Tour “Dalia”

We will take you to Nizwa, the old capital city of Oman, and our first stop there is the famous Nizwa Souq. It is among the largest of its kind in Oman. A wide variety of vendors offer their goods in the streets of the souk from 05:00 am to about 10:00 am each morning. Here you can find fish, meat, vegetables, pottery, jewellery, handicrafts and souvenirs which are sold in authentic old market halls that few places can boast. Especially interesting is the Friday cattle market when the locals from the nearby Villages come to sell their donkeys, goats, cattle, sheep and chickens in a circus-style open marketplace.

Next to the Souq is Nizwa Fortress. The fort is a museum today and offers splendid views of this ancient town and the surrounding mountains. You can walk around in this impressive fortress and visit its many rooms, passages and towers. The fort is an architectural testimony to the economic and military achievements of the early Yaruba dynasty from the mid-17th century. It was a military stronghold designed to withstand even the strongest of attacks at the time. Even along the corridors, many traps were laid to deter any intruders that might have penetrated the defences.

From Nizwa we drive to Misfath al Abreen. This pictures village lies on a steep slope at the foot of Jebel Shams, a few kilometres from the village of Al Hamra and consists of old homes and narrow streets. It has a large Falaj system that supplies water for many orchards, date palms and vegetable gardens. It is worth spending at least 1 ½ hours walking around the village. There are marked footpaths through the village and surrounding area.

Then we drive up the Jebel Shams Mountain; 3000 meters high, it is the highest mountain of Oman. After check-in into the Jebel Shams Resort, you have leisure time for the rest of the day. You can relax or explore the rim of the Grand Canyon.

Overnight in Jebel Shams Resort.

In the morning you can spend more time walking around the famous Grand Canyon of Oman. There are many different walking paths to choose from (easy short or difficult and long). The Canyon edge offers spectacular views into the several wadis and stunning valleys below.

Then we drive down the mountain to visit Jabrin Castle. This castle was originally designed as a residential palace in 1670 by Sultan bin Saif Al in the Ya’arubi Dynasty. An extensive renovation was carried out in 1984. The interior includes various furniture and traditional utensils to provide visitors with a taste of the period castle lifestyle. The building itself is decorated with elaborate wood carvings, ceiling paintings and stucco work (the castle is open to visitors).

Your next stop is the Bahla Fortress (one of the oldest remaining strongholds in Oman and has been listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site in 1988).

The Castle is a walled triangular-shaped building, with its wall stretching for 12 Km surrounding the old town of Bahla, and it encompasses 132 watchtowers with guardrooms. In addition to the actual fortress, there is a town to explore with amazing palm trees and a beautiful mountainous backdrop. Then we will drive back to Muscat