Wadi Bani Khalid is a very accessible and family friendly wadi. Full of easily accessible pools with even a small restaurant and toilets. You will need a car to get there so check out these cars below for some good deals.
Location of Wadi Bani Khalid
Wadi Bani Khalid is south of Muscat, closer to the city of Sur. It takes about 3 hours to drive from Muscat, 1.5 hours from Sur or 1 hour from Wahiba Sands.
This wadi is a popular stop after the desert or after visiting Ras Al Jinz turtle sanctuary. We had stayed at Ras Al Jinz the previous night and stopped at Wadi Bani Khalid on the way to Nizwa. A little detour involved but it is worth it!
To get to Wadi Bani Kahlid you need to drive through mountains and a small, built up village. It is well signposted so we had no problems finding it.
Is there anything at Wadi Bani Khalid?
On arrival there is plenty of parking on the side of the road. Before you walk in to Wadi Bani Khalid there is a food truck where you can pick up cold drinks and snacks before walking in.
Inside the wadi there is also a small café where you can pick up some refreshments when you are inside. There are toilets available too.
Unlike Wadi Shab there is minimal hiking to reach the water. As soon as you arrive, you will be greeted with glorious twinkling pools of water. You are able to dive pretty much into the cool water at Wadi Bani Khalid.
Where to stay close to Wadi Bani Khalid
Booking.comWe stayed close to Ras Al Jinz turtle sanctuary the night before we went to Wadi Bani Khalid in a budget guest house Turtle Guest House. We have friends who have stayed at Sama Ras Al Jinz who highly recommended it too.
Otherwise, check out Wahiba Sands desert in Oman for some beautiful dome tents, family tents and basic tents. Some of the most popular are Thousand Nights Camp, Arabian Nights Resort and Sands Dream Tourism Camp. If you have never experienced a night in the desert we would highly recommend you experience it at least once! A truly unforgettable experience!
Alternatively, there are some guest houses close to Wadi Bani Khalid that you can check on the map below.
Booking.comWhat to bring to Wadi Bani Khalid
Make sure to wear trainers or proper walking shoes. Although there is not a huge amount of walking the big boulders can be slippery to climb across. Bring flip-flops or swimming shoes for going in and out of the pools as there are lots of small, stones.
Wear your swimming clothes before you come, there are signs everywhere requesting modesty. This means do not wear a bikini – or if you do wear a rash vest or t-shirt over it. There are little changing areas dotted around that look like port-a-loos so use them to get changed if you need to.
Be mindful of the country and culture that you are in. Oman is an Islamic country so modesty is important. Remember to bring a towel, sunscreen, hat and sunglasses. Don’t forget to bring plenty of water!
How to reach the pools
When you first arrive at Wadi Bani Khalid you will immediately be greeted by cool, inviting water. However, rather than finding a place along here for swimming we recommend going a bit further.
Walk straight ahead and follow the small written sign for the Cave. Then look out for the yellow and red painted flags on the rocks which will guide you. These painted flags will bring you down to a beautiful shallow pool perfect for swimming. Watch out for the fish who like to surround and nibble your feet!
If you are a good swimmer and confident in deep water you can swim further down through the rocks to a small waterfall. We didn’t go further than this pool as we had the kids with us. However, after speaking to other visitors there is another waterfall further down the rocks too.
When to go to Wadi Bani Khalid
It can get busy and popular with coach trips so as per our usual advice – GET THERE EARLY!
Remember that all other countries in the Middle East, Oman gets very hot during summer months. The best time to visit is between October and March when you will be able to spend enjoyable time outside without getting too hot.
Can I take the kids?
Absolutely! Wadi Bani Khalid is a very family friendly wadi in Oman and we met lots of other families there too. The walk to the swimming pools is fine with kids, just take it slow and wear sensible shoes, water shoes if you have them. There are toilets and refreshments available.
Our boys love an adventure so looking out for the flags on the path to the pools was great fun for them!
If you enjoyed reading this post on Wadi Bani Khalid then check out our post on Bimmah Sinkhole, Dubai to Oman road trip and 7 stunning places to visit in Oman.
Alternatively, check out everything you need to know about Dubai and the UAE or our destinations page for other family travel inspiration.
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