4 independent reviews for Oman tour, people & landscapes
Reviews for Oman tour, people & landscapes
Patrick Buckingham review 23 Feb 2026
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?
There were many highlights which I find it hard to choose between. The desert was spectacular as were the mountains and the offshore islands. Oman is a rich and varied country which is what makes it such a wonderful travel destination.2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?
Be prepared for early starts and some long days. Things will inevitably go off plan at some point on an ambitious tour like this but you'll have a lot of fun if you keep an open mind and go with the flow. I was sceptical about wild desert camping but am surprised by how much I enjoyed it.3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
I think it benefited local people and businesses. Our Omani drivers were great as was our Lebanese guide. Single use plastic is a problem in Oman in common with other Middle Eastern countries.4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?
This was a fulfilling and memorable introduction to Oman which is exactly what I was looking for. So my brief was met and I managed to have a great time with an interesting group of people.Ruth Tillyard review 16 Feb 2026
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?
The river swim, the snorkelling and the gorge walk.2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?
Read the itinerary very carefully; I think it's rather careless as opposed to deliberately misleading eg the description of the last day implied a whole day snorkelling trip when it was actually half a day; a museum was listed in the first day's programme but wasn't even mentioned. Also beware there are 2 night's camping, the second one requiring a whole day's driving....3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Well, the guide was from Lebanon! The drivers and hotel/restaurant staff were local. 3 4WD vehicles had quite an adverse environmental impact I feel. We were offered water bottle refills at the beginning but it became easier all round not to bother and instead take full bottles from the hotels. We may have supported local conservation by patronising local facilities4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?
I think it wasn't best value at its price point especially as the 2 nights' camping with simple food were free and inexpensive to provide. I think other providers offer better value and better itineraries (snorkelling excepted).Read the operator's response here:
Thanks, Ruth, for taking the time to share your feedback.
We’re really pleased that the river swim, snorkelling and gorge walk were highlights for you. Those wild moments in Oman are why we love running this trip.
We’re sorry that other parts of the adventure didn’t quite feel as you expected. The two desert camping nights in Wahiba Sands and the white sugar dunes are a big part of the adventure. There’s a full crew behind the scenes, along with vehicles, equipment and all meals, to make those nights work smoothly. We’ll review how we present this so everything included, and the value behind it, is as clear as possible.
We always aim to describe each day clearly in our itineraries, and we check in with our local teams before departure to make sure everything aligns, including activity timings. We’ll take another look at the wording to ensure expectations are well set for future travelers.
Oman is a vast country, and traveling between its wadis, deserts and coastline does mean some longer drives. We outline these in the itinerary, and they’re what make it possible to reach the quieter, less known corners that make this journey so memorable.
Responsible travel is something we care deeply about. Desert terrain does require 4X4 vehicles, there’s no real way around that, but we work hard to balance access with responsibility. We support local people and small businesses throughout the trip, and for every guest we plant 15 trees through our reforestation partner, WeForest. We also encourage refillable bottles and provide refill opportunities along the way, and we’ll keep looking at how we can make that even easier.
Riad has been guiding with us in the Middle East for many years and knows Oman inside out. He has fantastic relationships with our Omani suppliers, and we’re very proud of the experience he creates and the consistently positive feedback he receives.
Thank you again for your comments. We do reflect carefully on all feedback as we continue to shape and improve our trips, and we appreciate you choosing to travel with us.
Kelly Clark review 18 Nov 2024
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?
Jebel shams, snake canyon, snorkeling, Nizwa2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?
3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Used a lot of plastic bottles along the trip instead of having just a big jug of water to fill up our individual water bottles. We went to a women’s center and there was nothing to buy which was disappointing.4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?
I would consider using this operator again, however there are a lot of things that need to change. Spend more time at the sights instead of rushing around them. Have better chairs for the desert -super uncomfortable. Have a driver that spoke English so he could be used as a second guide. Have a guide that is not argumentative at times. Help the guide to be a better tour leader.Read the operator's response here:
Thank you so much for taking the time to share your feedback with us. We genuinely appreciate your honesty and thoughtful insights.
We’re thrilled to hear that Jebel Shams, Snake Canyon, snorkeling, and Nizwa were highlights of your trip. It was lovely to see the beautiful photos the group
shared throughout your journey—myself and the entire team loved following along with your adventure!
That said, we were disappointed to learn that single-use plastic bottles were used during the trip, as our standard practice is to provide large refillable water
containers. Sustainability is a core value for us, and we’ve already addressed this issue with our team to ensure it does not happen again.
Regarding your experience at the women’s center, we understand your disappointment at not being able to purchase anything there. We’ve shared your
feedback with the local organisation and will work with them to enrich this experience for future travelers.
We’re sorry to hear that some aspects of the trip didn’t meet your expectations. Improvements like spending more time at key sights, providing more
comfortable desert seating, and enhancing the skills of our team are priorities we’re actively addressing.
It’s wonderful to know you’d consider traveling with us again. We’d be delighted to welcome you back for another adventure! Thank you once again for
your valuable feedback—it helps us grow and improve.
Kind Regards, Rachael
Stephen Rubin review 4 Mar 2024
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?
Listening to and talking to the Omani people2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?
Just do it3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
I am sure the Omani people benefited from meeting people from other parts of the world4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?
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