Tour start. Pick up from Muscat and travel through the dramatic Muscat-Nizwa Highway. 

Visit Nizwa 17th Century fort and Souq.

Nizwa is the heartland of Oman’s history and traditional culture. We begin with a visit to Nizwa’s Sooq, renowned for its intricately hand-carved Khanjars (Omani silver daggers) and ornately designed silver jewelry. The sooq is also well-known for its goat market, which operates on Friday mornings. We will explore  Nizwa’s great 17th-century fort, one of the most impressive in all of Oman. Constructed on a solid base of rock, the huge crenelated tower was designed to withstand the vibrations of its 24 cannons. Nizwa was Oman’s seat of government for some 300 years. Nizwa Fort was designed with various ingenious devices used to repel invaders. Among these were ‘murder holes,’ slots through which defenders could pour boiling date syrup on the heads of attackers as they climbed its stairs. From the top of the tower is a superb panoramic view of the city and the surrounding plains with their extensive stands of deep green date palms. Nizwa remains an important center for Omani date farming, where some 40 varieties are cultivated.

Picnic lunch

Visit Al Jabal Al Akhdar

Walk along the agricultural terraces of Jebel Akhdar is one of the most scenic and interesting locations in Oman. Walks here are at over 2,000 meters meaning they are high altitude and not for those susceptible to altitude sickness. The temperature is cooler at all times of the year than in the plains below. The mountains are part of the Hajar and extend hundreds of kilometers northwest. Though the terraced fields are steep, pathways enable walking through many areas. Roses are grown here to distill the fragrance used in Oman’s Rose Water – a culinary essential throughout Oman. Pomegranates are probably the most successfully grown crop here; the fruit is prized in neighboring regions and commands high prices.

Visit the UNESCO Falaj Al Khatmain.

The mountains have steep valleys which start near the plateau and finish in the plains below. Most have a village at the lower end, using water on the valley floor. Birkat al Mouz, with its extensive date gardens, is among the more interesting, and meandering through it, a Falaj, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, can be found.

End of the tour. Drop off at your place of choice.