Salalah is an amazing city. It is full of diversity. The 4 hour city tour will take you to the discovery to the beaches, ancient sites, mosque, souk and modern mall, palace and much more.
Contents
Itinerary of Salalah City Tour
Below is the detailed itinerary of Salalah City Tour:
Sultan Qaboos Mosque
The tour will start with the visit to Sultan Qaboos Mosque, which is the largest mosque in Salalah and named after late king of Oman. It’s not only the largest mosque of Salalah, but it’s the largest one outside of Muscat and Nizwa. This place can accommodate up to 5,000 worshippers. It’s a beautiful Islamic Architecture and offers a prospective on how Muslims Pray 5 times every day in congregation.
Salalah Central Market
The next stop is Salalah Central Market. This is the largest open-air market in Salalah for fresh fruits, vegetables, meat and fishes. There are some restaurants, and other shops. Salalah Central Market is known as “Souq Al Markizi” in Arabic. In addition to this, due to the products that are sold here, its called Fish Souk, Meat Souk and Vegetable Souk.
Nabi Umran Tomb
Next stop on Salalah City Tour will be Nabi Umran Tomb or (Prophet Imran Tomb), which is in an older part of the city. It is one of the popular mausoleum in Dhofar and Oman, mainly for the extraordinary length, making it one of the longest graves in the world. The length is around 12 meters. A mosque is also located besides the tomb.
Burj Al Nahdah (Clock Tower)
After that, through drive you will see the iconic Clock Tower (In Arabic, Burj Al Nahdah). Since there are no Skyscrapers in Salalah, this tower serves as an icon of the city. The tower is built on a round-about and has 4 sides, all of whom has a clock and 8 glass windows.
Ad Dahariz Beach and Lagoon
Next, you will arrive at Ad Dahariz Beach, which is one of the popular beaches among the locals. In this beach, the ministry has constructed a walkway and gazebos. This beach has a creek, which is a great spot to see the migrating birds. Flamingos is one of those.
Al Baleed Archaeological Park
After the beach, you will be driven on a single carriage way, and you will reach Al Baleed Archeological Park. It is a UNESCO heritage site across the Arabian Sea, and remains of the older city of Zafar. It is an important human settlement since 2000 BC and got popularity, especially from 8th to 16th century, due to its geographical location.
Notable ruins and remains are that of the palace, grand mosque, cathedral and city wall. The excavation work started in 1952.
The Museum of the Frankincense Land
An onsite museum, The Frankincense Land Museum, hosts Artifacts excavated from archaeological sites, Governorate of Dhofar’s historical and archaeological heritage and Superb models of Omani boats from 3000 BC to current.
Fresh Fruit Huts
For the next stop, the drive will be through the banana and coconut farms. Stop and have a sip of the fresh coconut drink at a local fruit hut. These huts are just besides the palm and banana trees.
Al Husn Souq at Haffa District
The next stop in the City Tour is Haffa Souq (Al Husn Souk) at Haffa Beach. It is an open air traditional market selling Dhofari Frankincense, Omani traditional dresses and perfumes. This is a popular souk for souvenirs and don’t forget to take local Frankincense, Bakhur, Attar and Kumma. Haffa beach is at walking distance and you can have a look if you want.
Al Hosn Palace
Next you will pass by Al Hosn Palace, which is the palace of the Sultan. The palace is not open to public and has high walls.
Salalah Gardens Mall
The last stop on the City Tour of Salalah is Salalah Gardens Mall. It is the largest and the first modern mall in Dhofar. This air conditioned mall has many shops, restaurants and a large hyper market. You can eat here or buy something to take with you.
What to Bring?
- Sunblock
- Sunshades
- A good pair of shoes
- Hat
What to Wear?
Dress comfortably and respectfully.
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 local food will be meat grilled on the stones and is known as Madabhe. This is a special food in Dhofar.
- The tour will start as per your convenience. Our recommended time to start the morning tour is from 8 am to 10 am and for the sunset tour is 2 pm.
- We can also arrange hotel and flights for your trip. Let us know if you want that.
Helpful Tips
- No Sleeveless or Shorts allowed for both men and women and ladies must cover their head with the scarf while visiting religious places.
- Non Muslims cannot visit Sultan Qaboos Masjid on Friday. All the other days they can visit in morning from 8am to 11am.
- Most shops in Haffa souq are closed from 12:00 – 16:00 hrs.
