Oman
The "Norway of Arabia," an exclave cut off from the rest of the country, then a green mountain two thousand metres up
Oman
A journey between two opposite Omans: Musandam, a landlocked peninsula separated from the rest of the country by Emirati territory and nicknamed the "Norway of Arabia" for its spectacular fjords carved into the rock, then Jebel Akhdar, the "Green Mountain" rising over two thousand metres, whose centuries-old agricultural terraces produce roses and apricots in a climate surprisingly temperate for the Arabian Peninsula.
When
Oct to April
Price
From 3 200€ excl. flights
(based on 2 people sharing)
How long
6 nights
Ideal length
Days 1-2
The first chapter unfolds in Musandam, an Omani exclave entirely cut off from the rest of the country by a strip of Emirati territory, which keeps it off the main tourist trails despite spectacular scenery. The limestone cliffs plunging straight into the turquoise waters of the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's most strategic shipping lanes, are traditionally explored aboard a dhow, the region's typical wooden sailing boat.
Day 1
A dhow cruise through the fjords
A day-long cruise aboard a traditional dhow through the Musandam fjords, with snorkelling stops above coral reefs and dolphins that often accompany the boats.
Day 2
The floating village of Kumzar
A boat excursion to the isolated village of Kumzar, accessible only by sea, where residents speak Kumzari, a unique language blending Persian, Arabic, and English.
Days 1-2
The road to Jebel Akhdar, a massif in the Hajar Mountains rising over two thousand metres, whose altitude offers a temperate climate unique in the Arabian Peninsula and has allowed terraced cultivation of Damask roses, pomegranates, and apricots for several centuries. The villages clinging to the terraces, like Misfat al-Abriyeen with its traditional mud-brick houses, are explored along an ancestral network of irrigation channels called falaj, UNESCO-listed.
Day 1
The rose terraces and the hanging canyon
A hike along the agricultural terraces of Jebel Akhdar to the hanging canyon, set into the cliffside, offering a dizzying view over gorges two thousand metres deep.
Day 2
Misfat al-Abriyeen and the falaj channels
A visit to the village of Misfat al-Abriyeen, its mud-brick houses clinging to the cliff, along the UNESCO-listed falaj irrigation channels that feed the terraced orchards.
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