The 6 Best Oman Guided Tours and Day-Trips from Muscat

The 6 most exciting guided tours and day-trips in Oman from Muscat. What are the best guided day-tours from Muscat? And, above all, which are the most interesting and beautiful places in Oman that you can reach and visit from Muscat with day-trips leaving the capital of Oman in the morning and returning in the late afternoon? Where to go and which tours to choose among the numerous guided day-tours offered by the tourist agencies of Muscat? Are you looking for an excursion by private car and a personal guide or do you wish to join a group tour? Your complete guide to the 6 best guided tours and day-trips in Oman from Muscat with my reviews and all pros and cons of each tour. The city tour of Muscat to visit with a guide the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque, the Corniche and the intriguing souq in the Mutrah district. The 4WD desert safari from Muscat to see the great sand dunes of Wahiba Sands and to swim in the crystal clear water of beautiful Wadi Bani Khalid. The hiking tour to Wadi Shab, the most beautiful and famous wadi in Oman. The fabolous snorkeling day-trip to Dimaniyat Islands by boat from Muscat. The guided day-tour from Muscat to visit the important city of Nizwa, Bahla Fort and Jabrin Castle. And the day-tour to explore the mountains and villages of Jebel Shams with the Grand Canyon of Oman. The comparison and detailed description of the 6 best tours you can book in Muscat to visit the most beautiful places in Oman, with direct links to compare costs and book easily online with credit card.

Photo Credit: Prasad Pillai

What Are the Best Oman Guided Tours and Day-Trips from Muscat?

The 6 Best Guided Tours and Day-Trips in Oman from Muscat

Do you want to visit Muscat on an organized tour with a guide? Would you like to visit the magnificent Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque and then explore the charming Mutrah district with the Corniche and the fascinating souq? Would you like to take a 4WD tour to the Oman desert to see the great sand dunes and swim in one of the most scenic wadis? Or to book a guided tour to visit the city of Nizwa with the fort of Bahla and the castle of Jabrin? Or even reach the spectacular mountains of Jebel Shams to admire the impressive abyss of the Grand Canyon of Oman from above?

• Among the many city tours of Muscat and the numerous guided day trips departing from Muscat to reach the desert and the Nizwa region that you find proposed by the travel agencies of Muscat and bookable online, I have chosen 6 different tours. 

• Here are the 6 best tours and guided day-trips to visit Oman from Muscat. The first one is a guided city tour of Muscat to visit the best of the capital of Oman. The second tour is a 4WD desert safari to reach the majestic dunes of Wahiba Sands and take a swim in the crystal clear water pools of Wadi Bani Khalid, among rocks and beautiful palm trees. The third tour is an excursion to visit the important city of Nizwa, admire the fort of Bahla and the castle of Jabrin. The fourth is the fabolous snorkeling day-trip to Dimaniyat Islands by boat from Muscat. The fifth tour is a guided day-trip to discover the spectacular mountains of Jebel Shams with the impressive abyss of the Grand Canyon of Oman. The last one is a small group tour to Wadi Shab, the most beautiful and famous wadi in Oman, a very special place.

• These are not the only tours you can book but in my opinion they are among the best and most complete guided day-trips available on the market to explore Oman leaving Muscat in the morning and returning in the late afternoon.

• All tours are described below, in a very detailed way, with my considerations, some suggestions and all the pros and cons of each tour. 

• If you go to Muscat, you want to visit some of the most beautiful places in Oman, you have little time available and you are looking for a guided excursion, I think these tours are a good solution. Have a look and see if there is a tour you like.

• You can book all tours easily by credit card through Get Your Guide and Viator. For the great majority of tours you get instant confirmation, while for some, tour confirmation is subject to availability and will be given within 48 hours of your booking.

Photo Credit: GetYourGuide

Muscat City Tour: Muscat Half Day City Tour with Hotel Transfers

It is the classic half-day tour to visit Muscat, perfect for visiting the best of the capital of Oman accompanied by a guide. Depart in the morning from your hotel, the first stop is the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque, the true wonder of Muscat, and then move to the characteristic Mutrah district to take a look at the fish market, stroll on the Corniche and visit the souq; the last stop is in what used to be the Old City to admire from the outside the forts of Mirani and Jalali and the Al Alam Palace, the Sultan’s Palace, and finally visit the small museum of Bait Al Zubair with an interesting exhibition about Omani history and culture. You see practically all of Muscat’s most beautiful attractions in just 4 hours, then if you have more time you can continue to explore Muscat on your own. This tour is arranged by Gray Line – Kurban Tours and offered by Viator, the TripAdvisor-owned company specializing in the sale of online tours.

• Pick-up and drop-off: departure and return to your hotel in Muscat.

• Duration of the tour: about 4 hours, departure around 8 with return to the hotel at 12 or 12.30.

• Guide: the tour operates with an English-speaking guide but an audio guide is available in several other languages, select it during the booking process.

• Features: usually the tour is carried out on a shared basis together with other participants, sometimes it happens to be lucky and have an exclusive car and driver/guide all for yourself.

• Price: the cost includes transport, the assistance of a guide, the audio guide and also the entrance fees (where necessary) to all the attractions visited during the tour.

• Pros: pick-up and drop-off at your hotel so as not to have to deal with the expensive taxis of Muscat; being able to get a good idea of the capital of Oman in just half a day and at a very reasonable price.

• Cons: I would say none, and considering that taxis in Muscat are anything but cheap and during the excursion there are many trips, the tour is worth all the money it costs.

• Good to know: to enter the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque you need adequate clothing, ie legs up to the ankles and arms covered and for women also covered hair and clothes that are neither tight nor transparent; if you want at the entrance to the mosque, you can rent a traditional abaya to cover up as required by Islamic tradition, but this obviously only applies to women, men must arrive already prepared. Keep in mind that if things have not changed the mosque is closed for visits to non-Muslims on Fridays.

• Recommended: if you want to visit Muscat with a guide who tells you about the history and customs of Oman.

• Price, info & Booking: Viator | Muscat Half Day City Tour with visit to Sultan Qaboos Grand MosqueTour

• Another group tour option: the half-day group excursion to visit Muscat is also offered by GYG in the GetYourGuide | Muscat Half-Day City Tour with Audio Guiding, so you can compare costs before booking.

• Tours to visit Muscat with car and private guide: a different private tour to compare, lasts half a day and includes a visit to the main attractions of Muscat traveling with a private car and exclusive guide, see GetYourGuide | Muscat: Private City Highlights Tour with Transfer

• Are you arriving in Muscat on a cruise ship? There is a half-day Muscat city tour specially designed for cruise passengers with pick-up and drop-off at the port, this is the link to investigate Viator | Cruise-Tour Excursion Muscat City Tour Half Day; refunds will be issued if tour is missed due to late or non-arrival of cruise ship, read the details in the description of the tour in the link above.

• Do you want to see Muscat from the sea at sunset? Two unusual tours to admire the capital of Oman from the sea at sunset, sailing aboard a traditional boat, the characteristic and fascinating dhow; the first tour lasts from 3 to 4 hours, includes transfers to and from your hotel and can be booked at the link Viator | Oman Dhow: Coastal and Sunset Cruise; if, on the other hand, you prefer to reach the embarkation pier by taxi, you can consider the less expensive Viator | Historical Muscat Sunset Tour approximately 2 hours.

• Want to see dolphins? Two different dolphin watching tours from Muscat, the first is GetYourGuide | Muscat: Dolphin Watching and Snorkeling Tour, lasts a total of 3 hours and includes both transfers to and from the hotel and a snorkeling session; the second, only 2 hours, less expensive but without snorkelling and without transfers is Viator | Dolphin Watching

Photo Credit: Sankara Subramanian

Wahiba Sands 4WD Tour: Desert Safari to Wahiba Sands with Wadi Bani Khalid from Muscat

This is the tour not to be missed in Oman, the most scenic and spectacular one. A long day from Muscat to reach by 4WD the desert of Wahiba Sands, with beautiful sand dunes up to seventy meters high, the desert more close to the capital of Oman. In addition you visit the unusual natural environment of Wadi Bani Khalid, a canyon with magnificent natural pools of crystal clear water between rocks and lush vegetation. This is an expensive tour but extremely profitable for what you see.

• Pick-up and drop-off: departure and return to your hotel in Muscat.

• Duration of the tour: 9 hours, departure around 8 in the morning with return to the hotel in the late afternoon.

• Guide: English speaking driver/guide.

• Features: tour by private 4WD exclusively for you, the local operator is the well known and appreciated Sunshine Tours Oman, super rated on TripAdvisor.

• Price: to find out the real cost, enter dates and number of participants, generally the minimum cost is based on 4 people; includes pick-up and drop-off directly at your Muscat hotel, transport and picnic lunch; confirmation is immediate upon booking.

• Pros: in a single tour you will see two of the most fascinating landscapes in all of Oman, the wadis and the dunes of the desert.

• Cons: you travel for almost 600 km, and you must be aware of this before booking, but the access road from Muscat to Bidiyah is almost all highway so the approach and return are relatively fast; there are better and more expert guides who take you by off-road up to the top of the dunes doing dune bashing and others who instead stop on the sandy track at the base of the dunes, but if the guide is really good you only discover it the same day of the tourn, in any case you can still climb the dunes on foot alone.

• Good to know: although there is no border to cross, bring your passport with you on the day of the tour, some agencies require it and it could be useful in case of traffic police checks; don’t forget your swimsuit if you want to swim in the pools of transparent water of Wadi Bani Khalid.

• Recommended: if you stay in Muscat for a few days and have only one day to devote to an excursion outside the city, this is the tour you should prefer, at least if you want to see the desert; perfect for families and groups of friends.

• Price, info & Booking: Viator | Full-Day Private Wahiba Sands Desert and Wadi Bani Khalid Tour

• Small group shared tour of the Wahiba Sands: at the time of the update of this article it is possible to book an interesting shared excursion in small groups which is perfect for those traveling alone or even those traveling as a couple but do not need a private vehicle; the difference with other similar desert tours is the price, being a shared tour the cost is in fact extremely attractive; pick-up and drop-off at the Muscat hotel, 4WD transport to Wahiba Sands and Wadi Bani Khalid and picnic lunch are included, here is the link to compare costs and book Viator | Desert Safari Sharing Tours; the tour is organized by Wabar Tours and the reviews on TripAdvisor are excellent.

• Other private desert tour options: a private excursion to Wahiba Sands and Wadi Bani Khalid, practically identical to the main tour described above, is offered by GetYourGuide with 2 other proposals, both include pick-up and drop-off in Muscat and 4WD transport to Wahiba Sands and the Wadi Bani Khalid, here are the links to compare costs and book; the first is GetYourGuide | Wahiba Sands & Wadi Bani Khalid Private Tour, alternatively see GetYourGuide | Oman: Wahiba and Wadi Bani Khamed Private Trip, if things have not changed both excursions do not include lunch.

Photo Credit: Dan

Nizwa Tour: Nizwa, Jabrin Castle and Bahla Fort Day-Tour from Muscat

This is the classic tour from Muscat if you are interested in learning more about the history and cultural aspects of Oman. The first stop is the important city of Nizwa located almost 180 km southwest of Muscat, an ancient city and an important religious and artistic center, here you visit the souq famous for its ceramics, jewels and daggers. The second stop is the Jabrin Castle, one of the most impressive and best preserved in all of Oman, you enter the castle and visit it inside. In the vicinity of Jabrin also take a look from the outside at the beautiful fort of Bahla included in the UNESCO World Heritage List, then return to Muscat by mid-afternoon.

• Pick-up and drop-off: included for all hotels in Muscat, direct departure from the airport or cruise port is also available.

• Duration of the tour: about 8 hours.

• Guide: English speaking.

• Features: the tour is conducted on a strictly private basis with car and exclusive guide.

• Price: includes pick-up and return to the hotel, private transport, entrance costs as indicated on the official excursion page.

• Pros: it is one of the most interesting tours among those you can book in Oman, in addition to Nizwa, Jabrin and Bahla there is a photo-stop in the village of Birkat Al Mauz; excellent value for money, note the lunch already included.

• Cons: in my opinion none, certainly do not expect to drive off-road on dirt tracks that cross the mountains, this tour takes place entirely on paved roads and for both the outward and return journeys you use the comfortable and fast multi-lane highway that connects Muscat to Nizwa.

• Good to know: Oman is not an extremist country but like all Islamic countries it is traditionalist, and here you are always among the people, so dress decently, which means no necklines and covered arms and legs.

• Recommended: if in addition to Muscat you want to see something else of Oman and are more interested in history and culture than in nature and landscapes; good shopping opportunities at Nizwa souq.

• Price, info & Booking: Viator | Private Historical Tour – Nizwa Fort – Nizwa Souq – Bahla Fort – Jabreen Castle

• Alternative tours from Muscat to Nizwa on a private basis: there are many day tours from Muscat to Nizwa and Jabrin offered by local suppliers, I invite you to look at Viator | Full-Day Nizwa Fort, Bahla Fort and Jabreen Castle Private Tour and Viator | Nizwa , Bahla and Jabrin Fort (Tours and Sightseeing), always enter the date and number of participants to get the correct quotation, some tours are cheaper than others if you are at least 4 or 5 participants.

• If in addition to Nizwa you want to visit the suggestive village of Misfat Al Abreyeen: a tour on a private basis, with car and a guide, which ignores the castles and forts focusing instead on two of the most fascinating small villages around Nizwa, namely Al Hamra and Misfat Al Abreyeen, visiting its spectacular palm grove and admiring the unique irrigation system used by its inhabitants for hundreds of years, this is the link to investigate Viator | Nizwa- Al Hamra Old Village- Misfah Al Abryeen Full Day Tour

• The group tours to visit Nizwa from Muscat: if you travel alone or in two and want to spend less, it may be worth booking one of the tours on a shared basis with other participants, less expensive but usually operating only a few days a week. An example of this is the GetYourGuide | Muscat: Full-Day Nizwa Tour with Audio Guiding available with audio guide in several languages and which includes the visit of Nizwa, Jabrin Castle, a stop to admire the beautiful Bahla Fort from the outside and a last stop at the ruins of the village of Birkat Al Mouz, lunch is already included adding extra value to the excursion. An alternative tour, different but equally valid, conducted in small groups with a maximum of 11 participants is GetYourGuide | From Muscat: Nizwa & Al Hamra Guided Historical Tour, does not include the visit of the forts, instead including the visit of the characteristic village of Al Hamra in addition to the souq and the fort of Nizwa.

• Nizwa and Jebel Akhdar tours: the Jebel Akhdar plateau at almost 2000 meters above sea level, with its vertiginous roads, small villages, orchards, rose crops and great panoramas, is the destination of three excursions from Muscat, all with a very similar program and all conducted with a private car and guide, these are the links to learn more: Viator | Full Day Private Nizwa/Jebel Akhdar the first, Viator | Private Day-Tour in Nizwa and Jebel Akhdar the second, and last Viator | Private Day Trip to Nizwa, Jabal Akhdar (Green Mountain) & Birkat Al Moz, compare prices according to number of participants.

Photo Credit: Viator

Snorkeling Day-Trip to Dimaniyat Islands from Muscat

Located 11 miles off the coast of Barka and about 40 kilometers Northwest of Muscat, the Dimaniyat Islands Nature Reserve is one of the best places in all of Oman to snorkel and see large sea turtles. Nine islands, protected by UNESCO, a beautiful coral reef, tens of turtles, dolphins, multicolored fish, lots of birds, sometimes even whale sharks pass by here. And the Dimaniyat islands (also written Daymaniyat) can be visited with this guided tour which includes transfers from Muscat, the boat and two different snorkeling sessions. Very easy to spot turtles and if you’re lucky even dolphins. Confirmation is immediate upon booking.

• Pick-up and drop-off: departure and return to your hotel in Muscat.

• Duration of the tour: about 6 hours.

• Guide: English speaking crew/guide.

• Features: small group tour with a maximum of 12 participants, local supplier is Demaniyat Adventures.

• Price: includes minivan tranfers from your hotel in Muscat to the port and vice versa, the boat tour to Dimaniyat Islands, use of snorkelling equipment, snacks, water and drinks.

• Pros: this day-tour allows you to visit one of the most beautiful seaside spots of all Oman.

• Cons: dolphin sightings are clearly not guaranteed; the beaches of the islands appear heavenly, but keep in mind that this is a tour mainly centered on snorkelling rather than staying on the beach, which in any case is only possible from November to April, from May to October in fact a ban is in force on the Dimaniyat islands landing.

• Good to know: it takes between 45 minutes and an hour to reach the islands by boat from the coast, sailing in the open sea.

• Recommended: if you love snorkeling and boat trips.

• Price, info & Booking: Viator | Snorkeling at Dimaniyat Islands and Dolphin Watching

• Alternative guided day-trips to visit the Dimaniyat islands from Muscat: look at Viator | Cruises to Daymaniyat & Snorkeling organized by Al Muhajer Marina, or Viator | Snorkeling trips to Daymaniat Island whose local supplier is Marmar Tourism and Marin, or Viator | Daymaniyat Islands Snorkeling Sharing Trip organized by Oman Sea Tour, please note that this last tour does not include transfers from the hotels in Muscat.

Photo Credit: Viator

Jebel Shams and Misfat Al Abreyeen: Tour to the Grand Canyon of Oman from Muscat

Jebel Shams rises to 3,000 meters above sea level and is the highest peak of the Hajar mountain range, as well as the highest point in Oman. It is not the summit that is important, but the glorious view from the summit plateau on the very deep Wadi Ghul below, a chasm of 1,000 meters. It is known as the Grand Canyon of Oman and the views are truly spectacular, a mineral world of layered rocks without a single tree. And the Jebel Shams plateau reached via a scenic dirt road is the destination of this tour from Muscat which also includes a visit to Al Hamra and the characteristic and somewhat labyrinthine village of Misfat Al Abreyeen, by far one of the most beautiful villages of all Oman, with its palm grove, dark alleys and old houses.

• Pick-up and drop-off: departure and return to your Muscat hotel.

• Duration of the tour: the excursion lasts about 10 hours.

• Guide: English speaking driver/guide.

• Features: usually the tour is carried out with a 4WD off-road private vehicle.

• Price: enter the date and number of participants to get the correct cost, price includes transport from/to Muscat with a private driver/guide, lunch is not included.

• Pros: in addition to the panorama from the top of Jebel Shams, the interesting and profitable stop at the village of Misfat, one of the most beautiful and authentic in all of Oman.

• Cons: tour with a lot of hours of driving, keep this in mind when you book; from Nizwa to the summit plateau of Jebel Shams is 90 Km one-way (of which a part on dirt track) in addition to the 180 Km that separate Nizwa from Muscat, you spend most of the day in your car.

• Good to know: the limited time at Jebel Shams does not allow you to hike the spectacular and dizzying Balcony Walk, probably the most famous of all Oman hikes, all you can do is walking along the path for a few hundred meters and then go back to your off-road vehicle; on the way back to Muscat try to ask the guide if you can make a short stop in Birkat al Mauz, the ruins of the ancient village now abandoned are very suggestive, you can walk along silent streets between stone and clay houses on the edges of a large palm grove. 

• Recommended: if you want to take a look at Nizwa but what really attracts you the most are the wild views of the mountains of Oman.

• Price, info & Booking: Viator | Nizwa Fort-Nizwa Souq-Misfah Al Arbyeen-Jebel Shams – Private Full Day Tour

• Other Jebel Shams private tour options: two similar excursions that to the orientation visit of Nizwa and the panorama from the top of Jebel Shams often also include a stop in Al Hamra or the village of Misfat, these are the links where you can check descriptions and prices: Viator | Full Day Private Tour to Nizwa and Jebel Shams from Muscat the first, Viator | Private Day Trip to Nizwa & Jabal Shams (The Grand Canyon of Oman) the second one. Always remember to enter the date and actual number of travelers to get the correct price.

Photo Credit: Viator

Wadi Shab Tour: Small Group Tour to the Most Spectacular Canyon of Oman from Muscat

Located just over 150 Km South of the capital Muscat, Wadi Shab is perhaps the most beautiful wadi in Oman, certainly the most famous. A wild canyon, accessible first by boat and then only on foot, the final part of the canyon can only be reached by swimming along a succession of narrow and long natural pools of crystalline and transparent water, surmounted by scenic and imposing rock walls. A really fantastic place. The hike inside Wadi Shab is not difficult but it is not a hike for everyone.

In the second part of the hike, the route becomes more bumpy, you have to climb over boulders and walk on rocks. But if you have a minimum level of fitness this is one of the MUST DO tours in Oman, worth every penny it costs. This guided tour includes transport by minibus from Muscat to Wadi Shab, about 2 and half hours available to go up the canyon on foot as far as you wish, on the way back to Muscat there is a stop of about 30 minutes to visit the Bimmah Sinkhole, one of Oman’s geological curiosities, a spectacular karst sinkhole whose interior is occupied by a small lake of transparent emerald green water.

• Pick-up e drop-off: departure and return to your hotel in Muscat.

• Duration of the tour: about 9 hours.

• Guide: English speaking.

• Features: small group tour with a maximum of 11 participants.

• Price: includes transport by air-conditioned minibus, Wi-Fi aboard the van, the assistance of a guide, lunch with bottled water and snacks.

• Pros: well, this is a special place, a place of absolute beauty, and the tour that takes you there has a reasonable cost, moreover you don’t have to worry about the logistics of transport to reach it.

• Cons: if you have difficulty walking off the path forget it; keep in mind that it takes about 2.5 hours one-way from Muscat to reach Wadi Shab, so you will spend at least 5 hours aboard the van.

• Good to know: you don’t come to Wadi Shab in flip-flops, you need light trekking shoes or sneakers with non-smooth soles; don’t forget your swimsuit, sunscreen and a dry-bag or waterproof case for your phone, digital camera and documents including passport (the latter only if you want to enter the last part of the canyon accessible only by swimming). Bear in mind this is a hiking tour.

• Recommended: if you go to Oman and wish not to rent a car, if you like hiking and want to see one of the most suggestive places in all of Oman, something very different from the wadis where organized travel groups go.

• Price, info & Booking: Viator | Wadi Shab and Bimmah Sinkhole Group Full Day Tour

• Another group tour option: a similar tour is also offered by GetYourGuide | Muscat: Wadi Shab and Bimah Sinkhole Tour with Audio Guide, so you can compare costs before booking.

• The tour to visit Wadi Shab from Muscat with private car and a private guide: three different excursions, both with private car with exclusive driver and guide, obviously more expensive than the group tour but with the advantage of being able to stay longer at the inside the canyon and wanting to swim to the waterfall, as well as being able to stop on the Tiwi coast at the wild and magnificent Fins Beach on the way back to Muscat; the first tour to consider is Viator | Wadi Shab and Bimmah Sinkhole Private Full Day Tour and in addition to hotel pick-up and drop-off also includes picnic lunch; alternatively see Viator | Private Wadi Shab – Bimmah Sinkhole – White Sand Beach – Full Day Tour and Viator | Private Full-Day Wadi Shab and Bimmah Sinkhole Tour, if things have not suddenly changed the price of these last two tours is particularly attractive for families and groups of 4 people.

• Video: the experience of the ascent of Wadi Shab and the visit to the Bimmah Sinkhole in this video by BrownBoyTravels, the video comes alive at 1’45” with the arrival at Wadi Shab:

Important!

• Before booking read the full description of the guided tour you like in the official page of Viator and GetYourGuide carefully, please check what is included and what is not, meeting points, times of departure and cancellation policies. 

• After booking, if you have any queries or doubts, immediately contact Viator or GetYourGuide Customer Service in order to receive assistance.

• And the day before the tour, please reconfirm the pick-up time with the local supplier. You receive phone and email from the local supplier of the tour immediately after your booking. Maybe your hotel can help.  

• Please read the reviews of each tour. If the majority of the reviews are positive that’s a good thing. And always check all the info you read here in the official page of each tour, things change and the official site provides the latest updates.

Last Update:  December 7th 2023

Front cover photo credit: Oman desert by Luca Nebuloni.