This East Salalah Full Day Tour will take you to a magical journey to the Eastern side of Salalah, where one of best landscape of the Middle East awaits you. This tour is called Jebel Safari or Mountain Safari as most of the journey is on the popular mountain series – The Dhofar Mountains, which are spread across Salalah in the shape of an arch. Jebel or Jabal is Arabic word for mountains.
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the Most Popular Tour in Salalah
Do you know that this is the most popular tour among the tourist who visit Salalah any day of the year. This means that this is the only tour, which remains at number 1 spot, whether you are visiting Salalah during Khareef season or the winter season.
The reason why this tour is a preference of tourists is that it cover the places which are most popular in Dhofar and is in the minds of the travelers when they are visiting Salalah.
Itinerary of East Salalah Tour Full Day
Below is the detailed itinerary of the magical Jebel Safari on the Eastern Side of Salalah:
1. Taqa City and Castle – Get Back in Time
Taqa is a wilayah next to Salalah on the Eastern side. It has the most famous castle in the Dhofar region – Taqa Castle. This castle is not the only historical building in the town. Burj Al Askar and Koofan House are other historical sites with amazing tales to tale. You can pay for the entrance to any of these sites (entrance is not covered in the tour cost). If you don’t want to enter, you can experience the place from outside and make this as a photo stop.
The white sand beach of Taqa with the coconut trees and many birds in sight is indeed a great place to kickstart the tour. The pristine beach in the coastal town will sometimes give you opportunity to see the fisherman getting ready for the excursion.
The view from the cliff (also called view point) is stunning and you can see the entire town from there. Also the unforgettable views of Indian Ocean awaits you from there.
2. Boat at Wadi Darbat – The Most Popular Valley in Dhofar
The tour will begin with visit to the most popular valley of the Dhofar Region, Wadi Darbat will be your first stop. Here you visit a canal where you can do kayaking or boating overlooking the mountain of Jabal Al Qara. A cave is just around the corner, which you can see if the time permits. It would be a common sight to find camel and cattle grazing at the valley. The plantation here is unique, you will be able to see Buckthorn and wild fig trees.
Seeing the seasonal waterfall (if its there at the time of your visit) is another recommended thing at this valley. The waterfall is basically cascades of water amid the tangle of lush greenery. Interestingly, it is continuing from 2018 without stopping for a single day.
3. Hike at Travertine Curtains in Dhofar
A little hike from the top of the cliff, you can reach to the pristine seasonal waterfall. There is a new walkway made in this place, so the walk is much easier now.
Also, you will see the Travertine Curtain, which is unique construction of the nature. Travertine Curtains are pockmarked rocks on the cliff face, which is a common geological formation in Dhofar. These marks happen when the original sand stone has been dissolved by the water. Here, a seasonal waterfall makes a landing from the valley to a rock pools that feeds Khor Rori.
4. Explore Tawi Attair Sinkhole
Through a 20 minutes drive from Darbat on the mountains, which are green during khareef season, we will reach to the site of sinkhole. This is another popular spot on the Jebel Safari in Salalah. Tawi Attair Sinkhole, which translates as The Birds Well, is a unique place to visit.
Tawi Attair is one of the world’s deepest sinkholes, measuring some 200 meters from top to bottom. It is actually that much deep that a fifty floor building can be fit inside it. Probably formed by the collapse of the roof of an enormous subterranean cave in the past.
5. See Clouds below at Jebel Samhan
Next stop will be Jabal Samhan, which is the highest point in Dhofar region and is above 4000 feet. It is worthy to note that the scenery becomes barren near the top, which is a contrast to the plantation you might be seeing on the way from Darbat to Samhan during drive.
Depending on the weather, you may see clouds hugging the cliff of Jebel Samhan or the coastal of Mirbat if the weather is clear. The entire drive is on the mountain path, which makes the title of this tour as Mountain Safari Salalah.
6. Discover Baobab Trees at Wadi Hanna
While descending from the mountains, two noticeable stops will be made. One of them is at Wadi Hanna, where you will discover fine cluster of Baobab Trees. These are African trees and their presence here shows impressive botanical link of Dhofar with Africa.
7. Drive at Neutral at Anti Gravity Point Oman
The other site is that of Magnetic Hill, also called Salalah Anti Gravity point. Car will drive here without any acceleration up to a speed of 50 kilometer per hour.
9. Explore Sumharam Old City at Khor Rori
On they way back towards Salalah on the coastal highway, Sumharam Archeological site will be next stop where you can see the remains of an old city (3rd Century BC). This ancient city is one of the four components of the Frankincense Land and is in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
A small on-site museum, Sumhuram Archeological Gallery, displays the relics excavated from the ancient port city. This is where the famous palace of Queen Sheeba is located.
Khor Rori is a lagoon (Creek) on the Arabian Sea, just besides Sumharam Archaeological Site. This is an ideal place for bird watchers. It is supposedly the best site for birds watching. Khor Rori is fed by the water from Wadi Darbat. You can see it from Sumharam.
At the end of the Mountain Safari Salalah Tour, you will be dropped to the hotel.
What to Bring?
- Sunblock
- Sunshades
- A good pair of shoes
- Hat
What to Wear?
Dress comfortably and respectfully on Mountain Safari Salalah Tour
Availability of this Tour
This tour is available through out the year.
Additional Info
- This tour involves walking on the rough and inclined ground.
- Maximum number of passengers are 4 in the 4×4 SUV due to safety. If you are more people, we can arrange a mini van or a coaster, for which there will be an additional charges.
- A Local Omani Lunch can be provided during the tour, which will be charged as 5 Omani Rials (15 USD) per person. Kids will be free.
- The tour will start as per your convenience. Our recommended time to start the morning tour is from 8 am to 10 am.
- We can also arrange hotel and flights for your trip. Let us know if you want that.
- Entrance fees to Sumharam Archeological site, Taqa Castle, Koofan House and / or Burj Al Aksar is not included. These places will be on the tour, but if you don’t want to pay for entrance, you can see the places from outside.
Helpful Tip
- Wadi Darbat waterfalls are seasonal and may not be there when you visit.
- If you want to do hiking at Wadi Darbat, the guide will take you to a 30 to 40 minutes hike along the beautiful scenery. This is an option.
- Camel ride can be added, with additional OMR 10 per PAX per 15 mins camel ride A local style picnic can be arranged at OMR 10 additional.
- You can customize this tour, let us know in the comment section of the booking page or via whatsapp or email.
