Let’s dive into the question; How many days in Oman is enough to see most of its best features?
In this article, I will help you with some Oman itinerary advice based on my experience. We’ll find the answer to this frequently asked question by checking out three different routes you can take.
Oman is one of my favorite countries in the Middle East. With a huge amount of locations from desert landscapes, amazing architecture, mountains, camping in moon-like surroundings to crystal clear blue waters, Oman has something for everyone.
The short answer to the question; How many days in Oman? in my opinion, is that 10 days would be the most optimal time.
That would give you enough time to see the most epic places. But there are several routes you can take depending on how much time you have.
One of the nice things about Oman is that the distances between different areas are actually quite short! Driving from the ocean 1,5 hour land inwards, and you’re in a completely different surrounding like the desert which is just amazing.
So, the question remains, how many days are needed in Oman to see most of the amazing things the country has to offer? Let’s go!
Table of Contents
How Many Days to Spend in Oman? · How To Get Around
First of all, how to get around in Oman? The best way, and perhaps the only way, to visit as many as possible locations in Oman is by 4×4.
There are hotels and places to stay but it will be almost impossible to go from hotel to hotel and seeing the beautiful locations.
When you rent a 4Wd car you can choose a rooftop tent or a regular tent. I would recommend the rooftop tent! It’s super easy to set up and you will not have to be scared of any bugs crawling around (although there aren’t many, except a few in the desert luckily).
For more info on wild camping in Oman check out my full guide.
How Many Days in Oman? · Factors to Consider
Before diving into some of the routes to take in Oman, it is important to consider the various factors that may impact your itinerary. Some of the factors to consider are:
Budget
Of course, budget plays a role in determining how many days to spend in Oman. Oman can be an expensive country to travel to, plus the longer you stay, the more expensive it will be.
Renting a 4×4 car for between 7 and 10 days, with a rooftop tent will be between 1000 and 1100 dollars. That includes all camping gear for two persons and insurance. Gas is relatively cheap, about 70 dollar cents for a liter.
1100 dollars might sound like a lot but keep in mind that this is your accommodation to sleep at night plus a car to drive around at the same time. When renting a car at a commercial company, a 4×4 for a week is already 900 dollars, so to spend 1100 on a 4×4 with a rooftop tent for a week is not bad.
Up to date prices for food and groceries in Oman can be found at Numbeo.com
Interests
Your interests will also affect how many days to spend in Oman. If you are interested in history, architecture like the Sultan Qaboos Mosque, and culture, you may want to spend more time in Muscat.
If you are interested in nature and adventure activities, you may want to spend more time in the desert, the mountains, or on the coast (which I highly recommend!).
Routes
Depending on your interests and preferences, there are several routes to take in Oman. To help you get the most out of your trip and to answer the question of how many days to spend in Oman, I’ve set up 3 different routes you can take.
How Many Days to spend in Oman? · Route 1 (7 days)
When you can spend 7 days in Oman this will be a great route to take. You will be able to see many of Oman’s treasures. Because most people will probably spend 1 week in Oman I’ve wrote a comprehensive guide and itinerary on spending one week in Oman.
You will be able to see Muscat, Qantab Beach, The Coast Of Oman: Fins, Bimmah Sinkhole, Wadi Shab, Sur, the Turtle area, Bidiya and last but not least Wahabi Sands.
It will be possible to also include the mountains like Jebel Shams but you will definitely have to rush your trip (which I’ll explain at the end of the article).
How Many Days to spend in Oman? · Route 2 (10 days)
If you have some more time to spend in Oman, you can take a different route to see some more beautiful locations in the country.
You can add Jebel Shams, the famous balcony walk, to your trip.
In this chapter, we’ll examine a 10-day itinerary that will take you to some of Oman’s most well-known attractions.
Muscat, Day One
Start your trip in Muscat, the capital of Oman.
Day 2: Fins and Qantab Beach and Coast
Visit Qantab Beach on day two for some R&R in the sun, sand, and surf. After that, take a drive along the coast of Oman to Fins, admiring the beautiful beaches and rocky cliffs along the way.
Day 3: Wadi Shab and the Bimmah Sinkhole
On the third day, go to Bimmah Sinkhole, a beautiful natural wonder surrounded by limestone rocks, where you can swim and have a picnic. The next stop should be Wadi Shab. Swim in the pools at the end of the hike. Make sure to either bring a water-proof bag or just don’t bring anything that is not water resistible.
Day Four: Wadi Tiwi and Sur
On the fourth day, travel to Wadi Tiwi. Then, proceed to Sur, a coastal town with beautiful classic wooden ships. From there it’s not far to the turtle area.
Day 5: Ras al Jinz Turtle Reserve
The Ras al Jinz Turtle Reserve is easily accessible from Sur on day five. The endangered green turtles come to this beach at night to lay their eggs. The area before the turtle beach is a moon like landscape, completely different that other areas!
Day 6: Wahiba Sands and Bidiya
On day six, head out to the outskirts of the Wahiba Sands and visit the village of Bidiya. Take a 4×4 tour of the desert from there to see the Wahiba Sands for yourself.
Enjoy a traditional Bedouin-style dinner under the stars after riding over the desert’s towering sand dunes and watching the sun set.
Day 7: Wahiba Sands
Spend yet another day discovering the Wahiba Sands. Visit a Bedouin camp, ride a camel through the desert, and learn about the locals’ traditional way of life.
Learn about the fascinating plants and animals that can be found in the desert on a guided hike through the dunes.
Day 8: Nizwa and Jabal Akhdar
On day eight, travel to Nizwa, a city famous for its beautiful fort. The next stop could be the mountain range of Jabal Akhdar, which is known for its stunning scenery but also challenging terrain. Hike through the mountains and stop by some of the towns.
Day 9: Jebel Shams
On day nine, you can travel to Jebel Shams, which is the highest peak in all of Oman. Walk the famous balcony walk.
Day 10: Travel back to Muscat
Return to Muscat on your final day. Spend the day doing more sightseeing in the city or just lounging on a nearby beach or at the W Hotel sky bar.
Jebel Shams Balcony Walk
The nice thing about this route is the extra time you have for Jebel Shams. You will have time to walk the entire famous balcony walk. More info can be found at Alltrails.com
In my opinion, you will need these extra few days for the mountains. Events the distances aren’t that big, driving in the mountains can take up a lot more time than on a regular road.
You will have to drive a lot slower, it’s more difficult to find the exact path and you might run into some weather conditions that will slow down your trip.
A great video about Jebel Shams can be seen here by Got2Go
How Many Days to Spend in Oman? · Route 3 (14 days)
On this route, you can also visit the beautiful Sugar Dunes; it will be a nice place to take dive after spending some time in the desert!
This route will be like the 10 day route except for the detour to the Sugar Dunes.
Sugar Dunes
The sugar dunes are below the desert, where the sand turns white. You’ll be completely surrounded by white sand until you suddenly enter the coast where you will find the ocean, it’s a spectacular location.
The Endless Adventure made a great video about visiting the sugar dunes.
Visiting Oman and not spending some time in the dunes would be a shame. Here are some good reasons to go:
What’s nice about the Sugar Sunes is that there are no organized camps in the Sugar Dunes, so it is a more solitary environment.
The Sugar Dunes are right next to the ocean, which makes them great for camping on the beach in the middle of nowhere. And of course, it’s free! Like all camping locations in Oman you won’t have to pay a fee anywhere to camp.
With this Oman itinerary of 10 days you can catch the Sugar Dunes, and the mountains as well.
Optional Route 4 (21 days)
One of the locations that will be too far when spending 10 or 14 days in Oman will be Salalah.
The road to Salalah is about 1400 km. which means you will have 5 days to drive there and drive back which is surely not enough.
You will need about 3 weeks to visit Salalah. If you can spend 21 days in Oman, you can spend 10 days driving to Salalah which is around 140 km per day.
That’s doable but not even super relaxed. Another option is to take a national flight from Muscat to the Salalah International Airport.
Check out this amazing detailed video From Going The Whole Hogg where Kim and Del stay an entire month in Oman:
When is the best time to visit Oman?
The “wintertime” months of October through March are ideal for traveling in Oman.
Wadi’s in Oman may be busier than usual in February due to the high volume of visitors. Wadi Shab, the Bimmah sinkhole, and the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque were all bustling with visitors in February, when I was in Oman. It’s not uncommon for the Mosque and the Wadi’s to reach capacity with European tourists from tour buses.
It was peaceful in every other part of Muscat and the rest of Oman. The best time to visit Oman is, therefore, subjective. You might want to avoid the crowds of February by going at a different time of year.
The month of February is perfect for a trip to Oman if you don’t mind crowds at the more known tourist areas and enjoy mild temperatures (around 28 degrees).
Even in busier times of the year like February, driving around with a 4×4 is the best option. During my time in 90% of the areas, I encountered zero human beings.
Final thoughts on how many days to spend in Oman
So how many days to spend in Oman is recommended? I think, ultimately spending 10 days in Oman would be the best option.
One week is barely enough, and you might have to rush sometimes, as I had to do on a trip.
The thing is, when you stay in a rooftop tent you will need to find a spot to spend the night around 5 pm because the sun will go down quite fast. It is very inconvenient to find a sleeping spot when it is dark, let alone to set up the tent when it’s dark!
So this is different than other vacations where you can do activities the whole evening. That will be more difficult in Oman. It’s not possible, or at least not safe, to visit any Wadi’s or mountains in the evening, of course.
So this makes your day much shorter! And you will have less time to do things than on a city trip for example.
Two weeks might be great to see everything and you can take more time but it will be more expensive. In 10 days you will be able to see the best things in Oman such as the desert, the mountains, the sugar dunes and you don’t need to rush your trip. In my opinion it is the best compromise.
Especially if you’re coming from a faraway country and have flown many miles to Oman it would be a shame to have to rush it and not see most of the beautiful landscapes.
I’m definitely hoping to come back to Oman soon.
Moving Jack
Hi! I’m Chris, a traveler who’s explored over 40 countries and lived in fascinating places across Asia and the Middle East. Featured by top travel outlets, I’m here to offer real insights, hidden places, and practical tips to make the most of your travels. Let’s go!