Like many of you, we’re huge fans of travel YouTubers like the Endless Adventure, The Travel Beans, and Kara & Nate. Their camping adventures in breathtaking locations have always captivated us. So, in 2022, when we traveled to Dubai, we seized the opportunity to drive to Oman for our camping adventure. (For details on crossing the border from Dubai to Oman, check out our post here).
While in Oman, we didn’t miss the chance to visit the stunning Alila Jabal Akhdar (read our review), the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque, and of course, to camp at the Sifa Beach and in the Wahiba Sands desert. This post dives into our camping experiences in the beautiful Sultanate of Oman.
Camping in Oman
We found Nomad Tours (visit their site). for our camping gear, thanks to a recommendation from The Endless Adventure Oman camping video. Camping culture is huge in Oman. We noticed that people love to camp on the beaches and deserts there. Wild camping is legal in Oman, we would compare it to BLM land camping in the US. Please research the latest Oman rules when planning. With that beautiful landscape, who wouldn’t just want to go out and camp in nature!
The Drive
We had basically never properly camped before this so we were camping novices by all means. We drove from Dubai to Oman in our Toyota Prado. If you plan to drive, do check out our post on Crossing the border from Dubai to Oman.
Our car was not equipped with proper rooftop rails so we were not able to rent a rooftop tent, Chris from Nomad Tours showed us all the equipment and walked us through how to used everything including the sleeping bags. He then recommended that we camp at Sifa Beach and also try desert camping. New to camping? Check out this Camping Essentials Guide post.
Sifa Beach Camping:
We arrived at the Sifa Beach quite late at night in the dark. Well at first, we were on the wrong side of the beach so we asked a local and he was very kind enough to jump in his car and lead us to the area where you can drive onto the beach and camp. We pitched the tent closer to the mountain for some privacy. Camping at Sifa Beach was a great experience, there were a lot of groups playing music and sitting around a bonfire and just enjoying their evening.
Our best memory is the song “All I need is your Love Tonight” being played through the night, it was a great vibe. The next morning, we woke up and made a delicious breakfast. We strolled on the beach for a while and left for the Wahiba Sands desert.
Wahiba Sands Desert
After breakfast we drove to Wahiba Sands, making stops for coffee and snacks on the way. We were driving to a map pin that Chris had dropped on our Google Maps so we did not know what to expect. Once we passed through the town, we pulled over on the side to understand how to get to the sands. That’s when a local named Badar pulled up. Like all the folks we experienced in Oman, he was very friendly and seemed trustworthy. He drove us to the desert and helped deflate the car tires so we could climb the dunes.
This was our first time driving up the dunes, it was quite the adventure! He guided us to a good spot on the dunes and said that he would come back to get us the next morning to guide us down and to the local tire shop to get our tire air pressure up.
Camping in the middle of the desert was a beautiful experience. It was tranquil and you could hear Bedouins and camels far away. We spent the day taking 100s of photos in the sand, tried (and failed lol) to sand surf using the lid of our storage container, cooked a great meal with ful mudammas (fava beans) and veggies, and went to sleep in the tent.
We woke up in the middle of the night with something walking around the tent and shaking our tent, we got a bit scared and went to sleep in the car haha. Based on the footprints, turns out it was a desert hare. Needless to say, we still had a great time! We woke up, made some delicious breakfast, Badar came to get us and then we were on the way back to Muscat.
Camping in Oman was an adventure that exceeded our expectations. The country’s natural beauty, combined with the warmth and hospitality of its people, made for a truly unforgettable experience. Whether you’re camping on the pristine beaches or in the vast desert, Oman offers a unique outdoor experience for adventurers and novices alike. So, if you’re looking to escape the ordinary and immerse yourself in nature, Oman’s camping scene is definitely worth exploring.
