A Family Adventure in Oman
From the cities to the deserts and beyond - explore the best of Oman with your family
Personalised journeys from start to finish
Every trip helps support Conservation
Every detail taken care of
Itinerary highlights
-
Learn about science and biology at the Oman Children’s Museum
- Enjoy some thrilling dune bashing in the desert
- See turtles hatching on the sandy beach
- Go on an exciting treasure hunt through a souk in Muscat
What's included
-
Full support from your Travel Concierge before, during and after your trip
-
Expert guides in each destination
-
Luxury accommodation throughout
-
Meet and greet airport service
At a glance
From desert adventures to thrilling treasure hunts and fascinating wildlife, Oman is a great destination for families. Our travel designers are ready to create a trip that perfectly encapsulates your family’s interested and sense of fun. A family adventure through this captivating country could look something like this.
Begin in the capital city of Muscat where you can take in some of the most popular sights and spend some time learning about science at the Oman Children’s Museum. A visit to the village of Adam gives you the chance to meet some camels. In Wahiba Sands you’ll settle into your family tent before heading out for some adrenalin pumping dune bashing with a skilled driver.
Next it’s on to Ras Al Jinz Turtle Reserve for a night where you’ll get to see turtles laying their eggs in the sand, a truly memorable experience. Complete the circle and head back to Muscat for the last few days of your family adventure, stopping for a hike in Wadi Shab or a visit to Bimmah Sinkhole on the way. Head out on a dolphin spotting cruise, but keep your eyes open for other wonderful marine life, and embark on an exciting treasure hunt in a bright and colourful souk.
Example trip itinerary
Muscat
Transfer
Airport meet and greet
Transfer
Transfer to your hotel in Muscat
Accommodation in Muscat
Muscat
Highlights
- Five restaurants each with their own personality
- Luxurious bedrooms with serene sea views
- Tailor-made treatments in the Talise Spa
- High-tech gym and outdoor tennis courts
Overview
Settings rarely get more spectacular than at Jumeirah Muscat Bay: a glittering Arabian Sea stretches out ahead of the property, which has 206 rooms each with their own view of the ocean, while the rugged Al Hajar mountains rise up behind the hotel, creating a sense of total privacy in this little corner of the Omani coastline.
Your room, whether a private summerhouse with its own pool or a deluxe bedroom with floor-to-ceiling windows for admiring that enchanting ocean, will provide a calm space for relaxation, while the property’s three pools are a refreshing place to get active. The highlight here, though, is the private beach: soft yellow sands lapped by the calm waters of the Arabian Sea are a tempting prospect.
Savour the fruits of the ocean at the beachfront restaurant, Zuka, or spend cosy nights sipping cocktails in the intimate Anzo bar, where the views are just as good as the mixologists’ creations. Indulge in a hammam treatment at the Talise Spa, or play a game of tennis on the outdoor courts.
→ Find out moreMuscat
Highlights
- Balinese spa offering traditional treatments
- Six dining destinations serving a range of cuisines
- Exclusive Cigar Lounge for guests and members
- Three swimming pools
- Seafront location with easy access to the city
Overview
Traditional Arabic design meets contemporary chic at the Chedi Muscat. Sitting in prime position overlooking the Gulf of Oman, this sprawling property is an oasis of luxury in the country’s capital. Across 21 acres of lush lawns and bristling palms you’ll find 162 elegant Omani villas, each blessed with plush beds, unique artworks and views of the surrounding greenery to be enjoyed from your private patio.
Dining here is a real treat, with six distinctive restaurants to choose from, each in its own refined setting from poolside seating to a beachfront bistro, serving everything from traditional Middle Eastern platters to delicately flavoured Asian dishes and fresh Italian pastas. The Balinese spa offers treatments steeped in ancient traditions from Indonesia, Thailand, India and Tibet, and the three swimming pools are an idyllic place to cool off in the Omani heat. This award-winning property is an exceptional retreat by the ocean, with the sights and sounds of Muscat right on its doorstep.
→ Find out moreMuscat
Highlights
- Four swimming pools with kids and ladies-only options
- A sublime seafront spa
- Six drinking and dining options with global flavours
- Private beach with watersports
- Bright bedrooms with modern amenities
Overview
Tucked up against the dramatic Al Hajar Mountains and fringed by an azure ocean, Al Bustan Palace enjoys a spectacular location on the Muscat Bay coast. This 250-bedroom hotel sits within a haven of swishing palms and verdant lawns, characterised by a unique blend of Art Deco features and local Arabic design.
Regal bedrooms feature Omani artworks and sublime views of the surrounding seas and greenery, while beyond the main hotel building lies a private beach. Spend afternoons languishing on loungers, or get out onto the ocean with a choice of thrilling watersports activities. For something more sedate, book into the beachfront spa, which embraces Arabic rituals and tradition to help you truly relax with the sounds of the ocean as your guide.
Local and global influence make dining here an exciting experience: unique afternoon teas can be had beneath a 38-metre-high atrium, breakfast buffets are a feast by the beach, and local seafood is the star at the premium Pavilion restaurant. Even the youngest travellers are well served, with personalised fun and experiences available for families, too.
→ Find out more
Exploring Muscat
First highlight of the day is the visit of the world’s fifth biggest mosque, Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque. It impresses with a 14m long Swarovski chandelier and the largest hand-woven carpet on earth (please adhere to the dress code). You pass the diplomatic quarter on your way to Old Muscat with its colourful Al Alam Palace which is flanked by two Portuguese forts: Al Mirani and Al Jalali. Visit Bait Al Zubair Museum with ethnologic exhibits from private collections.
Spend the afternoon at the Oman Children’s Museum which offers children the chance to delve into science and biology through interactive activities, including a fake electric shock, launching a hot air balloon and sending messages through a whisper dish. Another activity, “Eye Spy” consists of perception panels with illusions for children to discover how the brain processes the information seen through their eyes.
Village of Adam and camels
You will start your journey to Wahiba, with Nizwa being your first break. The former capital is the spiritual center of the country. You can make a stop at the fort and climb the tower to enjoy the wonderful view. Afterwards the journey continues to the village of Adam. There you will meet the owner of a small camel farm. For the Bedouins the camel is of great importance: it is their means of transport as well as a supplier of meat, milk and wool. Now enjoy the car drive through the breathtaking dunes. Upon arrival at camp, savour the sunset beside a camel.
Wahiba Sands
Accommodation in Wahiba Sands
Wahiba Sands
Highlights
- Restaurant serving traditional Omani cuisine
- Private dining in the desert on demand
- Excursions to desert oases and local souqs
- Desert spa with a range of relaxing treatments
- Family games room for adventurers of all ages
Overview
Two hours from the capital but a world away from the buzz of the city, Desert Nights Camp promises evenings of seclusion and starry skies. Set amid the rusty orange dunes of the Omani desert, it comprises 55 bedrooms set across 10 acres of sand. Despite the remote location, each room has its own en-suite bathroom, while some come equipped with private terraces and their own plunge pools for cooling off in the desert heat.
Days can be spent adventuring on the dunes in a 4×4 or on a sandboard, or you can explore the local souqs in nearby villages and see the shimmering waters of Wadi Bani Khalid. Evenings, though, bring the real excitement with sunset camel rides and endless dark skies that shimmer with millions of stars, while Omani shuwa (barbecued lamb) is served in the onsite restaurant.
→ Find out more
Playing in the sandbox
After a night under the infinite starlit sky, experience the Wahiba Sands in all its facets today. After breakfast you will go dune bashing. Your driver will give you a demonstration of his driving skills on the dunes – he will of course adjust his style to the little passengers. After this exciting ride you will be picked up at your camp and have lunch in the house of a Bedouin family. In the afternoon you will return to your camp where you will spend one more night in your family tent.
Ras Al Jinz Turtle Reserve
Accommodation in Ras Al Jinz Turtle Reserve
Ras Al Jinz Turtle Reserve
Highlights
- Luxurious tents with ocean views
- Direct access to the Ras Al Jinz Reserve
- Contributions towards turtle conservation
- Practical amenities such as fridges and coffee makers
- Access to a free private beach
Overview
Stay right in the heart of the action at the Ras Al Jinz Turtle Reserve’s own hotel, where simple but cosy bedrooms offer a place to lay your head after watching the region’s most famous reptiles in their natural habitat.
Families can enjoy accommodation in the air-conditioned Carapace Rooms, where there’s space for the whole clan to spend the night in twin, double or bunk beds. For something more romantic, choose a luxury eco-tent: pitched on a small hill a short walk from the reserve, with glorious views out to the ocean, these robust tents have en-suite bathrooms and their own dining spaces.
The onsite restaurant serves an excellent set menu each evening, and a breakfast buffet is quite the feast to set you up for a day of turtle conservation.
→ Find out more
Meet turtles on the shore
Leaving your camp today, your route takes you to Wadi Bani Khalid. This evergreen dry river valley is one of the most famous in the whole region and it never fully dries up. A constant stream of water flows all year round. Large ponds are lined with lush green, shady palm trees and filled with turquoise - and sapphire -coloured water, tempting you to jump. Simply give in and take a refreshing bath. After about two hours driving you will reach your accommodation at the seaside. In the evening you will get to see the turtles laying their eggs, an unforgettable experience for both young and old.
Muscat
Accommodation in Muscat
Muscat
Highlights
- Five restaurants each with their own personality
- Luxurious bedrooms with serene sea views
- Tailor-made treatments in the Talise Spa
- High-tech gym and outdoor tennis courts
Overview
Settings rarely get more spectacular than at Jumeirah Muscat Bay: a glittering Arabian Sea stretches out ahead of the property, which has 206 rooms each with their own view of the ocean, while the rugged Al Hajar mountains rise up behind the hotel, creating a sense of total privacy in this little corner of the Omani coastline.
Your room, whether a private summerhouse with its own pool or a deluxe bedroom with floor-to-ceiling windows for admiring that enchanting ocean, will provide a calm space for relaxation, while the property’s three pools are a refreshing place to get active. The highlight here, though, is the private beach: soft yellow sands lapped by the calm waters of the Arabian Sea are a tempting prospect.
Savour the fruits of the ocean at the beachfront restaurant, Zuka, or spend cosy nights sipping cocktails in the intimate Anzo bar, where the views are just as good as the mixologists’ creations. Indulge in a hammam treatment at the Talise Spa, or play a game of tennis on the outdoor courts.
→ Find out moreMuscat
Highlights
- Balinese spa offering traditional treatments
- Six dining destinations serving a range of cuisines
- Exclusive Cigar Lounge for guests and members
- Three swimming pools
- Seafront location with easy access to the city
Overview
Traditional Arabic design meets contemporary chic at the Chedi Muscat. Sitting in prime position overlooking the Gulf of Oman, this sprawling property is an oasis of luxury in the country’s capital. Across 21 acres of lush lawns and bristling palms you’ll find 162 elegant Omani villas, each blessed with plush beds, unique artworks and views of the surrounding greenery to be enjoyed from your private patio.
Dining here is a real treat, with six distinctive restaurants to choose from, each in its own refined setting from poolside seating to a beachfront bistro, serving everything from traditional Middle Eastern platters to delicately flavoured Asian dishes and fresh Italian pastas. The Balinese spa offers treatments steeped in ancient traditions from Indonesia, Thailand, India and Tibet, and the three swimming pools are an idyllic place to cool off in the Omani heat. This award-winning property is an exceptional retreat by the ocean, with the sights and sounds of Muscat right on its doorstep.
→ Find out moreMuscat
Highlights
- Four swimming pools with kids and ladies-only options
- A sublime seafront spa
- Six drinking and dining options with global flavours
- Private beach with watersports
- Bright bedrooms with modern amenities
Overview
Tucked up against the dramatic Al Hajar Mountains and fringed by an azure ocean, Al Bustan Palace enjoys a spectacular location on the Muscat Bay coast. This 250-bedroom hotel sits within a haven of swishing palms and verdant lawns, characterised by a unique blend of Art Deco features and local Arabic design.
Regal bedrooms feature Omani artworks and sublime views of the surrounding seas and greenery, while beyond the main hotel building lies a private beach. Spend afternoons languishing on loungers, or get out onto the ocean with a choice of thrilling watersports activities. For something more sedate, book into the beachfront spa, which embraces Arabic rituals and tradition to help you truly relax with the sounds of the ocean as your guide.
Local and global influence make dining here an exciting experience: unique afternoon teas can be had beneath a 38-metre-high atrium, breakfast buffets are a feast by the beach, and local seafood is the star at the premium Pavilion restaurant. Even the youngest travellers are well served, with personalised fun and experiences available for families, too.
→ Find out more
Wadi Shab hike or Bimmah Sinkhole
You will be driving back to Muscat today. On your way there, take a short hike in Wadi Shab. Cross a small pond and thereafter, a walk of about 60 minutes along the creek with its lush vegetation and through a spectacularly deep and narrow gorge will lead you to the freshwater pools. Alternatively for younger children, you could visit the Bimmah sinkhole, a limestone crater that was formed by the collapse of the ceiling of an underground river thousands of years ago. The sinkhole is fed with underground seawater and its turquoise water invites you for a refreshing swim.
Private boat trip along Muscat's coast
Today you will enjoy a special private boat tour. You will be picked up by your driver and taken to the nearby port. There you will join a dolphin watching tour. It is very common to see a variety of marine mammals, which happily dive up and down. After that, don't miss the opportunity to jump into the water and spot the underwater marina.
Souk treasure hunt
Your tour guide will take you to the nearby Muttrah district. He will take you on a short walk during which you will have a wonderful view of the old town. Muttrah, the traditional part of Muscat is a melting pot, surrounded by high cliffs on one side on the other side by the ocean. Next comes the treasure hunt in the souk, the oldest market in Oman. Follow the trail of the treasure map, and a present will await you.
Transfer
Private transfer to the airport
We design private journeys for people who wish to go beyond the typical and experiencing something truly special. Our amazing team of travel designers, concierges and local guides work together to create unique journeys that get deep under the skin of where you’re visiting.
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A Family Adventure in Oman
How we work
From desert adventures to thrilling treasure hunts and fascinating wildlife, Oman is a great destination for families. Our travel designers are ready to create a trip that perfectly encapsulates your family’s interested and sense of fun. A family adventure through this captivating country could look something like this. Begin in the capital city of Muscat where you can take in some of the most popular sights and spend some time learning about science at the Oman Children’s Museum. A visit to the village of Adam gives you the chance to meet some camels. In Wahiba Sands you’ll settle into your family tent before heading out for some adrenalin pumping dune bashing with a skilled driver. Next it’s on to Ras Al Jinz Turtle Reserve for a night where you’ll get to see turtles laying their eggs in the sand, a truly memorable experience. Complete the circle and head back to Muscat for the last few days of your family adventure, stopping for a hike in Wadi Shab or a visit to Bimmah Sinkhole on the way. Head out on a dolphin spotting cruise, but keep your eyes open for other wonderful marine life, and embark on an exciting treasure hunt in a bright and colourful souk. | Whats included?
|
Days 1-3 |
Muscat |
|
Flights & transfers
Airport meet and greet |
|
| Transfer to your hotel in Muscat | |
|
Accommodation in Muscat
•
Jumeirah Muscat Bay - $$$$$
•
The Chedi Muscat - $$$$$
•
Al Bustan Palace - $$$$$
|
|
| Exploring Muscat First highlight of the day is the visit of the world’s fifth biggest mosque, Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque. It impresses with a 14m long Swarovski chandelier and the largest hand-woven carpet on earth (please adhere to the dress code). You pass the diplomatic quarter on your way to Old Muscat with its colourful Al Alam Palace which is flanked by two Portuguese forts: Al Mirani and Al Jalali. Visit Bait Al Zubair Museum with ethnologic exhibits from private collections. Spend the afternoon at the Oman Children’s Museum which offers children the chance to delve into science and biology through interactive activities, including a fake electric shock, launching a hot air balloon and sending messages through a whisper dish. Another activity, “Eye Spy” consists of perception panels with illusions for children to discover how the brain processes the information seen through their eyes. |
|
| Village of Adam and camels You will start your journey to Wahiba, with Nizwa being your first break. The former capital is the spiritual center of the country. You can make a stop at the fort and climb the tower to enjoy the wonderful view. Afterwards the journey continues to the village of Adam. There you will meet the owner of a small camel farm. For the Bedouins the camel is of great importance: it is their means of transport as well as a supplier of meat, milk and wool. Now enjoy the car drive through the breathtaking dunes. Upon arrival at camp, savour the sunset beside a camel. |
|
Dasy 3-5 |
Wahiba Sands |
|
Accommodation in Wahiba Sands
•
Desert Nights Camp - $$$$$
|
|
| Playing in the sandbox After a night under the infinite starlit sky, experience the Wahiba Sands in all its facets today. After breakfast you will go dune bashing. Your driver will give you a demonstration of his driving skills on the dunes – he will of course adjust his style to the little passengers. After this exciting ride you will be picked up at your camp and have lunch in the house of a Bedouin family. In the afternoon you will return to your camp where you will spend one more night in your family tent. |
|
Days 5-6 |
Ras Al Jinz Turtle Reserve |
|
Accommodation in Ras Al Jinz Turtle Reserve
•
Ras Al Jinz Turtle Reserve - $$$$$
|
|
| Meet turtles on the shore Leaving your camp today, your route takes you to Wadi Bani Khalid. This evergreen dry river valley is one of the most famous in the whole region and it never fully dries up. A constant stream of water flows all year round. Large ponds are lined with lush green, shady palm trees and filled with turquoise - and sapphire -coloured water, tempting you to jump. Simply give in and take a refreshing bath. After about two hours driving you will reach your accommodation at the seaside. In the evening you will get to see the turtles laying their eggs, an unforgettable experience for both young and old. |
|
Days 6-10 |
Muscat |
|
Accommodation in Muscat
•
Jumeirah Muscat Bay - $$$$$
•
The Chedi Muscat - $$$$$
•
Al Bustan Palace - $$$$$
|
|
| Wadi Shab hike or Bimmah Sinkhole You will be driving back to Muscat today. On your way there, take a short hike in Wadi Shab. Cross a small pond and thereafter, a walk of about 60 minutes along the creek with its lush vegetation and through a spectacularly deep and narrow gorge will lead you to the freshwater pools. Alternatively for younger children, you could visit the Bimmah sinkhole, a limestone crater that was formed by the collapse of the ceiling of an underground river thousands of years ago. The sinkhole is fed with underground seawater and its turquoise water invites you for a refreshing swim. |
|
| Private boat trip along Muscat's coast Today you will enjoy a special private boat tour. You will be picked up by your driver and taken to the nearby port. There you will join a dolphin watching tour. It is very common to see a variety of marine mammals, which happily dive up and down. After that, don't miss the opportunity to jump into the water and spot the underwater marina. |
|
| Souk treasure hunt Your tour guide will take you to the nearby Muttrah district. He will take you on a short walk during which you will have a wonderful view of the old town. Muttrah, the traditional part of Muscat is a melting pot, surrounded by high cliffs on one side on the other side by the ocean. Next comes the treasure hunt in the souk, the oldest market in Oman. Follow the trail of the treasure map, and a present will await you. |
|
|
Flights & transfers
Private transfer to the airport |
