Diving, adventure and adrenaline in Oman
Fast becoming an ‘Adventure Capital of the World’ the Sultanate of Oman is an exciting and breathtaking country with a diverse landscape including majestic luscious fjords, vast desert expanses, pristine reefs and dramatic rugged mountains - an outdoor enthusiasts perfect playground. Oman is recognised as one of the best undiscovered marine sanctuaries open to diving tourists.
Boasting over 1700kms of coastline, with an abundance of marine life and superb visibility, Oman’s diving spots are world class and offer a range of sites and depths for all abilities up to 30metres. Dive sites close to the capital Muscat include Bander Knayran Cave Site, Fahal Island, Cemetry Bay and the Dimaniyat Islands, with wrecks, reefs and a variety of coral all stunningly nestled within pristine waters. Oman’s atmospheric night diving packages are not to be missed. Rays, turtles and dolphins are common with the occasional whale shark. You have a 75% chance of seeing dolphins when diving but a 95% chance on a special early morning dolphin watching tour.
Oman is a haven for watersports. Surfing on Masirah Island, located just off the East coast of Oman, attracting waves as high as six metres. The island is a one-hour ferry ride from the mainland and is also a great spot for windsurfing and snorkelling.
Mainland Oman has a wealth of activities to get the adrenaline pumping. A visit through the green mountains to Jebel Shams Mountain of the Sun, the highest peak in the Jebel Akhdar mountain range, will bring you face to face with canyons, valleys, steep rock cliffs and breathtaking views of the surrounding areas including the Grand Canyon of Oman. Trekking routes are often marked and range from leisurely walks through the lower regions to 1,900 metre altitude treks for the more advanced.
Trekking through the Hajar mountains showcases breathtaking sites such as the historic and mystical inhabited mountain village As Sab in the Western range and vast canyons such as Oman’s famous Snake Canyon.
Treks range from open paths at high altitude to challenging routes more than 2,000 metres above sea level with spectacular views over Oman’s famous canyons high in the Jebel Akhdar mountains. Allocated routes for the challenging treks are fully equipped with fixed wires to reach plateaus and all treks can be organised with professional and experienced companies. For more information see Oman’s latest trekking guide ‘Oman Trekking Explorer’ which features 12 spectacular hiking routes by the Oman Ministry of Tourism for purchase on Amazon.co.uk.
The best way to tackle the rough terrain and unexplored landscape of Oman is by four wheel drive. Take a trip through the shifting dunes of Wahiba Sands, 10,000 square kilometres of desert for dune bashing at its best or negotiate through narrow wadis which are dry riverbeds that run through the mountains for some adrenaline packed wadi-bashing.
Oman offers outstanding terrain for rock-climbing. Steep drops and sharp edges, some with multi-pitch bolted routes require hard work and a serious sweat however climbs range for all abilities. Try the southeast face of Jebal Misht, 6km of faces reaching up to 850m.
The ever evolving landscape of Oman has created a diverse topography throughout the country, creating natural craters, ravines and underground oasis’ and caves providing unique spots for cave exploration. Oman is home to the second largest underground chamber in the world, the Majlis Al-Jinn. A high level of fitness is essential and professional guidance is on hand to ensure a safe journey through the caves and lakes. Oman offers caving for all abilities, including the world renowned Al Hotta caves located at the foot of Jebel Shams. A great experience, with over 5km of caving along with archaeological artefacts, a subterranean lake system complete with its own indigenous breed of fish.
Oman has many professional tour operators and local guides offering day and overnight tours for the adventure traveller.
For more information visit Omantourism.gov.om.