Audley in Oman
Oman is suitable for a variety of trips. The core of most visits is going to be time spent in the north of the country on a circuit combining Muscat, Nizwa and the surrounding mountains, in the desert, and some time on the coast (to see the nesting turtles). This would normally take about a week depending on what you choose to include. There is then the option of rounding off your trip with either a bit of culture, by flying to the stunning Musandam Peninsula, or by flying down to Salalah to see an area that is quite different from the rest of the country. Finally there is the option of spending a few days in one of the excellent Muscat hotels to relax, unwind and enjoy a bit of sunshine.
It is important to remember that tourism has not yet really taken hold in Oman, and as a result the quality of some services (guides, hotel staff etc) is not yet as good as elsewhere. The policy is to employ Omanis wherever possible, and it will take time for them to gain the necessary experience in dealing with international visitors, but as long as you are aware of this before you travel there is no reason to let it put you off visiting this wonderful country.
Accommodation
Muscat has a good selection of hotels, including one or two that are excellent. Most are in the five-star bracket, and are expensive compared to hotels in many other countries: at the moment demand for hotel rooms outstrips supply which squeezes the prices up. This also means that those looking to travel over the spring, autumn and winter should book well in advance to ensure there is availability. For the budget traveller there isn’t much selection in Muscat – there are one or two three-star hotels, but they tend to only be marginally less expensive than the cheaper five-star options, but are of a significantly lower standard: it is definitely worth spending a bit more money on accommodation in Muscat. Outside of Muscat in the north, accommodation is fairly simple, of a two- to three-star standard. We always use the best available, which tends to be clean, comfortable and basic. Salalah has two international four- to five-star standard hotels.
Transport & Guides
There are three basic options for time spent in Oman: self-drive; a private car and driver; or a private car, driver and guide. Roads in Oman are generally in good condition, and not particularly busy especially outside of Muscat. Driving is on the right, standards of driving are not that great and some of the routes, like those in the mountains and along the coast between Sur and Muscat, are gravel rather than tarmac. But for those who are confident in their driving and perhaps have some experience driving on the right and on graded tracks the conditions should pose few problems. If you take a car and driver, the vehicle will have air-conditioning, though the drivers do not always speak English. Many of the sights are natural, such as the mountains and wadis, and many of the forts have some sort of interpretive displays, all following a similar pattern, so whilst a guide can add to the experience, they are not essential.