A ten-day loop from Muscat: the coast road from Wadi Shab to Sur, the turtles of Ras al-Jinz, a night at a camp in the dunes of the Wahiba Sands, the forts of Nizwa, then the two great massifs of the Hajar, Jebel Shams and Jebel Akhdar. Tarmac covers almost everything, but a genuine 4x4 is required at the police checkpoint guarding the climb to Jebel Akhdar.
| Days | Stop | Drive |
|---|---|---|
| Days 1 to 2 | Muscat | Start |
| Day 3 | Sur | 211 km · 2h35 |
| Day 4 | Ras al-Jinz | 44 km · 50 min |
| Day 5 | Wahiba Sands (Bidiya) | 173 km · 3h30 |
| Days 6 to 7 | Nizwa | 187 km · 2h35 |
| Day 8 | Jebel Shams | 87 km · 1h55 |
| Day 9 | Jebel Akhdar (Saiq) | 141 km · 2h50 |
| Day 10 | Back to Muscat | 172 km · 2h05 |
Road route calculated from the stops (OpenStreetMap). Driving times assume no stops and no traffic: add time for photo breaks.
November to March: highs of 26 to 32 °C in Sur, October and April already around 36 °C, over 40 °C from May to September. In winter, the Jebel Akhdar plateau drops below zero at night, and the wadis can flood after rain from October to March.
🚗 211 km · 2h35 of driving from Muscat
Coastal expressway via Qurayyat (formerly route 17), tarmacked; long stretches with no mobile signal.
🚗 44 km · 50 min of driving from Sur
Coast road towards Ras al-Hadd, no difficulty; be at the reserve before 20:30.
🚗 173 km · 3h30 of driving from Ras al-Jinz
Back via Sur, mountain road to Wadi Bani Khalid, then route 23; sand track to the camp.
🚗 187 km · 2h35 of driving from Wahiba Sands
North towards Ibra, then west via Izki; fast roads with speed cameras.
🚗 87 km · 1h55 of driving from Nizwa
Via Al Hamra, then a steep climb; the last kilometres are gravel, impassable without a 4x4 after heavy rain.
🚗 141 km · 2h50 of driving from Jebel Shams
Back down via Nizwa, then Birkat al-Mawz: police checkpoint, 4x4 required, climb in low gear.
🚗 172 km · 2h05 of driving from Jebel Akhdar
In 7 days: Muscat 1 night, Sur 1, Ras al-Jinz 1, Wahiba 1, Nizwa 2 with Jebel Shams as a day trip. On the last day, drive up Jebel Akhdar on the way back to Muscat, about 3 hours of driving in total.
| Small car, Muscat airport | ≈ €18 a day ($20, Kayak, Sept. 2026) |
|---|---|
| SUV, annual average | ≈ €59 a day ($67) |
| Land Cruiser Prado 4x4, offer found | ≈ €57 a day ($65) |
| All categories, June (cheapest month) | ≈ €37 a day ($42) |
| All categories, December (most expensive month) | ≈ €49 a day ($56) |
| Vehicle | A genuine four-wheel-drive 4x4 (Prado, Pajero): a two-wheel-drive SUV is turned back at Jebel Akhdar. |
|---|---|
| Where to pick it up | Muscat International Airport; it's a loop, so you return to the same desk. |
| Insurance | Comprehensive cover recommended by France Diplomatie; a drunk driver is never covered. |
| Off tarmac | Driving off tarmac can void the rental company's insurance: read the contract before the tracks and the sand. |
| Mileage | Often capped at 200 or 250 km a day; the loop averages about 100. |
| Age and card | Two years' licence, possible surcharge under 30; credit card for the deposit. |
⚠️ Without four-wheel drive, the Birkat al-Mawz police checkpoint will turn you back: check the exact model before paying.
Accepted for hiring a car; no International Driving Permit required, but an Arabic or English translation is advisable at checkpoints. Other licences: check whether an International Driving Permit is required.
Left-hand drive, as in mainland Europe.
From 60 to 120 km/h on expressways depending on the signs; very many speed cameras, fines from 10 rials.
The slightest trace of alcohol can mean a fine and prison; you may be held in custody for 48 hours.
Licence and registration document shown at Birkat al-Mawz; otherwise you turn back. Come down in low gear.
Collisions are often fatal outside Muscat; avoid driving at night.
Never cross if the water reaches the red part of the depth posts, even in a 4x4.
Holding a phone is forbidden, seat belts in every seat; heavy penalties.
Driving a visibly dirty car is forbidden: wash it after the desert.
Wait for the police before moving the vehicles; a police report is required if anyone is injured.
≈ €0.55 per litre of petrol (0.24 rial, 21 September 2026); diesel 0.26 rial, ≈ €0.59
Price recorded in September 2026: it changes every week, sometimes by 10 to 20 cents in a month. Check it before you go.
⛽ 1,015 km at 7 l per 100 km: about €40 at September 2026 prices, to share between passengers.
Regular stations along the inhabited roads. Fill up before climbing into the mountains and heading into the sands.
| Roads | No tolls on the loop |
|---|---|
| Ras al-Jinz reserve | 12 rials per adult, 6 rials for ages 6 to 12 |
| Wadi Shab | 1 rial for the boat, return |
| Bimmah Sinkhole | Free |
| Climb to Jebel Akhdar | 4x4 only, police checkpoint at Birkat al-Mawz |
|---|---|
| Jebel Shams track | Impassable without a 4x4 after heavy rain |
| Wadis | Flash floods from October to March |
| Sultan Qaboos Mosque | Non-Muslims in the morning, except on Fridays |
| Ras al-Jinz | Arrive before 20:30 or 04:45 |
Ten days for this 9-night loop: Muscat, Sur, Ras al-Jinz, the Wahiba Sands, Nizwa, Jebel Shams and Jebel Akhdar, about 1,000 km. The stages range from under an hour to 3 hours 30 minutes of driving. In 7 days, sleep in Nizwa and see both massifs without spending the night there.
For ten days in 2026: a Prado-type 4x4 at around €57 a day, so about €570; fuel at €0.55 a litre, around €70 for 1,000 km; Ras al-Jinz turtles 12 rials per adult (≈ €27). No tolls. Accommodation and the desert camp are extra.
Yes, for this loop. The police turn back cars without four-wheel drive at the foot of Jebel Akhdar, the end of the Jebel Shams road is gravel and the Wahiba camps are at the end of sand tracks. The rest, including the coast, is tarmacked.
According to France Diplomatie (September 2026), a valid French licence is accepted for hiring a car; an International Driving Permit is not required, but an Arabic or English translation helps at checkpoints. Other licences: check whether an International Driving Permit is required. Rental companies often ask for two years' licence and a credit card.
Yes: some camps include the transfer from Al Wasil, on route 23, and back. With a 4x4, you follow the sand track to the camp, about ten kilometres for the nearest ones. Never set off alone into the dunes: France Diplomatie recommends two vehicles, a guide and a means of satellite communication.
The situation in the region can change quickly. Read your government's travel advice before you book, then again the day before you leave: it lists the areas to avoid and is updated continuously.
Driving rules, prices and closures checked in September 2026; hotels checked on OpenStreetMap and then on Booking. Rules change: read the official source before you leave, and check your own government's travel advice for the country. Stop photos: Wikimedia Commons, authors and licences under each image.
Off We Gooo road trip guide · offwegooo.com/en/road-trips/oman · by Pierrick, updated 1 October 2026
