20 independent reviews for Oman small group tour
Reviews for Oman small group tour
Meryl Lloyd review 8 Mar 2023
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?
The trip into the desert. The drive over the Hajar Mountains2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?
Two of the hotels we stayed in were dry. Didn't make too much difference to us but it would have been nice to be told.3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Definitely benefitted local people. Our guide/driver had excellent knowledge of every place on our trip and a highlight was the wonderful picnics we had at lunchtime, often with local families who had prepared the food.4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?
We had a really wonderful time. Having no expectations as to what was on the agenda, we were surprised all along the way at the beauty of the country, the kindness of the people. The big plus which certainly made the vacation so memorable for all of us was our guide Said and driver Masoud who went out of their way to look after us. Said was kind, caring, knowledgeable, fun to be with and a wonderful driver. Nothing was too much trouble.Stephen Turner review 14 Feb 2023
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?
The mountain drives2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?
Need to be reasonably fit - the short walks can involve sandy or rocky ground3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Had picnics for lunch bought from local suppliers4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?
Good vacation that told the story of Oman - people exceptionally welcomingCatherine Fredman review 13 Dec 2022
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?
This trip was wonderful! The itinerary was comprehensive -- from the beach to the desert to the mountains and back -- and our guide/driver Said al-Salti was thoughtful, professional and lots of fun to spend time with. It's really hard to pinpoint any one high point because every day was memorable: from watching baby turtles hatch at dawn at Ras al Jinz and scramble down to the sea, to having lunch with a Beduin family in their compound in the desert, to learning how defenders of the fort at Nizwa poured hot date syrup on invaders (ancient Arab napalm!), to hiking through the terraced gardens on Jebel Akhdar .... What a great introduction to a fascinating country!2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?
Pack warm clothes for the night at Jebel Shams -- it's cold up there! Buy snacks for the car at Lulu hypermarkets -- you see how ordinary Omanis live and do their shopping. Women, bring an elbow-length rashguard and knee-length/capri-length quick-dry hiking shorts for modesty in swimming areas.3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Yes. Whenever possible, Said ensured we spent time with locals, whether it was lunching in a local restaurant we never would have found on our own or even being invited into his home for lunch with his family.4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?
Great! I'd recommend it in a heartbeat and would love to come back for a longer trip. The tour operator did a superb job of making sure everything ran smoothly -- from airport pickup to the farewell sunset dhow cruise. There's a lot of driving time -- we logged over 1,000 kilometers! -- but Said made sure we did plenty of walking and exploring, so we got plenty of exercise. He was extraordinarily solicitous, too, always checking in with his fellow guides (he knows everyone) to get updates on road conditions -- a must when off-road driving in Wadi Bani Awf -- so we always felt comfortable and safe.Vivien Jones review 9 Mar 2020
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?
Visiting the empty quarter though there were so many memorable bits.2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?
Remember it is a very conservative country especially in Salalah.3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Yes many meals at local restaurants, I suppose visiting various sites helped conservation and spending time at the turtle conservation site helped bring money in.4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?
Fantastic, brilliant guidesRead the operator's response here:
Thank you for the kind feedback. We are delighted that you enjoyed the vacation.
Karen Brown review 17 Jan 2020
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?
The local tour leader was excellent; the people of Oman were amazing as it the landscape.2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?
If travelers have not been to a middle eastern country before, this would be the place I would recommend3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
I think so - we used local hotels etc..4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?
Judy Baker review 17 Feb 2020
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?
Both desert trips and the journey through the mountains around Snake Valley and Wadi Bani Awf. Also we were lucky to see a green turtle laying her eggs, camouflaging them and then going to the sea.2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?
Women need to dress in darker colours and wear long sleeved shirt as well as a scarf for the mosque in Muscat. Don't bother to take shorts or hiking boots, trainers sufficient. Just out and about need a short sleeved top.3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
To some degree. Our guide was good at recycling left over food to those who had little. We were aware but we were traveling around a lot and using 4 x 4 (very enjoyable and suitable for the trip!). Needed to be told there was no hot water in 1000 days camp as wasted a lot of water waiting for it to become hot. Cold water wasn't a problem for those days.4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?
Very enjoyable. Good sized group and programme well chosen though perhaps a bit too much car and too little free time and exercise for us personally. Hotel in Salalah well chosen allowing us to see local life and move about freely. Last minute change of hotel in Muscat was unavoidable but rather odd. The new hotel was nearly empty but fine. Both guides were very good and Said showed a lot of care and tact in dealing with a difficult member of the group. We would have benefitted from having a written daily itinerary showing the times and places visited. the time changes and the combination of lots of times, small changes to the places visited and the order of the visits (made for good reasons) and Arabic names was sometimes confusing.Read the operator's response here:
Thank you for your review. We are delighted that you enjoyed the tour. Our tours employee all local guides and drivers and we try to use locally owned accommodation wherever possible, making sure that your tourist spend stays local. We will pass your comments on to the camp regarding a notice if the hot water is not working as we do not wish to waste any resources. Once again, thanks for the feedback and we hope you have great memories of Oman.
Aruna Paramasivam review 13 Apr 2019
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?
Jebel Shams - seeing the Grand Canyon of Oman certainly did not disappoint. Eating camel curry & all the local Omani cuisine.2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?
Not suitable for anyone with motion sickness or fear of heights. The hotel in the desert does not have air conditioning, so come prepared to spend a lot of time in the pool. The hotel in Muscat is not centrally located, so you will need to spend money on taxis to get around.3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Yes4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?
It was a great itinerary. I would have just upgraded the hotels if it was possible.Rob Pearson review 6 Dec 2018
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?
Many memorable episodes! Watching the Green turtles on the beach at Ras Al Jinz. The hustle and bustle of Nizwa market. Rugged 4-wheel drive down from the mountains to snake canyon. Hearing the chorus of call-to-midday-prayers echo around the mountains above Muttrah... and the many sunrises and sunsets!2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?
If you have free time in Muscat - do the Muttrah Geotrek (C38), a short and easy walk /minor wadi scramble if you want to get away from the cruise tourists on the Corniche (path starts behind the mosque near Riyam Park car park). Number 4 bus leaves from near the Al Falaj hotel down to Muttrah & Old Muscat for 0.2 OmaniRial (40 pence) each way (every 20-30 mins). A fleece / layers for Jebel Shams - as temperatures drop up there at night!3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Really difficult to quantify local benefit other than use of local tour company. Oman has undergone major transformations over the past few decades and appears only just on the brink of embracing climate change mitigation strategies, still having a deep dependency on 4WD cars and plastic bottled water. We brought filter bottles to minimize our use of plastic bottles (unlimited supply from the guides car AND provided gratis at meals). Oman has good desalinated tap water which once filtered is palatable.4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?
Exceeded expectations. The guide said and drivers were excellent. Food and water arranged / supplied was excellent and plentiful. The accommodation was excellent throughout.Read the operator's response here:
Thank you for the feedback and tips. We are delighted that you enjoyed the tour.
David Williams review 1 Dec 2018
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?
Watching turtles at Ras El Jinz Standing on a dune in the Empty Quarter Driving Wadi Bani Awf Date tasting in Nizwa souk The Sultan Qaboos Mosque in Muscat2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?
(this trip was tailor made so it is unlikely anyone would book exactly the same vacation) If you want a drink, buy your duty frees at the airport Do eat in small local restaurants. they are cheap, the quality of the food is much higher than I expected, and there are no hygiene problems When eating in these restaurants you will find that one dish is ample for two people.3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
We tried to spend money with local concern Environmental Impact: Long haul flights, two internal flights, and several hundred miles driving; not good I am afraid. The removal of a little plastic waste from the desert was a tiny contribution by comparison. Conservation: I don't think we did the turtles on Ras al Jinz beach much good, but concentrating tourists here leaves another 150 miles of beach untrampled. I hope some of the money we paid goes into turtle conservation, but I don't know. With increasing wealth most of Oman's people have moved into newly built homes. The traditional mudbrick houses deteriorated very quickly when abandoned. One beneficial effect of tourism is that in several places people have restored the mud brick buildings and opened them to visitors4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?
Fascinating. Fabulous desert landscapes, friendly people, restored historic buildings, beautiful modern mosques, good food. What's not to like? (Actually I would have liked a cold beer on a hot afternoon - but you know you are making that sacrifice when booking for a country like Oman)Read the operator's response here:
Thank you for the feedback. We are delighted that you enjoyed the vacation. Your visits to the turtle sanctuary and the mud brick houses are certainly having a benefit on the conservation of the local wildlife and the preservation of unique historical homes. Once again, thanks for the great feedback.
Oliver Grumitt review 17 Mar 2018
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?
Just about everything was memorable. But traveling through and swimming in the wadis and canyons would be the top highlight.2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?
If you would like to try something different from a normal vacation then this is perfect. Remember to always do what the guide. Asks you to do and you will have no problems.3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
I hope so! There was a lot of litter like plastic bottles scattered around and also in the water at the wadis. I did my bit by removing some rubbish lying and floating around and putting it where it should belong, in a bin.4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?
A one hundred percent success, things went very smoothly. I hope I will do many more vacations with the company.Read the operator's response here:
Thank you for your kind comments. We are delighted that you enjoyed Oman so much and we look forward to having you travel with us again.
Frances Hastings review 21 Feb 2018
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?
All of Oman was amazing and a wonderful country to visit ...but I especially loved being in the mountains at Wadi Bani Awf, with stunning scenery and incredible views.2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?
Have really warm clothes if you sleep at 8 thousand feet at Jebel Shams, in the morning it was 4 degrees and I had to sleep in gloves! You can’t have bare shoulders out in public. Need to up for adventures.3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
We had lunch with a Bedouin family which I hope helped them and us. A small group of 11 made less of an impact on the environment ...but no recycling of all those water bottles that everybody used. We must have used hundreds. I used my own bottles and refilled, the tap water is OK. Conservation at the turtles.4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?
100%.Martin Bigg review 7 Nov 2017
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?
Watching the turtles at Ras el Jinz after dark and before dawn - both adult female turtles laying and baby turtles hatching and scurrying to the sea. Such a privilege to be part of this.2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?
Go prepared for the heat and drink lots of water. And don't walk barefoot on sun-baked sand!3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Benefited local people - a resounding yes, as we stayed (mostly) in local hotels, had lunch in small local restaurants, visited local businesses, and used local guides. Reduced environmental impacts - definitely not, through (1) plentiful supply (and most grateful for them!) of plastic bottles of drinking water, with no apparent means of recycling, and (2) through lots of driving - but, in a land where car is king, who's to notice?4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?
Excellent!Sheryl Padjen review 19 Mar 2017
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?
The entire trip was excellent and memorable. The most memorable was seeing the green turtles at night laying eggs. It was incredible! Wahiba Sands was also spectacular.2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?
Go and enjoy! Our guide, Said, was exceptional and our driver, Amin, was also very good. If it were possible to request a particular guide, Said would be the one to request.3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
The hotel where we stayed to view the turtles definitely benefited conservation as it benefited the turtles. There would have been no other reason to stay at this hotel, and the guides there do a good job of ensuring that the turtles are not disturbed and are viewed appropriately.4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?
Excellent!Read the operator's response here:
Thank you. We are delighted that you enjoyed the trip and Oman.
Bennett Hinkley review 28 Nov 2017
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?
The drive from Nizwa to Muscat, through the mountains. Astounding.2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?
If you get motion sickness, bring some tablets for the mountains. Bring some socks and foot cream; it's really dry and you're feet are liable to crack.3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Not particularly, unless the hotel at the turtle reserve uses its profits to support the turtle conservation efforts of the area.4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?
Very good.Fiona McFarlane review 21 Feb 2017
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?
Traveling into the desert2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?
Do not expect much by way of variety of food especially if you are veggie or have special dietary needs. Food was fine but repetitive and a bit basic mainly.3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
I would hope that it benefited local people, although given that the cost was 'all in' that rather depended on the arrangements with each venue of which we were not a party. Perhaps you should provide information on how the arrangements work?.4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?
Very highly. The guide was excellent, arrangements were very smoothVictoria Johnson review 4 Jan 2017
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?
There were several: turtles on the beach in Ras al Jinz, sunset in the desert, villages in Jebel Akhdar, Misfat and Al Hamra2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?
No special advice. The tour isn't strenuous.3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Not especially4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?
Excellent, although the tour could be improved by an additional day.Maria Trivyza review 29 Nov 2017
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?
Salalah!2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?
Go for the Salalah extension...3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Definitely4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?
If I did not do the extension, I would rate it GOOD! We had some problems with accommodation and long hours of mountain driving which did not add much to the trip.Ana Pissarro review 19 Dec 2016
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?
Spending the night in 1000night camp in Wahiba Sands! What a magical place..2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?
3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
I am not sure if it reduced environmental impact but it made us all aware of the impact humans have in Nature. Unfortunately, there is a lot of rubbish all over Wahiba Sands left by local people (or so we were said). It is extremelly important for Travel Agencies to pressure Omani governmental agencies to work on a solution for this probelm.4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?
Great! Loved it!Read the operator's response here:
All of us here are delighted to learn that Ana enjoyed her tour of Oman so much; Wahiba Sands is indeed a very special place. Part of our stated philosophy is that" We want to visit an area as friends, not intruders, and to ensure that what we see will also be there for others to enjoy for many years to come." This is an important consideration when we choose our local partners, and we expect them to be vigilant in minimising the impact our clients make as they travel through a country. It is difficult when local people seem not to show the same care for their surroundings, but our local partners try to lead by example, and take every opportunity to make their voices heard on these matters.
Yann Bacon review 3 Jan 2016
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?
Crossing the mountains and the desert, and having a clear night sky in the desert. Omani are really hospitable.2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?
Night at Ras al Jinz reserve was not very comfortable, as many people were shouting when waiting for their 5am tour, disrespectful of people sleeping. Maybe another choice of hotel would be useful (or another waiting place for people on the tour). Muscat deserves more than a 1/2 day tour. Don't miss the desert and the mountains, don't miss the sunset cruise also. If you can stay longer in the mountain to go for a 2-3 hours walk in the grand canyon, do it.3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Hope so. It's sad however to see such beautiful places littered with plastic bags and bottles.4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?
Very very nice, loved it! Also the guide had a big part in making this vacation memorable. It's very quiet, the roads are really good, all this makes traveling in Oman very easy and refreshing.Dennis Shulha review 11 Feb 2015
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?
The desert most of all and the rest was memorable2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?
3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
No4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?
It was wonderful. The people were warm and gracious. Our guide did a great job and was a superb quick driver. A few things that your company should consider. We made 2 requests for information about the host company and a telephone number and name of the contact person in Oman. We did not receive anything. Fortunately it turned out well. Secondly, the hotel that was provided during the visit to the turtles is a 1 star hotel and it gets only one star because of the staff.Holiday Reviews
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