Early morning we will drive to Nizwa, which was once the capital of Oman. The first stop will be the spectacular market, Nizwa Souq, one of the largest in Oman. We’ll get here early, as that’s the best time to get the pick of the deals as the vendors sell their goods from 5am to 10am daily. Choose from fresh fish, meat and vegetables to delightful and unique pottery, jewelry, handicrafts and souvenirs, all sold in authentic market halls the like of which you won’t see in many other places in the world. The Friday cattle market is not to be missed, as it’s a chance to see the locals in their element, selling goats, cattle, sheep and chickens in a circus-style open marketplace.

Next to the souq is the Nizwa Fortress, now a museum and a great place to take in the views of this spectacular ancient town and its surrounding mountain range. You’ll be able to explore the fortress, a military stronghold designed to repel the most fiercest of enemies in its day. It features towers, rooms and passages, along which many traps were laid to deter intruders who may have penetrated its defenses.  What a great example of architecture from the early Yaruba dynasty this is, a dynasty that was responsible for a range of economic and military achievements during the mid-17th Century.

After Nizwa we will drive up the Jebel Shams Mountain, Oman’s tallest, standing at an impressive 3004 meters high. We’ll be stopping en route at the ancient village of Al Hamra, where an old, 7-bedroom village house has been restored and turned into a museum. An Omani guide will show us around, and reveal how the locals used to make coffee, oil and Omani bread. You’ll be able to buy some of the oil that the tour guides make themselves while working in the museum. After the brief tour, we’ll gather in the Majilis – which is an Omani living room – and enjoy Omani coffee or tea served with dates.

Next, we’ll continue our journey further up checking in at the Jebel Shams resort. You’ll have free time for the rest of the day, which you could spend leisurely wandering the variety of walking paths in the area, or exploring the 95 million year old Grand Canyon of Oman and enjoying yet more spectacular views of the Wadis and valleys below.