FAMILY ADVENTURES IN OMAN

Day 1 Arrive in Oman

Arrive in the welcoming city of Muscat.

Overnight: Al Bustan Palace, a Ritz Carlton Hotel

Day 2 Explore Muscat

Muscat is a complete contrast to neighbouring Dubai and the benign, modernising presence of the Sultan can be felt everywhere - in the amazing Grand Mosque, in the amazing, glistening Opera House and even in the port at Muttrah, where a vast private yacht sits proudly amongst the myriad of small fishing boats bringing in the daily catch for sale at the busy fish market. A tour of the city also takes in the bustling, frankincense-perfumed souq, and the Bait al Zubair Museum. Spend the afternoon relaxing by the pool.

Overnight: Al Bustan Palace, a Ritz Carlton Hotel

Day 3 Snorkelling and Dolphins

This morning, potter down to the marina and set off on a privately chartered motor-boat to see the resident pods of dolphin that live in the bay and also to try some fishing in the fish-rich waters. The experience of observing dolphins in the waters off Muscat serves not only as an awe-inspiring encounter with incredible marine wildlife but also as a reminder of the importance of preserving these habitats and the species that call them home. During your adventure, enjoy some time to snorkel before your return to the harbour for an afternoon at leisure.

Overnight: Al Bustan Palace, a Ritz Carlton Hotel

Day 4 Nizwa and the Al Hajar Mountains

Travel out of Muscat by 4x4 vehicle through the high, wadi-riven Al Hajar mountains to the stunning, UNESCO-restored city of Nizwa, the old capital of Oman and a renowned seat of learning, surrounded by extensive date palm groves. It houses a beautifully restored old quarter and souqs, as well as two mosques that date back to the very early days of Islam. But the crowning glory is the superb fortress - part castle, part royal palace, part Islamic school - which is not to be missed. Continue to Jabal Akhdar, which is positioned in the Al Hajar Mountain Range, and which is a desert landscape of incredible natural beauty.

Overnight: Alila Jabal Akhdar

Day 5 Exploring on foot with a private guide

Meet your local walking guide to explore Jabal Al Akhdar Mountain.

Explore the terraced wadis and mud-house villages that tell a story of a man who lived in, inhabited, and designed them during harsh conditions, just to live peacefully with nature. You will pass by donkeys to the next village before trekking upwards through juniper trees. All around, dusty, ochre-coloured mountains soar out of deep canyons to heights approaching 10,000 feet, creating a gigantic landscape, vast in scope and scale, through which the cries of the Mullah echo, calling to prayer the villagers from their primitive perfume cellars and tiny terraced plantations.

Return to your hotel for lunch and an afternoon at leisure or perhaps you might decide to venture out alone on bicycles.

Overnight: Alila Jabal Akhdar

Day 6 Jabal Akhdar and down to the Wahiba Sands

After breakfast, explore on foot the dramatic wadis and traditional Omani villages that are scattered amongst the fertile terraces, where roses and pomegranates grow in abundance. See too the traditional mud-house village and the extraordinary "falaj" watercourse system at Birkat Al Mauz, before driving south to the rolling sand dunes of the Wahiba Sands.

Overnight: Desert Nights Camp

Day 7 Dunes, Dhows & Turtles

Early risers can scale a dune to watch the sun rise over the rolling sea of sand. In the dawn light, a short nature walk reveals the tracks of all the creatures that were out on the dunes during the night. After a leisurely breakfast, enjoy some time driving through the dunes before heading towards the coast and the fishing and dhow-building port of Sur. See the dhow-building factory where magnificent wooden vessels are crafted by hand to traditional designs and if lucky, see the flamingos wading in the lagoon, before driving down to the turtle sanctuary at Ras Al Jinz. Stay in comfortable tented accommodation just back from one of the most important nesting beaches for Green Turtles in the Indian Ocean, and after dinner, set out with a naturalist to see nesting females and hatchlings struggling down to the sea.

Overnight: Ras Al Jinz Turtle Reserve

Day 8 Wadi swimming and back to Muscat

After breakfast, take a packed lunch and head up the coast to Wadi Shab where the very presence of water, let alone such inviting clear pools, seems like a minor miracle. Cross the wadi in a rowboat, then walk upstream through majestic scenery to find a clear deep pool of translucent water, fringed with palms. After a swim and a picnic, continue on back to Muscat for a final night by the sea.

Overnight: Al Bustan Palace, a Ritz Carlton Hotel

Day 9 Depart

Transfer to the airport and fly home.

Overnight: Home