DrivingconditionsDEEPSAND& EXCELLENT TARMAC& GRADEDGRAVEL CampsitefacilitiesNONE– FREECAMPING Lodges& hotelsGOODTOEXCELLENT RoutefindingEASYTOVERYCHALLENGING Omanisagreatdestinationforanyonewhohasneverself drivenabroadbefore. Itisextremelysafeandhasan excellentroadsystem. Hotelsareeasytofindandfuelis readilyobtainableandunbelievablycheap. Offroaddriving intheEmptyQuarterandWahibaSandsisenormousfun ( andthedeepsandischallenging!) butitisimperativetobe accompaniedbyalocalguidesincenavigationisalmost impossible, evenwithaGPS. Omanisalovelydestination forfamilies; itshotelsarefamily- friendly. Foodcanbeboughtintownsbutthefoodshopsare, strangely, notimmediatelyobvious. Infact, thisisillustrative ofmuchofOman'scharacter. Onfirstinspection, itisavery closedsocietyandcontrastshugelywiththemoreopenand directapproachyoufindintheAfricancountrieswegoto. However, yousooncometorealisethattheOmanipeople areburstingwithfriendliness. Theyarewonderfully hospitable, interestedandinterestingpeople. SELFDRIVECONDITIONS– OMAN SAFARIDRIVE0148871140 90

Overview& wildlifenotes Geography: Omancomprisesanarrowcoastalplain backedbyhillrangesandaninteriordesert plateau. TheAlHajarmountainsincludeAlJebelalAkhdar ( theGreenMountain) whichisabout10,000feetabovesea level. Inthesouthisthenear- tropicalSalalahplain. Keyattractions: ThebeautifulwalledoldtownofMuscatischaracterisedby ancienthousesandnarrowstreetsandisdominatedbytwo wellpreserved16thcenturyPortugueseforts, AlJalaliand Mirani. Italsohasthreeoriginalornatelycarvedwooden gates, acresoflushgardensandallagainstthesettingofthe GulfofOman.' New'Muscatiscleanandprettywith fabuloushotelsonthesea. WahibaSandslieintheeasternregionofOmanstretching forabout110milesnorthtosouth, withhighdunes( some reaching300feet), extensivewoodlandandunspoiled coastline. ThemudflatsandlagoonsaroundBarrAl Hikmanarehometoalargemigrantbirdpopulationin winterandtheSandsarehometo200speciesofmammals, birds, reptilesandamphibians. AlJebelalAkhdarliesattheheartoftheAlHajar mountainsofnorthernOmanandischaracterisedby soaringpeaks, ruggedcanyons, terracedfruitorchardsand rosegardensfedbyfreshwatersprings. Itofferssometruly spectacularviews, exhilaratingwalksandsecludedand tranquilcamping. TheEmptyQuarter, orRubalKhali, isasandywilderness thatspreadsacrossfourArabnations. Itishometothe resilientBeduwhohavefoundameanstosurviveitsharsh andunyieldingenvironment. ThemajesticbeautyofRubal Khaliiscaptivating. Population: 3millionpeople. Whentogo: ThebestmonthsareOctobertoMayasitissimplytoohot atothertimes. 91