Melo Villareal
You want to visit Oman. You want to see the sand dunes of the Arabian Nights and the tumbling waterfalls that fall between them, to visit the ancient castles and the sultanate’s very own grand canyon. You desperately want to stroll along 2000km of unspoilt coastline s but you just can’t afford it, right?
Adventure in Oman – Photo courtesy of Oman Tourism
Wrong.
While getting a camel – of which there are loads – through the eye of a needle is easier than finding budget accommodation in Oman, there is another option.
Wild camping has become the leisure pursuit of choice for young Omanis and there is no reason why you can’t join them. The desert sands cool at night and it’s arguably the best place on Earth to stargaze from, while
Here are our top tips for budget camping in Oman:
- Calculate a daily budget and stick to it. It’s best to do this in Omani rial, since this is what you will be spending it in – you can use Travelex’s online currency converter to work it out in advance of your trip.
- The country’s Bedouin tribes are still fairly nomadic so it’s legal to pitch a tent almost anywhere, as long as it’s not on someone else’s property. If you need inspiration as to where to go then visit the Oman tourism site, where they’ve got some great videos and ideas.
- In terms of transport you’ve got two options: camel or 4×4. Both are desert friendly and available to rent, but one is rather more comfortable than the other and doesn’t spit so much. Prices for a Toyota Landcruiser start at around 60 US dollars per day.
- Bring camping gear over with you if you’re a regular or pick some up cheaply in the capital – although it’s not likely to be too rainy in the dessert you will still want something to keep out the morning dew.
