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| Explore — Worldwide 2008/09 |
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Page Text Content
Jeb el R a Na ng e
EGYPT & MIDDLE EAST
Camping in the Wahiba Sands/Mandy Dougal
OMAN * UAE
Arabian Seatrek
8 DAYS HOTELS/DHOW EXPLORING THE FJORDS OF MUSANDAM
Ref MS
JFMAMJJASOND JFMA
This short adventure takes us to the astonishing Musandam Peninsula, Oman's rugged and arid northern tip, for an in-depth look at one of Arabia's best kept secrets. Using a traditional dhow we explore the fjords and islands of this barren land, swimming in azure waters and stopping overnight at remote coves.
Discovering the Emirates Our journey begins with a tour of Muscat, the dramatically positioned capital of exotic Oman. We take in the Oman Museum and As Mamos Mosque along with Ruwi Souk before driving to Aqqa for a relaxing swim. We join our dhow at Dibba, a short drive away and set off just as merchants and Arabian explorers did before us into the warm waters of the Gulf. Fjords & Four-Wheel Drives We head out to cruise amongst the isolated fjords of Musandam, pausing to visit villages, camping under a panoply of desert stars. This other-worldly rockscape of towering cliffs, thrust up by geological force, is mirrored in the rugged interior of the peninsula, which we explore by 4WD vehicle from Khassab, Musandam's capital. Again we see layers of strata supporting a dizzying display of peaks and plateaux: rising to over 2,000 metres, the jebels (mountains) conceal small pockets of cultivated land, carefully tended by the bedouins from the Shihu tribe.
Arabian Seatrek Ref MS
St
rai
t of Horm
uz
MUSANDAM ISLANDS
KHASAB
MUSANDAM
Arabian Gulf
2- day Jebel Harim dhow cruise 2087m LIMAH
OMAN Gulf Of
Dibba
AQQA
Oman
Sharjah
DUBAI
Walking tour 0
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
80 O M A N
Snorkelling
OMAN
km To Muscat Tour of city
Arabian Sands
9 DAYS HOTELS/DESERT CAMP DESERT ADVENTURE IN OMAN
Ref OM
JFMAMJJASOND JFMA
Stark landscape of the peninsula
A stimulating adventure across a diversity of terrains and cultures in the beautiful yet little known Sultanate of Oman. From its majestic Green Mountains to the soaring dunes of the Wahiba Sands; from the oil-rich affluence of Muscat, to the timelessness of holy Nizwa, we make an unforgettable journey.
Muscat & the Coast After discovering Muscat Oman's progressive capital we load up for a 4WD adventure along the coast. We visit the dhowbuilders of Sur before immersing ourselves deep into the natural beauty of this amazing country, as we enjoy the pleasure of swimming in freshwater pools at Wadi Shab and wild camping on deserted beaches. Wilderness & Wahiba Sands Journeying inland into the ethereal stillness of the Wahiba Sands an awe-inspiring sea' of dunes up to 200m in height we camp under the stars in this vast isolated wilderness, distant from modern civilisation hoping to meet bedouin families as we go. Coast to Coast In and around the holy city of Nizwa we gain an insight into yet another side of Oman. We discover a country where water is perhaps more precious still than oil; where hillside villages are painstakingly terraced and medieval falaj irrigation systems are still in use. A culture steeped in tradition, livestock auctions are likely to be as animated today as Nizwa Fort/Dee Collingbourne
Arabian Sands Ref OM
Jebe l Ra n Akhd g e ar
Bahla Tanuf Fort Jabrin Fort
kh
l
Je b
MUSCAT
Royal capital tour Optional dhow trip
G u l f o f Oman
FINNS BEACH
Dhow building
el
R
bir Ja ni e Ba a n g
Birkat al Mouz Sinaw
NIZWA
Wadi Shab Optional hike
Goat market Walk to fort
SUR
Khor Grama
OMAN
DESERT CAMP
W A H I B A S A N D S
km
FACTFILE
Itinerary Day 1 Fly London/Muscat. 2 Tour of Muscat to include museums, mosques and Ruwi souk; drive to Aqqa. 3 Drive Dibba and board dhow; cruise Haffah Bay, swim and village visit; cruise Limah. 4 Cruise Khor Habliyan and into fjord for swim and continue to Musandam Island. 5 Cruise through Straights of Hormuz to Kumzar; visit village then via Telegraph Island to Khasab. 6 Optional pre-breakfast visit to goat trading market at Khasab port; drive in 4WD into Musandam interior for panoramic views of the fjords and bedouin mountain settlements; rendezvous with dhow at Khor Najd and then long cruise to Dibba; continue to Dubai. 7 Morning walking tour of Dubai seeing souk, Dubai Museum and Al Fahidi Fort; local boat abra trip on Dubai Creek. PM free for optional activities. 8 Fly London via Bahrain. Accommodation & Meals: 5nts hotel, 2nts dhow/camp; 7 breakfasts, 3 lunches & 2 dinners included. See insert p2. Mode of Travel: Bus/Dhow/4WD vehicles/On foot. Comment: A wonderful week getting off the beaten track in a little-visited corner of Arabia. A journey across the UAE followed by relaxing days on the dhow, sailing through the spectacular fjords' of Musandam. On board the dhow meals are prepared by our cook and we sleep either on the open deck under desert stars or in tents on the beach. Tour Staff & Support: Explore Leader plus driver(s), captain, cooks and crew on dhow. Group Size: Approx. 12 to 15.
QAHID
0 100 Beach camp
Arabian Sea
they were in the heyday of the nearby 17thcentury Jabrin fort. Next we traverse the Akhdar (green') Mountains for stunning views of Arabia's own Grand Canyon and return to Muscat. Traditional dress goat market/F. Perselli
The unchanging Arabian Dhow/Fabio Perselli
FACTFILE
Itinerary Day 1 Fly London/Muscat. 2 Arrive Muscat; tour of the capital. 3 Drive via Wadi Shab to Finns Beach. 4 Drive via Sur's dhow shipyards to Qahid; beach camp. 5 Drive through the desert; camp in the Wahiba Sands. 6 Continue to Nizwa. 7 In Nizwa; full day excursion to Tanuf and Jabrin fort. 8 Visit Nizwa goat auction; drive via Jebel Shams (Grand Canyon') to Muscat. 9 Fly London. Accommodation & Meals: 5nts hotel, 3nts camping; 8 breakfasts, 4 lunches & 3 dinners included. See insert p2. Mode of Travel: 4WD/Bus. Comment: Our itinerary traverses little visited regions, travelling by 4WD vehicles on some rough roads, offering a unique insight into this fascinating country. Tour Staff & Support: Explore Tour Leader plus driver(s) and cook. Group Size: Approx. 12 to 15.
96
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