If you are living in the UAE a Dubai to Oman Road Trip should be on your bucket list. Dubai to Muscat is around 550km by road and takes about 5-6 hours including the border crossing. Read on to plan your 6-day Dubai to Oman road trip itinerary.
If you are looking to spend less time, maybe a 4-day itinerary on your Dubai to Oman road trip then you could cut a day in Muscat and the final stop in Jebel Akhdar. Jebel Akhdar is well worth a visit but could be done on a trip by itself where you can spend a few days.
What visa do I need to go to Oman?
If you are a resident in the UAE you can now get an e-visa to Oman before leaving home. This will save time during the border crossing. All GCC residents qualify for an Oman GCC Residence e-Visa, you just need to apply in advance. Allow 3 days for the visa to come through to be on the safe side. You can apply on the Oman E-Visa website, just register first then apply for the visa.
I haven’t travelled to Oman since the e-visa has been put in place so I can’t advise first hand how straight forward it is. However, from reading information online and speaking to others who have done it, the process is pretty simple.
Apply for an online Oman e-visa here.
Day 1 – Dubai to Muscat (3 nights)
The first stop on a Dubai to Oman road trip would naturally be Muscat. Muscat can be reached in around 5 hours crossing at the Hatta border. Apply for an e-visa before travelling. Once across the border, expect 3-4 hours of long, straight roads with minimal petrol stations – fill up Hatta side!
Day 2 and 3 – What to do in Muscat
Muscat is the capital of Oman and offers an array of activities. Plenty to keep you busy for 3 nights, especially as the first night will be mainly taken up by the Dubai to Oman road trip.
Make sure to include a day on a boat trip dolphin spotting or over to Dimaniyat islands where you can go snorkelling with turtles. We had an amazing morning on Dimaniyat island, you can read our full review here. Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque is beautiful. Spend an evening in Mutrah at the Souq, Corniche and Fort. If you are a golfer then play at Al Mouj golf course, number 2 golf course in the Middle East.
Check out Get Your Guide for some great Muscat tours where you can see all the landmarks in one day.
Where to Stay in Muscat
Muscat has a plethora of hotels from simple hotels, mid-range, luxury up to super luxury. Here are some of our best picks:
Top Luxury Muscat Hotels
If you are looking for a true luxurious escape whilst in Muscat, check out the relatively new Jumeirah Muscat Bay. A stunning hotel from the Jumeirah group. There is also the renowned Chedi Muscat and The Ritz Al Bustan Palace for incredible 5* properties.
Luxury Muscat Hotel
We stayed at the gorgeous, luxurious 5 star beach resort at InterContinental Muscat for our most recent trip to Muscat. They have beautiful, sea-view family rooms, amazing facilities and lots of restaurants and bars to choose from. This is a licensed hotel as well so it was lovely to enjoy a cocktail at sunset.
Read our review of the InterContinental Hotel Muscat here.
Mid Range Hotel
We also spent two nights at the stunning 5* Grand Millennium Hotel Muscat. This hotel is perfect for large families with villas, apartments and interconnecting rooms. Rooftop pool, mall access and city centre location with affordable prices are things we loved about this hotel.
Read our review of the Grand Millennium Hotel Muscat here.
Budget Hotel
We have also stayed at the Ramada Encore Muscat Hotel which is a budget hotel without compromising on quality. Good sized family rooms with great Italian restaurant and rooftop pool in a city centre location with budget prices.
Check out our detailed post on how to spend a weekend in Muscat.
You could probably spend just 2 nights in Muscat if you have limited time. However, after the drive and long drives to follow we wanted to relax and slowly explore the city, enjoying the slower pace to Dubai.
Booking.comDay 3 – Muscat to Ras Al Jinz (1 night)
Muscat to Ras Al Jinz will take 3 hours, direct, on your Dubai to Oman road trip. However, you will want to stop at some incredible wadis on the way.
Stop 1 – Bimmah Sinkhole
Have an early breakfast and get on the road quickly heading to your first stop at Bimmah Sinkhole. This is a popular stop so the earlier the better. It is about a 1.5 hour drive from Muscat.
Parking is outside what looks like a small children’s play area, don’t be put off! Walk through the park and you will come to the swimming hole. If you have swimming shoes, bring them. Watch out for the little fish nibbling your feet. Make this a short stop as Wadi Shab, the next stop is a longer stop with a hike.
Check out our post on everything you need to know about Bimmah Sinkhole
Stop 2 – Wadi Shab
Next stop on your Dubai to Oman road trip will be Wadi Shab, only another 25 minutes from Bimmah Sinkhole. As always, our advice is arrive early – parking is limited.
Make sure you have change when arriving in Wadi Shab as you will have to pay the boat man 1 Omani Rial to cross from the car park to the wadi (a 2minute journey).
Once across the wadi there is a 45min-1hour walk to reach the main Wadi Shab. It is pretty straightforward along a path with some climbing over large boulders.
The scenery we saw on our walk was amazing, beautiful blue/green water, tall cliffs and green spaces.
Read our post here for all the information about visiting Wadi Shab.
Turtles or no turtles?
From Wadi Shab it is another 2 hour drive to Ras Al Jinz. If you have previously experienced seeing turtles during other travelling experiences you could omit Ras Al Jinz from the trip. There is a Guest House in Wadi Shab which is well rated on booking.com. Alternatively, you could continue down to Sur which is 1.5 hours. The Sur Grand Hotel has a good booking.com rating. Staying here would break up the journey to Wadi Bani Khalid the next day.
Booking.comStop 3 – Ras Al Jinz (1 night)
The southern most point on our Dubai to Oman road trip.
Ras Al Jinz is famous for green turtle spotting who return year after year. Be aware that the prime time for turtles laying their eggs and hatching on the beach is July – October (the hottest months). If you visit outside of peak season you may not even see any turtles so plan this into your trip accordingly.
We went in April and were advised to go to the night viewing, we wanted to go to the sunrise session but were told not to because of the time of year. It was packed with bus loads of tourists and we were all waiting til around 10pm until a turtle was spotted. It’s about a 15minute walk in complete darkness across soft sand so would not be advisable for elderly or immobile people. You are asked to be silent and people were shushing our boys when they were whispering and asking questions. It might not be the best experience for kids under 5.
Seeing the turtle was a pretty memorable experience, the turtle was huge. However, we have been spoilt by seeing turtles hatch naturally in Sri Lanka and Thailand. So this felt like a bit of a tourist factory. Although, I have since heard that the sunrise viewing is magical. I think this would be a better option for young kids.
If you have experienced turtles hatching before then I would consider leaving out this part of the Dubai to Oman road trip.
Where to Stay in Ras Al Jinz
Ras Al Jinz Reserve Hotel rooms are quite pricey so we stayed in the basic Turtle Guest House within walking distance. We picked up a dominos pizza on the drive through Sur and kept it cheap and simple!
Day 4 – Ras al Jinz to Nizwa (1 night)
The road from Ras al Jinz to Nizwa is another long one at around 4 hours. We broke the journey up with a bit of a detour to Wadi Bani Khalid which took 2 hours.
Stop 1 – Wadi Bani Khalid
Wadi Bani Khalid was our favourite out of the wadis we visited on this trip. A very accessible, family-friendly wadi. Short walks, a little bit of scrambling over rocks and gorgeous, clear, blue water to swim in.
After Wadi Bani Khalid it is another 2 hours to get to Nizwa. Many people choose to go back to Muscat at this point but we think Nizwa should be included on your Dubai to Oman road trip.
Click here to read our detailed post for everything you need to know about Wadi Bani Khalid.
Day 4 – Nizwa
Nizwa was previously the capital of Oman, it is a town that still retains traditions and culture. It is a walled town containing souks, heritage hotels, small coffee shops and most famously, the fort. A perfect place to experience Omani hospitality and absorb yourself in their way of life.
Where to Stay in Nizwa
We stayed at the stunning Antique Inn, within the town walls. A true traditional Oman hotel with the bonus of a swimming pool to relax for a few hours before another drive the next day.
You can read more about our time in Nizwa in our post here.
Day 5 – Nizwa to Jebel Akhdar (1 night)
The shortest drive of the trip at only around 1 hour so make sure to spend some time chilling out in Nizwa before setting off. As you enter Jebel Akhdar there is a police check of insurance and driving licence. You will also need to be driving a 4×4 to pass the police check and enter the mountain.
Jebel Akhdar is a series of mountain peaks offering temperatures considerably cooler that Dubai. Making it an often sort after escape location during summer months. The scenery is wonderful, small villages, traditional ways of life and fresh air make it worth the drive during your Dubai to Oman road trip.
Where to Stay in Jebel Akhdar
If you are looking for a true traditional Oman hotel then consider staying at The Suwgra. Formerly known as Cliffside Hotel, it is an ancient village that has been transformed into a hotel. It has been built into the cliff and you will need to do a short 20minute hike down the wadi and back up the other side. Don’t worry your luggage will be taken over by zipline – check this out.
Read through our post with all the information on a traditional Oman hotel in Jebel Akhdar for further information. You can also check out our Instagram Reel with some highlights.
If this kind of adventure is not your thing there are some stunning hotels on Jebel Akhdar like The Anantara and Alila Jebel Akhdar which are worth splurging on.
Day 6 – Jebel Akhdar to Dubai
Expect this last drive to take around 6 hours including the border crossing through Al Ain. A long, straight road. Get the ipads charged, podcasts downloaded and fill up on snacks. We considered stopping for a night in Al Ain on the way back however decided we would just want to get home.
There are many lovely options in Al Ain like the Rotana or Radisson Blu. Al Ain is great part of the UAE to explore, you can drive up Jebel Hafeet and even stay at the Mercure Grand and include a trip to Al Ain Zoo.
Oman is wonderful country that we love and will continue to explore. Enter your email address to get our posts as we publish them to keep up to date with our adventures. You can also check out our Instagram @dubaiandbeyond_ for lots more pictures and videos on our Guides, Reels, Posts and Highlights.
If you enjoyed reading this post Dubai to Oman road trip then check out 7 Stunning Places in Oman or a weekend in Musandam. If you enjoy camping have a read of Hiking and Camping in Dibba, Oman. More outdoor adventures can be found on 10 day trips from Dubai. Everything you need to know about Dubai and the UAE is full of ideas or our Destinations Page has lots more worldwide family travel ideas.
Disclaimer: This post Dubai to Oman Road Trip, has affiliate links and any sales made through such links will reward me a small commission – at no extra cost for you.
