Wild Frontiers

Flight Information

Oman Air operates direct flights from London to Muscat which take around 7hrs. British Airways offer a service that touches down in Abu Dhabi and takes around 9hrs.

Useful Tips

• Barter for a traditional inlaid wooden box in the souk

Recommended Reading

You might like to read up on Oman and its interesting history and sites before you depart. We recommend a variety of guidebooks such as Bradt Guides, Odyssey Guides, The Rough Guide and Footprint Guides. All these publications have good general information as well as more specific country information that will help orientate you in the areas you visit.

Good books and maps of Oman are available at Stanfords in Covent Garden, London or online at www.stanfords.co.uk

Relevant Reading:
Some non-fictional books on the area include Sultan in Oman, by Jan Morris, who accompanies Sultan Said on the first crossing of Oman by motor vehicle. Morris describes a world of sheikhs and slaves, wazirs and warring tribes, a political system dominated by imperial Britain.

If you would rather read up on the facts and history of the area look at The Making of the Modern Gulf States: Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Oman, by Roger Owen

From Trucial States to United Arab Emirates by Frauke Heard-Bey

Rigged, by Ben Mezrich is an entertaining tale about how the UAE sprung up to become the power it is today.

When To Go

From September through to late march you can generally expect some fine weather (mid 20s) in Sana’a, though evening temperatures can be rather cool. You should come prepared for hot sunny days and the heat is generally dry. As ever you can expect extremes in the desert, though temperatures should never be too hot or too cold. In the British summertime the heat can be extraordinary and our general advice if travelling then is get near some air conditioning!

Packing List

Below is a list of general items you might take with you on a Wild Frontiers trip to Oman. With your booking confirmation you will receive a packing list specific to your tour, so please treat this as a general guideline only.

Luggage:
A rucksack or duffel/soft bag is ideal (as they are easier to fit in a 4WD) but suitcases can be accommodated.

On all our trips a small daypack is practical for keeping general items (e.g. camera, books, wallets etc.) at hand when your main pack is out of reach. It is also handy for day trips and excursions.

Clothing:
In general you should bring clothes you feel comfortable with. However, Oman is a conservative Islamic country and both men and women should dress accordingly.

For men, this will generally mean long trousers and shirts/T-shirts that are at least short-sleeved (i.e. they cover the shoulders).
For women, this will mean wearing a headscarf, long sleeves and loose trousers or a dress. Therefore as a guide we suggest a packing list like this:
• 3 x Light cotton shirts or T-shirts, short sleeved and long.
• 2-3 pairs of loose cotton trousers. If preferred, women can wear long dresses and skirts
• 2 x Lightweight jumpers or sweatshirts
• 1 good quality fleece or warm jumper
• Lightweight waterproof jacket or poncho
• Change of clothing for the evenings
• Sun hat or cap
• Women should have a headscarf
• Pair of comfortable walking shoes
• Pair of recreational shoes, adventure sandals or trainers
• Flip flops/sandals for showers

Equipment:
The following is useful extra equipment for you trip:
• Torch (LED head-torch keeps your hands free)
• Pair of good quality sunglasses
• Plug adapter
• Travel towel, travel soap and toiletries

Personal First Aid Kit:
While we do carry a large medical kit on our group tours, we would advise that you take some of the basics with you. This should include:
• Any prescription medication required (please inform the tour leader at your pre-departure meeting about these)
• Antibacterial dry hand wash
• Painkillers: paracetamol & ibuprofen
• Rehydration salts (Gastrolyte)
• Travel motion-sickness tablets if required (e.g. natural ginger tablets)
• Diarrhoea remedies
• Antihistamines
• Cold/flu decongestants
• Mosquito Repellent
• Insect bite cream
• Laxatives
• Plasters/Bandage/Steri-Strips/Blister pads
• Sunscreen (30+ factor)
• Moisturiser/after sun cream/lip balm
• Contact lenses and solution if required
• Tweezers
(A kit with most of this in is available at www.nomadtravel.co.uk)

Optional Extras:
• Ear plugs (if sharing a room)
• Alarm clock
• 3-4 plastic carrier bags are very useful for dirty washing, dirty shoes and rubbish
• Binoculars
• Small packs of tissues
• Money belt or secure pouch for money and passport etc.
• Eye patches if light affects your sleep
• Sewing kit/scissors
• Writing materials
• Spare batteries/camera memory cards
• Swiss Army knife

NB: If you wear contact lenses you may find that climatic changes and dust can create visual irritation, therefore, it is advisable to bring a pair of glasses.

You might be tempted to buy a few souvenirs here and there, so leave a little room for those extra purchases!!

Hand Luggage:
Although it is very rare that luggage goes missing on flights, it has been known to happen and so it’s a good idea to carry a spare top, toothbrush, wash kit, underwear and any other essentials in your hand luggage so that you can at least freshen up while waiting for your bags to catch you up. If you wear your sturdy shoes/boots it will also reduce weight in your luggage and keep them safe.

Practical Information

Time:
Oman is 4hrs ahead of GMT.
A useful website to check the time zone differences is www.worldtimezone.com

Food and Alcohol:
Most types of food can be obtained in Oman and vegetarians or those with special dietary needs can be catered for.

The consumption of alcohol is permitted but is usually restricted to hotel bars.

Money:
In Oman the unit of currency is the Omani Rial (OMR).
To check out the latest exchange rate for the places that you are visiting you can go to www.oanda.com

American Express, Visa, Diners Club and MasterCard are accepted in hotels, restaurants and larger shops. ATMs can be found in most of the larger towns. Travellers’ cheques issued by UK banks are accepted by licensed banks and bureaux de change. To avoid additional exchange rate charges, travellers are advised to take travellers’ cheques in US Dollars. You should bring sufficient cash with you (US dollars).

Language & Religion:
Arabic is the official language of Oman although English is spoken in most areas.

All Omanis are Muslim, most belonging to the Ibadi sect. Ibadis are traditionalists who believe in maintaining the original purity of Islam as conceived by the Prophet Muhammad.

Cultural Sensitivity:
On our tours we frequently interact with local people, each with their own distinct customs and traditions. We therefore ask you to be considerate and to treat them with respect. Your tour leader will be able to advise you accordingly.

At Wild Frontiers we are very aware of the ethical impact tourism can have on ancient cultures. We realise that taking a group of tourists through such a region can have a negative impact on the lives of those who live there and on all our tours we therefore go to great lengths to minimise the negative and accentuate the positive…after all, there are also many good things that the tourist can bring.

To help this process we ask that our clients do not hand out pens or sweets to children. As one sign in Egypt emphatically put it, ‘Please don't make beggars out of our children!' No matter how well intentioned, in our opinion the dolling out of free gifts fosters a ‘beggar mentality' that is ultimately extremely destructive to a society. In addition we do not condone giving out money to beggars or ‘students'.

However, we also realise that we are exceptionally privileged to be travelling in areas where most of the people have far less than us and that the desire to ‘help' can be very powerful. As a result we ask that you refer to your trip dossier for information on the Wild Frontiers Foundation which supports specific projects in the areas where we travel.

Photography:
Please remember, we are guests in the countries through which we travel and we may sometimes inadvertently cause offence by taking photographs without first asking permission.

Also Oman has a very strict policy on taking photos of army, police or any official personnel; restrictions apply at borders, bridges and any government building. Please exercise care in this regard as the penalty may be to have your film and/or camera confiscated.