THE ARABIAN SANDS ADVENTURE – DHOFAR & THE ENDLESS DUNES OF THE EMPTY QUARTER

You will receive a detailed itinerary after completing your reservation.

Two weeks before the start of your trip, we will send you the final updated itinerary.

Upon arrival at Salalah International Airport, you will be warmly welcomed by a Panorama Travel representative and transferred to your hotel.
Welcome dinner & orientation session.

Nestled along Oman’s southern coast, Salalah is a land where history, nature, and culture converge. Known for centuries as the Land of Frankincense, this remarkable region played a vital role in one of the ancient world’s most valuable trade networks, supplying precious resin to temples, palaces, and civilizations across Arabia, the Mediterranean, and beyond.

Salalah’s importance dates back more than 3,000 years, when frankincense—often worth its weight in gold—was harvested from the Boswellia trees of Dhofar and transported along caravan routes to Mesopotamia, Egypt, Rome, and India. Today, visitors can explore this legacy at UNESCO World Heritage Sites such as Al Baleed Archaeological Park, Sumhuram (Khor Rori), and the Land of Frankincense Museum, which together tell the story of Salalah’s global influence in antiquity.

Beyond its historical significance, Salalah is renowned for its extraordinary natural beauty. During the annual Khareef monsoon, the landscape transforms into a lush, green oasis—an astonishing contrast to the surrounding deserts of Arabia. Waterfalls cascade from the mountains, wadis flow with fresh water, and mist blankets the Dhofar highlands, creating a unique climate found nowhere else in the Arabian Peninsula.

Salalah’s coastline offers pristine beaches overlooking the Arabian Sea, while the nearby mountains, springs, and valleys invite exploration and discovery. This blend of tropical scenery, ancient heritage, and living traditions makes Salalah one of Oman’s most captivating destinations.

To discover Salalah is to journey through time—from the ancient incense ports that once linked civilizations, to the vibrant landscapes shaped by nature and history. Salalah, the Land of Frankincense, remains a place of wonder, offering travelers an unforgettable encounter with Oman’s cultural soul and natural splendor.

For over 5,000 years, Dhofar’s frankincense was among the most precious commodities of the ancient world. Harvested from Boswellia trees growing in the surrounding highlands, this sacred resin was exported through thriving frankincense ports such as Al Baleed and Sumhuram (Khor Rori)—both now UNESCO World Heritage Sites. These ports served as gateways through which caravans and ships carried incense, spices, and knowledge to distant civilizations.

Today, visitors can explore these remarkable archaeological sites and gain deeper insight into their legacy at the Land of Frankincense Museum, where ancient trade routes, artifacts, and maritime history reveal Dhofar’s global importance.

Beyond its cultural heritage, Dhofar is renowned for its unique natural landscapes. During the annual Khareef monsoon, the region transforms into a lush green haven, with mist-covered mountains, flowing wadis, natural springs, and seasonal waterfalls—an astonishing contrast to the arid deserts of the Arabian Peninsula.

Salalah’s coastline offers unspoiled beaches overlooking the Arabian Sea, while the nearby mountains and valleys—such as Wadi Darbat, Wadi Kharfot, and Moon Mountain—showcase the region’s rich biodiversity and scenic beauty. Together, these natural wonders make Dhofar one of the most diverse and captivating regions in Oman.

To discover Dhofar is to journey through time and nature—walking among ancient ports that once linked continents, and exploring landscapes shaped by monsoon rains, mountains, and sea. Ancient frankincense routes and Salalah’s natural wonders combine to create an unforgettable experience at the cultural and ecological heart of southern Oman.

Deep within the vast deserts of southern Oman lies one of Arabia’s most enduring legends—the Lost City of Ubar, often described as the Atlantis of the Sands. For centuries, this fabled city captured the imagination of explorers, historians, and travelers, believed to have been a once-prosperous hub of the ancient frankincense trade that vanished beneath the desert.

References to Ubar appear in early Arab geographical writings and were later echoed by European explorers who ventured into the Rub’ al Khali, the Empty Quarter. Guided by Bedouin oral traditions, explorers such as Bertram Thomas and Wilfred Thesiger searched for traces of a wealthy settlement that controlled vital caravan routes linking southern Arabia with Mesopotamia, the Mediterranean, and the Indian subcontinent.

The mystery of Ubar moved closer to resolution in the late 20th century, when satellite imagery from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory revealed ancient caravan routes converging at a single point in the desert—Shisr, near Salalah. Archaeological excavations at the site uncovered the remains of a fortified settlement built above a vast limestone cavern. The collapse of this underground void is widely believed to have contributed to the city’s sudden destruction, giving rise to the legend of a city swallowed by the sands.

Among the discoveries at Shisr were fortifications, wells, and artifacts that confirmed its role as a strategic trading post along the frankincense route. These findings provided tangible evidence that Ubar was not merely a myth, but a place where commerce, culture, and survival converged in one of the world’s harshest environments.

Today, Shisr is recognized as the most credible location of the Lost City of Ubar. Visitors can explore the ruins and imagine a time when caravans laden with frankincense paused here before crossing the endless dunes of the Empty Quarter.

Ubar stands as a powerful symbol of Oman’s rich heritage—where legend, exploration, and modern science meet beneath the timeless sands of the desert.

The Arabian Desert is more than a vast sea of sand—it is a timeless landscape shaped by nature, history, and human resilience. Stretching across southern Oman and into the heart of the Empty Quarter, this extraordinary environment offers an authentic glimpse into Arabia’s natural beauty, cultural heritage, and enduring traditions.

From rolling dunes sculpted by the wind to rocky plateaus and hidden wadis, the desert reveals a striking diversity of landscapes. In Oman, the desert is inseparable from the ancient trade routes that once carried frankincense and spices across Arabia, linking civilizations from the Indian Ocean to the Mediterranean. These routes shaped settlements, cultures, and stories that continue to echo through the sands.

The authentic Arabian Desert is also a place of deep silence and scale, where vast horizons inspire reflection and connection with nature. Traditional Bedouin life—rooted in hospitality, survival skills, and respect for the land—offers insight into a way of life that has endured for centuries in harmony with this challenging environment.

As night falls, the desert transforms. Under a canopy of stars, far from city lights, the stillness becomes profound. Campfires glow, stories are shared, and the desert reveals its most intimate and unforgettable moments.

To discover the authentic Arabian Desert is to experience Arabia at its purest—where ancient history, living traditions, and breathtaking landscapes come together in a journey that is both humbling and inspiring.

Hidden within the dramatic landscapes of southern Oman lies a world of rare beauty and quiet wonder—Moon Mountain and the bountiful wadis of Dhofar. This remarkable region offers a striking contrast between rugged mountain terrain and lush, life-filled valleys, creating one of Arabia’s most captivating natural experiences.

Moon Mountain rises above the surrounding plains like a gateway to another world. Its surreal rock formations, sweeping escarpments, and panoramic views evoke a lunar landscape, especially when bathed in the soft light of dawn or dusk. From its heights, travelers are rewarded with breathtaking vistas stretching across desert plateaus, mist-covered hills, and the distant Arabian Sea.

Descending from the mountains, the landscape transforms dramatically. The wadis of Dhofar—nourished by seasonal monsoon rains—are a testament to nature’s generosity. These fertile valleys, often referred to as bountiful wadis, are home to flowing springs, waterfalls, dense vegetation, and diverse wildlife. Ancient pathways and natural pools invite exploration, offering moments of serenity amid an otherwise arid region.

For centuries, these mountains and valleys have sustained human life, serving as vital waypoints along frankincense trade routes and seasonal grazing lands. Today, they remain a living landscape where nature, heritage, and traditional ways of life continue in harmony.

To discover Moon Mountain and the bountiful wadis is to experience a lesser-known side of Arabia—where dramatic geology meets unexpected greenery, and every turn reveals a scene of quiet magic and timeless beauty.

Transfer to Salalah International Airport.