Full-day Wahiba Desert And Wadi Bani Khalid Group Tour

An absolutely amazing experience! It was a long but wonderful day in Wadi Bani Khalid and the Wahoba desert with Mohammed Al Riyami. I highly recommend this guide; you'll get interesting stories, engaging stories, funny dialogues, and a high level of professionalism. Thank you for this day and our wonderful experience!

My original tour was cancelled the night before while I was already in transit, which unfortunately didn’t leave me enough time to arrange an alternative experience. The company did organise a replacement tour for me via WhatsApp, which I appreciated. The guide on the replacement tour was fantastic very knowledgeable, kind, and genuinely passionate. I really enjoyed spending the day with him. However, I do feel disappointed that I missed out on the experience I had specifically booked and was looking forward to. The original tour appeared to offer a much more unique and memorable “wow” experience compared to the replacement, yet I was still charged the same price. Because of that, I don’t feel the replacement tour was of equal value to what I had originally paid for.

An absolutely unforgettable experience with Khair. Wadi was beyond beautiful and the beautiful peaceful deserts, breathtaking views, stunning sunsets. Everything from the atmosphere to the hospitality made this trip feel so special. Truly one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever visited. I was able to pet the camels and use the ATVS & Khair made me feel very comfortable. If you’re girly like I am, bring an extra set of clothes for cute pics! I just love looking fabulous and Khair took such amazing pics of me.

I thoroughly enjoyed every part of this experience, from the road trip and getting to talk to our super knowledgeable and friendly guide Qais, to the wadi where we got to take a dip in the clear waters and get my feet exfoliated by little fishies (optional but I recommend), to my favourite part of going to the desert sands and just absorbing the beauty of it at sunset

The day started with Wadi Bani Khalid, which to me was just so so as I had been to Wadi Shab, which I found more adventurous and memorable. And most facilities were still being built and there was a lot of construction going on around the large pools near the entrance. Still, once further in the valley, it's still very relaxing in the more secluded pools. But the day really picked up at the Wahiba Desert... our guide Abdallah's mastery at the wheel absolutely made the experience as we glided over one dune after another. Sandsurfing added some good balance training to it and the sunset was just stunning. Remember to bring some good snacks to feed the camels who, I found out, love tortilla chips. And they are actually picky eaters. They are very gentle and friendly as well... absolutely majestic creatures. Good organisation and a dedicated guide topped off the experience.

An amazing tour with a careful guide, that gave me a lot of information about live in Oman, the wadis and the desert (joined the sunset tour!). An unforgettable experience, that will always remain in my heart! Thank you so much Abdallah 🙏🏼

Our tour guide Abdulah made this trip truly unforgettable! He was very nice, showed us the beauty of Wadi Bani (you get enough time to swim in this natural beauty) and the Wahiba desert, driving in a 4x4 car. We saw the bedouine house, camels, we could also try sandboarding, after that we enjoyed a cup of tea Abdulah made for us while watching the sun setting down. We really enjoyed the whole day and really recommend it!

Our guide, Nasser was excellent. The tour was well structured and the lunch and venue were very good indeed. Nasser was very knowledgeable about Oman and its culture, well travelled and provided clear answers to all queries. We had a very good group together with participants in a 2nd vehicle with whom we enjoyed lunch and the trip to the Wadi Bani Khalid and the desert drive to see the sunset. We can warmly commend the tour, especially our guide Nasser as also his colleague in charge of the 2nd vehicle and group.

This was a good way to see the sunset in the desert and Wadi Khalid in one trip. The lunch spot picked by our guide was also a real treat.

Very full day with a lot of time spent on the road but absolutely worth it as a taste of the real Oman. Highlight was the visit to a bedouin house where we learnt the finer custom of receiving guests and sharing tea. Our guide Ahmed was a gem and willing to discuss all that Oman is - really enjoyable.

Small group Wahiba sunset tour with Fahad of GidOman was an ambivalent experience. Our first stopover at Wadi Bani Khalid was quite average - brimming with tourists + noisy, dusty construction activity going on in the wadi area. Thankfully on Fahad’s advice, We had changed into our modest swimwear & kaftan at the clean restroom of a restaurant where we stopped for tea. That was really sensible coz the tents for changing are pathetic - there is no place to keep your clean clothes & the tiny space to manoeuvre yourself is fit only for experienced acrobats ! So better to get a dress / kaftan than trousers & tops ! Though we had opted for life jackets , later we realised it wasn’t necessary as one can splash around in the shallow waters instead of venturing out towards the deeper end. The second bummer was the lunch place we were taken to - very poor quality lunch with either only gravy ( meat pieces were missing) or dry nearly burnt roasted chicken + flies hovering over uncovered food. That was quite disappointing. Next we went to the Bauduin camp which was quite average with nothing much to do except listen to the commentary with feigned interest . The actual Wahiba sands dessert is the place you want to be in - it’s a beauty esp during the sunset . If we had to do it again , we would just hire our excellent guide & driver Fahad & proceed straight to the dessert for the sunset & star gazing experience & be back to Muscat by late evening. Personally for us, an overnight stay at Wahiba didn’t appear so enamouring. Our guide Fahad was fun to be with - jovial, interesting & very considerate of our needs. The onus of providing a worthwhile tour is totally on the tour planners to provide better lunch options & plan a refreshing itinerary.

Small group Wahiba sunset tour with Fahad of GidOman was an ambivalent experience. Our first stopover at Wadi Bani Khalid was quite average - brimming with tourists + noisy, dusty construction activity going on in the wadi area. Thankfully on Fahad’s advice, We had changed into our modest swimwear & kaftan at the clean restroom of a restaurant where we stopped for tea. That was really sensible coz the tents for changing are pathetic - there is no place to keep your clean clothes & the tiny space to manoeuvre yourself is fit only for experienced acrobats ! So better to get a dress / kaftan than trousers & tops ! Though we had opted for life jackets , later we realised it wasn’t necessary as one can splash around in the shallow waters instead of venturing out towards the deeper end. The second bummer was the lunch place we were taken to - very poor quality lunch with either only gravy ( meat pieces were missing) or dry nearly burnt roasted chicken + flies hovering over uncovered food. That was quite disappointing. Next we went to the Bauduin camp which was quite average with nothing much to do except listen to the commentary with feigned interest . The actual Wahiba sands dessert is the place you want to be in - it’s a beauty esp during the sunset . If we had to do it again , we would just hire our excellent guide & driver Fahad & proceed straight to the dessert for the sunset & star gazing experience & be back to Muscat by late evening. Personally for us, an overnight stay at Wahiba didn’t appear so enamouring. Our guide Fahad was fun to be with - jovial, interesting & very considerate of our needs. The onus of providing a worthwhile tour is totally on the tour planners to provide better lunch & plan a refreshing itinerary.

Outstanding tour with our guide Mohammed. Very friendly, accomodating and patient. We travelled with 4 people total in a clean and comfortable 4X4. Stopped multiple times along the way for breakfast, lunch, snacks, tea. We stayed in the desert way longer than planned and got to see a complementary unplanned sunset!

We had a wonderful day with Rashid. He is a very nice guide who knows and tells a lot. We’d slide in the sand, had coffee and tea and a cooling swim.

you are well informed about meeting time in whatsapp on time friendly and professional as advertised and more refreshing swimming venue

Astonishing day with a ton of memories made. Weather perfect in January to enjoy the day without it being too hot, plenty of time to enjoy both the oasis and the desert and our guide gave lots of useful information and history. I really recommend buying swimming shoes for the oasis as the rocks can feel very uncomfortable on your feet otherwise! I wasn’t a confident swimmer but I still was able to wade as much as I could with plenty of assistance. I stuck to what I think was the right dress code (covered up with t-shirt and swimming shorts) but lots of people on other tours were dressed in revealing swimwear there, so not sure what’s appropriate or not. The Wahiba Sands were magical, I bought a lovely souvenir from the Bedouin shop and the sunset was stunning with tons of time to take all the pictures and video that we needed. There were only four of us on our tour (me + a family of three) so it felt very private while still social. Definitely recommend!

This tour was wonderful, and something I booked last minute. The guide, Khailid, was excellent, very friendly as were the rest of the group. We first visited the Wadi, which was stunning, in the middle of rock were these clear pools of water and while there were many cars the Wadi did not feel crowded and there was plenty of space. Wahiba desert trip was in the afternoon after a lovely lunch, the desert was impressive to see and the dunes were beautiful. To summarise, I am glad I went, the Wadi was a pleasant surprise, and the desert was stunning. The guide kept everything going at a relaxed pace while making sure we kept on time.

this trip was absolutely amazing and truly exceeded my expectations. we had a really fun group, which made the experience even better. our guide, Murtadha, was fantastic. he was very polite, knowledgeable, looked after us throughout the day and we had great conversations along the way. the lunch (buffet) was delicious, the drives were very comfortable and the desert and sand dunes were absolutely stunning. the wadi was just as beautiful and the perfect place to relax and enjoy the scenery. overall, this was a truly fun and unforgettable experience. i would 100% recommend this tour to anyone visiting Oman.

It was a really great experience. We had great food and went to the dessert. Max was our guide and he was helpful and friendly

Nice to swim in the Wadi! And also to finally get to experience desert in the Wahiba Sands. Recommended for those keen to experience dune bashing!

Confirmation of tour and pick up time the night before. Start with desert trip, then a great buffet restaurant for lunch to finally relax at Wadi Bani Khalid. Asaad really looked after our group with patience and taking his time for us to enjoy our memorable experience. Thank you, Asaad.

A great way to see a few of the landmarks in Eastern Oman and learn a good amount in the process! The desert was incredible. Our tour guide, Khalid, really made the experience great by being knowledgeable, friendly, lively, and showing us a great example of Omani hospitality. Would recommend!

Khalid is an excellent guide who went above and beyond the entire day to make sure we (3 solo travelers) had a great day! He picked us up and dropped us off promptly and made sure we were hydrated in the heat. Wadi Bani Khalid is underwhelming but it’s a nice swim. The dessert is enchanting. He took us to a nice area for sandboarding and sunset! Oh and there was a camel ride and walking a camel around too. Please tip the camel attendants. They are standing in the heat all day and the payment (like 3/4 Riyals) goes to the Bedouin family (which is also tiny amount)! Khalid took bunch of photos and videos and entertained us all day!!! He even got us Karak and sweet bread through out the day! Very very kind and nice.

Fun day trip Great guide Activities such as dune bashing are great part of trip Nice mix of activities

It was such a fun day trip, thanks to Mazin. The desert was fantastic. We met locals for coffee and dates, saw camels, drove the dunes, sandboarding, and watched a beautiful sunset. Food was great, and we highly recommend this tour for all.

Total trip time was 10 hours for us since our hotel was near Muttrah - would be 1 hour shorter for most people. We spent ~30 mins in the desert, 30 mins at a side-of-the-road lunch spot, and 1 hour at the Wadi, meaning 8 hours in the car. The desert was an experience - we're glad to have seen it. 30 mins was more than enough for us - maybe better at sunset. The wadi was beautiful, but was tainted by very loud construction going on right beside the water, which also affected the air quality. Many women were not allowed to swim because of "inappropriate" swimwear. Would recommend to wear shorts and a tshirt to avoid any risk. Overall, the time at the locations is far too short to justify the drive. We were lucky to meet a nice couple who we spoke to for most of the drive that made the commute bearable. If I would do this trip again - I would hire a car, skip the desert, and go to a Wadi much closer to Muscat instead. With this trip, you're really paying for a driver who can take you in and out of the desert safely and can give you some information about the locations.

This is much better for outdoor swimming than Wadi Shab. Although it was very busy there, it was big enough that there was plenty of space to swim without feeling crowded. The desert was amazing; although I’ve seen desert before, this is the first time I’ve been able to run barefoot in the sand. The sunset was stunning. Our guide, Hood, was a great driver. There were only four of us in the group and I was lucky enough to be with a lovely, extremely friendly group of people.

It was wonderful, experience in Wahiba Desert and attractive driving. Swimming in clear blue pools, and dramatic mountain scenery in Wadi Bani Khalid.

This was the most wonderful day swimming in the refreshing waters of Wadi Bani Khalid, lunching in a Bedouin dwelling, sand boarding down the dunes and watching sunset over the desert. This is a long day - at least 10 hours, so have a good breakfast. Good idea to bring water shoes for the wadi and sun screen. Ahmed was a brilliant guide - thoroughly recommend him.

mixed reviews in our group if the tour was worth the time we spent (~10 hours) wadi bani watering hole was nice but tricky climbing the terrain to get to the water to swim 2 piece swimsuits are definitely problematic - read up on swimming attire for women before you go!!! the bedouin camp was cool but the souq was basically a table in a tent at the bedouin camp of crafts by the local ladies. do not recommend doing henna there - they charged 3 rials per hand and the results were TERRIBLE! the camel ride was also 3 rials - one in our group did it and enjoyed himself but it was a short ride (10 mins?) it was nice to go outside of Muscat to see the landscape, etc and sunset on the sand dunes was nice our guide was polite but didn't engage with us too much (unless we asked questions - he answered but he didn't offer information without being prompted). but he was very generous with his time to take us to the grocery to pick up snacks before dropping us off at our hotel at the end of the tour.

Our guide was Mahmood and he was excellent! We truly experienced warm hospitality by the Omani people and the desert was breathtaking!

Faisal was amazing and the desert and Wadi Bani khalid were amazing! Although the Wafi was being renovated at the time the experience was great!!

OUTSTANDING!!!! Our amazing guide, Mohammed was very engaging, patient (answering all our questions), fun, and informative about this stunning part of Oman! Our party of 4 plus Mohammed set off for a 2 hr drive to the Wahiba Desert, we stopped at a Bedouin home which was really interesting, were given a lovely greeting and fresh dates and Omani coffee (I found this very pleasant, not being a black coffee drinker), we then set off for the sand dunes, plenty of time for climbing, view and taking photos. Next stop was Wadi Bani Khalid, a stunning oasis where we had plenty of time to swim and soak up the atmosphere and views. A real highlight! If you are like me, I was worried about swimwear and where to get changed - never fear, we stopped just before the Wadi to change, also there are little tents there but you will pay to use. If you do not have the appropriate swimwear (women only, see my pic for what to wear) you do have an option to be taken to a more secluded area. This trip was well worth the money and Mohammed made it a stand out memory for us, thank you!

It was a great trip, our guide Mohammed was excellent: very knowledgeable and helpful. We had a great time and would want to go on a different excursion with the same guide and company.

I really enjoyed a lot. The guide really made us comfortable and was very kind. Watching the sunset at the desert was the best part of it. Highly recommended.

Had an amazing day out excursion to Wahiba desert and Wadi Bani Khaled sunset option with GidOman. Our guide Abdulaziz picked us promptly from the hotel in a very comfortable 4x4 SUV and drove us to Wadi Bani Khaled. The swim at the Wadi was refreshing. Abdulaziz took us to a local restaurant for delicious food before heading to baduni house for a coffee ritual. We then went to a vantage point in the desert for sand boarding and sunset. Abdulaziz was very helpful throughout the trip, he gave us insight to omani culture and traditions and answered a lot of questions throughout. We could have not asked for more. This was an amazing day out and would definitely recommend for anyone visiting Oman

Our tour leader, Fahad, was amazing! He was very hospitable, kind, generous and respectful. He provided us lots of water, snacks, and Omani coffee and teas. Both Wadi and the desert were great experiences and I definitely will book another trip with them.

I did the sunset Wahiba Desert Safari with Riyami and it was such a great experience. He was super nice and told us a lot about Oman, how things work there, and even shared parts of his own life story, which was really interesting and gave a real insight into local life. The desert was beautiful, I’d always wanted to see this particular desert, because of the slightly orangish colour, and along the way we stopped at a few places for snacks, juice, honey. Riyami was knowledgeable, funny, and made the whole trip enjoyable. I’d definitely recommend him!

It's a long day trip but totally worth it. Our guide Abdulaziz was very professional, accommodating and humble. We spent 1hr at Wadi Bani Khalid which was plenty of time. Then we had a delicious banquet of a lunch. We missed a little of the sunset as it sets VERY fast! But that was alright we still enjoyed what we saw, our 4WD got stuck in the sand dunes which was a little adventure and amusing activity in itself. Now we have learned how to get a 4WD unstuck of the sand. Then went sand boarding down the dunes after the sunset which was lots of laughs and very fun! Even though not everything went entirely to plan it made a special and unforgettable trip with memories to cherish. Thank you!

The tour is well organized. And the guide Khalil is very thoughtful always see everyone’s need. Also he is very knowledgeable and shared a lot of interesting things about Oman culture. And the contact before and after the tour is also very thoughtful. Highly recommend.

The itinerary was simple, which made the experience much more manageable. Our guide Mohammed was extremely knowledgeable about the rich culture of the country and very helpful. He went over and above to make sure that we thoroughly enjoyed the experience. The food was was amazing, the views were gorgeous and we enjoyed the dessert activities. Could not recommend this experience enough.

Full day, but fascinating. Company were great in reorganising who was in which cars as one family was always late.

Absolutely fantastic. Our guide Abdallah was charming, knowledgeable, and happy to share his experience of Omani life. An unforgettable day out, highly recommended.

Very fun and unique experience. Our tour guide Mr .Ali Battashi was an excellent expert ,caring guy who make this tour more fun and memorable. Very well organized tour !

Everything amazing . Our guide very helpful and informative about Oman traditions . The desert was crazy and beautiful beduin village . Oasi very nice

Great tour guide, wonderful experience in the sands, with camel riding, sand sliding and sunset, would be even better if have atv experience

Our guide Ahmed Al Balushi made the tour a memorable one. His warmth and the way he treated us as his guests and explained to us every single thing during our tour was something to be applauded. Would definitely recommend this tour to anybody wanting to explore Oman.

Had a memorable day trip to Wadi Bani Khalid and Bidiya. Mohammed was a great guide . Kept us entertained and ensured we had an enjoyable experience. Good communication throughout.

Great communication from the driver about pick ups etc. Pick up on time. There were 4 of us in total in a big jeep type cruiser. It’s a 2.5 hour drive out into the desert to the wadi and we did a bit of off tossing to reach a Bedouin tent to have coffee and dates. Then on to the wadi for lunch and swim. The water is lovely but it’s not the easiest getting in and out. I really enjoyed the trip and thought it was great value for money. There is a lot of driving and a fair bit of walking around the wadi. It was 44 degrees so this can be a challenge. I would do this trip again