, public eating and drinking during daylight hours to be discouraged, a more subdued pace in day-to-day activities. However, since your trip does not overlap with Ramadan, you can expect normal restaurant and café availability, no changes to sightseeing, meals, or trip logistics, the usual welcoming and vibrant atmosphere Oman is known for. You’ll still be visiting a deeply cultural and respectful country, so modest dress and cultural awareness are always encouraged – but your travel experience won’t be impacted by the fasting period.

Yes – all accommodations provide private en suite bathrooms with hot showers, including the desert camp. You’ll be staying in hotels, eco-lodges, and well-equipped camps that offer modern comforts.

Marta Marinelli, raised in Italy’s serene Prosecco Hills, dreamed of global adventures, inspired by her father's travel stories. Her passion evolved into a career, backed by a decade of studies including degrees in international tourism and destination management. She’s worked in the adventure travel sector since 2012, living in Italy, the UK, and now sunny Portugal.

Over twenty years, Marta has explored over 55 countries, visiting remote areas like Ghana, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Haiti and Nepal’s Upper Mustang region. As a Senior Adventure Expansion Manager at Much Better Adventures, she focuses on creating life-changing experiences, ranging from multi-activity adventures, challenging treks to ultimate adventures in iconic places. She loves the challenge of finding the best local adventure hosts around the world, collaborating on adventures that offer genuine immersion, pushing beyond the beaten path and working on exclusive itineraries that challenge your comfort zone.

What makes her tick? Enabling people to live adventure-rich lives while positively impacting and empowering local communities around the world, generating sustainable opportunities for both the host, guides, community, and the environment.

Much Better Adventures operate trips in line with the British FCDO travel advice and also consult with security advisors, both of whom have confirmed that trips are safe to run. We continue to receive real-time updates from the FCDO and our local host in Oman will also inform us immediately should anything change locally. You can view the latest FCDO advice for Oman here.

Sure can! Over 70% of our travellers travel solo, it’s a great way to meet like-minded people.

Our team of Adventure Hunters co-create exclusive adventures which are run by highly vetted, specialist hosts. The trip is run by our trusted host partner in the destination. We only work with independent, local, in-destination experts who know the very best places to explore and how to stay safe. Read more information about the local teams we partner with. You’ll be introduced to the host straight after making a booking via the Much Better Adventures platform.

Much Better Adventures refer to the UK Government’s official travel advice when designing trips and monitoring trip operations. We recommend that all customers review the practical information available on the UK Government’s FCDO website, where you can find up-to-date advice by searching for your destination(s).

If you are based in the United States, you can also check the latest travel advisories from the U.S. Department of State.

For customers joining from other international locations, we recommend checking the official travel advice issued by your country of residence, as guidance may vary.

We recommend checking out the country-specific information and also talking to a travel nurse.

We automatically convert prices from the local currency that a host receives to your chosen currency. We update our exchange rates daily, so prices displayed on the site are subject to currency fluctuations, which is why you may see them change over time.

If you wish to change the currency you pay in, head to the bottom of the page.

All of our group adventures are specially designed for adults to enjoy as we want these adventures to bring together outdoorsy people who are truly like-minded. You must be over 18 to join one of our trips.

You're always in good company on one of our adventures.

Our trips typically consist of a mix of solo travelers and small groups of 2 or 3 friends, with most in their 30s-50s.

Our sociable adventures are solo-friendly by design and naturally attract outdoorsy people with a shared mindset; a love for adventure, a desire to push themselves, and meet awesome, like-minded people along the way.

It’s this camaraderie that has so often turned a great adventure into a life-changing one.

Don't just take our word for it:

• 95% of people rate the group dynamics on our trips 5/5
• 90% of people recommend joining a trip to make new friends
• 75% of people have met people on our trips that they would now consider friends

See here for more info about the Much Better Adventures tribe.

This trip runs from October to April, when conditions are generally most comfortable for outdoor adventure. You can expect plenty of sunshine and minimal rainfall, though humidity and temperatures vary significantly by region.

In Muscat and along the coast, temperatures typically range between 77–97°F, with humid conditions that persist into the evenings – there’s little to no drop in temperature overnight, especially in October and November.

In Jebel Shams (at around 6,562ft above sea level), the mountain air is cooler and drier. From November to February, daytime temperatures sit between 50–72°F, while evenings can dip below 50°F – warm layers are essential, especially for the canyon rim hike and sunset viewpoints.

In the desert of Wahiba Sands, daytime temperatures vary by season: • In October and April, expect 82–97°F during the day and 68–86°F at night. • From November to March, daytime highs range from 77–95°F, with cooler nights between 50–61°F.
Warm clothing is necessary, particularly for overnight stays in the desert camp.

Inland areas such as Wadi Hawer and Wadi Tiwi offer shaded gorges and natural pools. Daytime temperatures here typically sit around 75–86°F, making swimming, hiking, and canyoning especially enjoyable during these months. Sun protection and hydration are essential year-round.