Empty Quarter Oman (Wüste Rub al Khali im Oman) is one of the most famous and one of the largest deserts in the world. The amazing sand dunes are located around 200 kilometres North of Salalah, Oman, in Dhofar Governorate. The trip to Southern Oman is incomplete without having desert safari in Rub Al Khali.
In a region defined by deserts, Empty Quarter is daunting and inhospitable. It might not be the place to build a city or a town, but it is one of the most popular attraction for adventurous travelers who want to experience a real natural wonder. And that’s what adventure lovers want. A Safari at the dunes in off-roading vehicle – Toyota Land Cruiser or Nissan Patrol.
The desert has a lot of uniqueness. Each part has a tale, which is untold and undiscovered. That’s why it’s a must see and experience tourist attraction in Oman. In this post, we will cover the details about Empty Quarter, the best way to go there and what to do. So that you don’t miss anything while you are in Salalah.
Contents
Why Empty Quarter is known as Rub Al Khali?
Empty is translated as Khali in Arabic and the Quarter is translated as Rub. So Empty Quarter is known as Rub al Khali in Arabic language, which is the language of the Middle East. It’s not only the language of the region, but also of Islam. The Holy Quran is in Arabic Language as well.
Empty Quarter is Huge
Rub Al Khali is huge pile of sand gravels. The desert has an area of over 500,000 square kilometres. To be specific, its length is thousand kilometres. The width is half of that.
Interestingly, Empty Quarter stretches in four countries. Oman is one of them. Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Yemen are the other 3 countries. Although, most of Empty Quarter lies in Saudi Arabia, Oman has a significant portion too.
Empty Quarter Oman’s Distribution Among Governorates
In Oman, this desert extends to 3 Governorates (called Mahafizah in Arabic). Firstly, Empty Quarter is located on the Northern side of Dhofar Governorate, particularly on the other side of Dhofar Mountains.
Similarly, it’s on the Norther side of Al-Wusta, which is central governorate. Finally, a small portion of the desert is present in Ad-Dhahirah as well.
Empty Quarter Oman is the Best
Since it is in multiple countries, dune bashing can be experienced in any one of these. However, the one in Salalah, Oman is the best. There are many reasons for this, which I will explain in this post in details.
As Salalah is a popular destination, a trip to Empty Quarter Oman can be planned easily from here. Additionally, you can visit some other attractions on the way. For instance, Wadi Dawkah and The Lost City of Ubar (Wubar).
Guided Tour to Rub Al Khali Oman
The best way to experience Empty Quarter is via Beautiful Salalah Tours. It is the best tour operator in Salalah, as per Trip Advisor.
The company arranges the tour with the licensed guide. These guides are Omanis and know Salalah pretty well. Desert adventure needs an experienced driver.
Beautiful Salalah Tours has 4.5 star review in TripAdvisor and is operating in Salalah since 2018. You can read all the reviews on TripAdvisor before making a decision.
There are two options to book:
- One is sunset 8 hours tour to Empty Quarter
- The other one is overnight stay in Rub Al Khali desert in the bedouin tents, which is 2 days and 1 night tour
Details of both of these tours will be in details in this post.
1. Sunset Desert Safari Tour to Empty Quarter Oman
Empty Quarter Oman is one of the most famous desert in the world. Also, it is one of the largest desert in the world. It is located after 2 hours drive on the North side from Salalah, Oman. The desert has a lot of uniqueness.
Details and Itinerary of the tour is as follows:
The pick Up in the Afternoon
The overnight tour will start at 1 pm and is by air conditioned 4×4 vehicle (4WD / Jeep / Land Cruiser). Firstly, the drive will be through the Qara Mountain range with its spectacular view of the Salalah city. These are Dhofar mountains that turn green during khareef season. The drive will be through these canyons and at an altitude of 800 meters above sea level.
Visit to Wadi Dawkah Frankincense Trees Park
The first stop will be Wadi Dawkah, a natural park of famous Frankincense trees. It’s a is a stony, semi desert valley, where the density of frankincense trees spreads across 5 square kilometres. Wadi Dawkah is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is one of the 4 components in Frankincense Land.
The natural park is a habitat for Boswellia sacra type of Frankincense trees. Boswellia sacra is a tree in the Burseraceae family. It is the primary tree in the genus Boswellia from which frankincense is harvested. The Frankincense from this tree is considered the best type of frankincense.
Drive Through Thumrait
Then, the drive will continue past the town of Thumrait, which is a small town and wilayat of the Dhofar Governorate in southern Oman. In ancient times, Thumrait was an important point on the Arabian peninsula’s caravan routes. Frankincense trees, an important crop, used to grow in greater abundance in Thumrait than now. Here, you can see town while passing by.
Visit to Lost City of Ubar (Wubar)
Further you will head towards the graded road crossing the huge gravel desert. Here, you will see Lost City of Ubar (Wubar), another UNESCO World heritage site. It is located in Al Shisr, some 170 kilometers North of Salalah. The ruins of Wubar Archaeological Site are of great importance, both from the point of view of religion and history.
As per Quran, the city’s rich but polytheists inhabitants ignored the messages of Prophet Hud who was sent to the tribe of A’ad. After repeated warning to mend their ways, God destroyed the city and all the inhabitants were killed except those who were saved by Allah – the righteous ones.
These ruins are also known as Iram, Atlantis of the Sand, and Paradise of Shaddad. The search of these ruins was done through satellite. The hunt is very interesting.
Sand Bashing at Rub Al Khali
After walking around Wubar Archaeological site, you will proceed to the Empty Quarter to experience one of the biggest sand desert in the World by driving and rambling on fascinating sand dunes. The sand bashing on golden sand experience is a lifetime experience.
Sunset in Oman’s Empty Quarter
Finally, watch the sunset in the desert. The sunsetting behind the sand dunes is a remarkable thing and must not be missed. At the time of sunset, also you will be walking bare foot on the desert sand, which is definitely an experience worthy and unforgettable.
This sunset moment is captured by Mr. Arnab Sarkar, a professional photographer residing in Qatar, visited Salalah in Dec 2021 and explored the awesome natural sites with Beautiful Salalah Tours.
Dinner on the Return
Have a dinner on the way before returning to Salalah by 9pm.
Here’s what the tourists say about our Desert Safari Tour.
Note: This tour is available only from January to April and September to December each year. From May to September, the trip is not available.
2. Overnight Stay in Empty Quarter in Bedouin Tent
The overnight experience comprises of 2 days. Definitely, the best way is with a licensed guide. Beautiful Salalah Tours can make this experience a reality.
Details of the overnight tour in Empty Quarter is as follows:
Day 1 of 2 in the Desert
The overnight tour will start at 1 pm and is by air conditioned 4×4 vehicle (4WD / Jeep / Land Cruiser). Firstly, the drive will be through the Qara Mountain range with its spectacular view of the Salalah city. These are Dhofar mountains that turn green during khareef season. The drive will be through these canyons and at an altitude of 800 meters above sea level.
Then, the drive will continue past the town of Thumrait, which is a small town and wilayat of the Dhofar Governorate in southern Oman. In ancient times, Thumrait was an important point on the Arabian peninsula’s caravan routes. Frankincense trees, an important crop, used to grow in greater abundance in Thumrait than now. Here, you can see town while passing by.
Further you will head towards the graded road crossing the huge gravel desert. Here, you will see Lost City of Ubar (Wubar), another UNESCO World heritage site. It is located in Al Shisr, some 170 kilometers North of Salalah. The ruins of Wubar Archaeological Site are of great importance, both from the point of view of religion and history. It is the gathering point of Frankincense caravans in the past.
As per Quran, the city’s rich but polytheists inhabitants ignored the messages of Prophet Hud who was sent to the tribe of A’ad. After repeated warning to mend their ways, God destroyed the city and all the inhabitants were killed except those who were saved by Allah – the righteous ones.
These ruins are also known as Iram, Atlantis of the Sand, and Paradise of Shaddad. The search of these ruins was done through satellite. The hunt is very interesting.
After walking around the site, you will proceed to the Empty Quarter, also know as Rub al Khali, to experience one of the biggest sand desert in the World by driving and rambling on fascinating sand dunes. The sand bashing on golden sand experience is a lifetime experience.
Finally, watch the sunset in the desert. The sunsetting behind the sand dunes is a remarkable thing and must not be missed. At the time of sunset, also you will be walking bare foot on the desert sand, which is definitely an experience worthy and unforgettable.
Have a dinner on the desert. Stay overnight in Bedouin style tent.
You will be able to see stars at night due to absence of the light pollution.
Day 2 of 2 in the Desert
Wake up in the desert, after an overnight sleep in the Bedouin camp, on the largest sand desert in the world.
After the breakfast, leave the desert with memories and proceed to Wadi Dawkah, a natural park of famous Frankincense trees. It’s a is a stony, semi desert valley, where the density of frankincense trees spreads across 5 square kilometers. Wadi Dawkah is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is one of the 4 components in Frankincense Land.
The natural park is a habitat for Boswellia sacra type of Frankincense trees. Boswellia sacra is a tree in the Burseraceae family. It is the primary tree in the genus Boswellia from which frankincense is harvested. The Frankincense from this tree is considered the best type of frankincense.
After that you will be dropped to the Hotel. Tour will finish around 10:30 am.
This tour is available only from January to April and September to December each year. From May to September, the trip is not available.
Recommended Read: