Oman Travel Guide: Our Real Experience, Itinerary & What We Spent

This is our personal Oman trip from 2023. Prices and some practical information may have changed, but I’m sharing what we actually experienced and paid at the time.

Our Oman Trip at a Glance

• Trip: 5 nights / 6 days
• Year: November 2023
• Group: Around 8 couples + 3 children
• Children: 7-month-old, 3-year-old and 4-year-old
• Main base: Muscat
• Places visited: Muscat, Daymaniyat Islands, Wadi Bani Khalid and Wahiba area
• Airline: Air India
• Hotel: Citadines Al Ghubrah
• Approximate total cost: ₹80,000 per person including flights, visa, food and tours

Oman was one of those trips that we planned mainly because we were travelling with a big group of friends. There were around eight couples and three small children with us, including a seven-month-old baby.

It turned out to be a really fun trip, although travelling with such a big group also meant that our definition of “10 AM departure” was slightly different from the normal definition of 10 AM. 😂

Flights from Lucknow to Muscat

We travelled with Air India, connecting through New Delhi.

Our flight details

Lucknow → Muscat

• Date: 10 November 2023
• Departure: 2:15 PM
• Arrival: 9:25 PM
• Duration: Around 8 hours 40 minutes including the connection
• Price: Approximately ₹18,738 per person

Muscat → Lucknow

• Departure: 15 November at 10:25 PM
• Arrival in India: 16 November at around 1:35 PM

On the return journey, we reached Delhi in the morning and instead of waiting around for the connecting flight to Lucknow, we took a train home at around 6 AM.

With a big group, sometimes the easiest option is simply to stop overthinking and get home. 😄

Booking Our Oman Tours

Most of our Oman sightseeing and transfers were arranged through Happy Travels Oman.

I found them through Google and checked their reviews before booking. Our experience with them was good.

What we booked

We arranged the following services with them:

• 10 November: Airport transfer in a 12-seater minivan with driver
• 11 November: Muscat City Tour in a 12-seater minivan with English-speaking guide/driver + sunset cruise on sharing basis
• 12 November: Daymaniyat Islands transfer to Seeb Marina in a 12-seater with driver, including snorkelling gear, life jackets, speedboat, permit, water and refreshments
• 13 November: Wadi Bani Khalid and Wahiba Desert excursion using two 4WD cars with English-speaking guide/driver and complimentary water
• 15 November: Hotel-to-airport transfer in a 12-seater

The total cost for the tours and transfers was 824 OMR for 8 people, which worked out to approximately 103 OMR per person, or around ₹21,630 per person based on our 2023 conversion.

The children were free under the arrangement we received.

Happy Travels Oman contact

If you want to contact them, their current website lists:

Email: info@happytravelsoman.com
Phone: +968 9719 8733

Their current website also offers customized Oman tours and packages. (Happy Travels)

Important: This is the company we used in 2023, and I’m sharing our personal experience. Prices, vehicles, itineraries and services can change, so check the current details directly with them before booking.

Oman Visa

Our Oman e-visas cost approximately ₹4,268 per person through a local travel agency.

One of our friends had a valid US visa and, during our 2023 trip, was able to enter Oman on arrival without paying for a separate visa.

However, don’t use this as current visa advice. Visa and entry rules can change, so check the current Oman immigration requirements before travelling.

Where We Stayed in Muscat

Citadines Al Ghubrah

We stayed at Citadines Al Ghubrah, and for our particular group it worked very well.

The hotel isn’t right in the centre of Muscat, but we actually liked the location.

The main reason we chose it was because we had a seven-month-old baby with us and having a kitchen was extremely useful.

Our room

We booked an Executive Room, 1 Bedroom.

The room had:

• A bedroom
• Large bathroom
• Living/lobby area
• Kitchen

For families travelling with young children, having a kitchen can make a surprisingly big difference.

There was also a supermarket nearby, so we could buy things for breakfast and the baby.

Talabat delivery was another lifesaver.

Hotel price

Our room cost approximately ₹6,461 without breakfast.

Breakfast was another roughly ₹1,000 per person, so naturally…

We skipped it. 😂

There was also a coffee shop in the lobby and the coffee was actually pretty good.

The hotel was also reasonably close to Avenues Mall and Oman Mall, and the airport was around 20 minutes away.

Overall, I liked the hotel and it suited our group very well.

Day 1 – Arrival in Muscat

Our flight landed in Muscat at around 9:25 PM.

The tour company had arranged a large vehicle for us. I think it was around a 15-seater, although we had booked a 12-seater for some of the other days.

With all of our luggage, the bigger vehicle was actually perfect.

We reached the hotel at around 11 PM.

Check-in was quick, and after travelling all day, nobody wanted to do anything complicated.

So we did what every tired traveller does:

Talabat.

Most of us ordered meat shawarma, while my wife, who isn’t a big meat eater, went for chicken pizza.

Then we went to sleep.

Day 2 – Muscat City Tour

Our plan for the day was:

1. Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque
2. Old Muscat
3. Al Alam Palace
4. Al Jalali & Al Mirani area
5. Sunset cruise
6. Mutrah Souq & Corniche

We were supposed to start around 10 AM.

We actually left around 10:30 AM, which, considering the size of our group, wasn’t too bad. 😂

Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque

Our first stop was the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque.

The mosque was absolutely majestic.

The huge tiled flooring, carpets and overall architecture were beautiful. We also prayed there.

There were quite a lot of visitors when we went, but the place was extremely clean and well maintained.

During our 2023 visit, women in our group needed appropriate covering, and abayas were available to rent at the entrance.

The abayas weren’t just plain pieces of cloth either; there were proper ones available.

This is based on what we experienced in 2023, so check the current visitor dress requirements before your trip.

Old Muscat

Next we went towards Old Muscat.

Honestly, this wasn’t the most exciting part of the trip for me.

There are old buildings and historic-looking areas, but to me it felt more like something you visit because you’re already in the area.

Since Al Alam Palace and the forts are nearby, it doesn’t take much extra time, so it’s still worth seeing.

Al Alam Palace

We stopped outside Al Alam Palace.

You cannot simply walk inside the palace, so we stayed around the gates and took some photographs.

It was quite hot, so bring a cap or something to protect yourself from the sun.

Al Jalali and Al Mirani

Around 1 PM we reached the area around Al Jalali and Al Mirani.

From my personal impression, they felt more like lookout points/fortifications overlooking the sea rather than the kind of huge fortresses you might imagine.

The location itself is beautiful and is very close to the palace and souq area.

Lunch Near Mutrah Souq

We had lunch at a roadside restaurant near the souq.

The portions were huge.

If you’re an Indian traveller who normally orders a starter and a main course, you can probably share one main dish between two people.

The food was good and reasonably priced.

There was also a currency exchange shop near the souq, and we found their rates to be good.

Mutrah Souq

Shopping at Mutrah Souq

This was much more my kind of place.

Mutrah Souq has that classic Arabian bazaar feeling, with:

• Carpets
• Souvenirs
• Clothes
• Lamps
• Traditional items
• Various gifts

And one useful thing for Indian travellers:

Hindi works surprisingly well here.

Many people we encountered could speak or understand Hindi.

Bargain hard

If you see something you like, don’t immediately accept the first price.

Bargain.

We did quite a bit of shopping here, and my wife bought a few things.

I also recommend getting one of those traditional genie lamps if you like souvenirs.

Sunset Cruise in Muscat

In the evening, the tour operator picked us up for our sunset cruise.

This wasn’t a fancy modern cruise ship. It was more of an old-style dhow/coastal boat experience.

And honestly, that made it better.

The boat took us out along the coast, and the sunset was beautiful.

We were given sandwiches and cold drinks.

The sea was calm, the sun was going down, and after running around Muscat all day, it was incredibly relaxing.

One of our friends had a small child who was disturbing the captain quite a bit.

The captain jokingly told us that his own child was the same age and also didn’t let him work properly. 😂

Around 8 PM, the operator picked us up and dropped us back at the hotel.

Dinner?

Talabat again.

Day 3 – Daymaniyat Islands Snorkelling

If there is one activity from our Oman trip that I would strongly recommend based on our experience, it would be Daymaniyat Islands.

The water was incredibly clean and we saw fish and turtles while snorkelling.

Getting to Daymaniyat Islands

We were picked up around 7:30 AM.

We reached Seeb Marina, and our speedboat departed at around 9 AM.

The package included:

• Speedboat
• Snorkelling equipment
• Life jackets
• Permit
• Water
• Refreshments

Dolphin watching was also advertised, but unfortunately we didn’t see any dolphins.

But honestly, we weren’t disappointed.

We had come mainly for the snorkelling.

What to take with you

The refreshments provided weren’t really enough to count as a proper meal.

So I recommend carrying:

• Chips
• Snacks
• Extra water if needed
• A small bag for your rubbish

We didn’t find convenient rubbish bins on the island, so carrying your own trash bag is useful.

Also remember that conditions and access can vary depending on the season.

We visited in November 2023, when the islands were open for our excursion.

Back to the hotel

We eventually reached the hotel around 8 PM.

Everyone was exhausted.

We had a seven-month-old baby with us.

So yes…

Talabat. Again. 😂

Day 4 – Wadi Bani Khalid and Wahiba Sands

This was the day when our group learned an important lesson:

If your tour says leave at 7:45 AM, leave at 7:45 AM.

Not 10:30 AM.

Our plan was to leave around 7:45 AM.

We actually left around 10:30 AM.

And that delay made a huge difference to the day.

Wadi Bani Khalid

We eventually reached Wadi Bani Khalid at around 1 PM.

The wadi was beautiful.

There is a large natural pool where people can swim, and the surroundings were impressive.

Travelling to Wadi Bani Khalid with small children

We managed it with our seven-month-old baby, but I wouldn’t call it the easiest place for babies or very young children.

The walk from the parking area took us at least around 20 minutes, and the terrain was rocky.

I definitely wouldn’t recommend relying on a stroller.

If you’re travelling with very young children, be prepared to carry them for parts of the route.

We spent around two hours there.

And this is where our late start became a problem.

Lunch on the way

After leaving the wadi, we stopped at a Pakistani restaurant.

It was simple, almost like a roadside dhaba, but the food was good and inexpensive.

By around 4 PM, we were already late for the desert.

Wahiba Sands – or at least the nearby desert area

The drive towards Wahiba was around two hours.

Because of our late start, we couldn’t properly do the main Wahiba Sands experience we had originally planned.

Instead, our driver took us to a nearby local sand area.

We still got:

• Sand bashing
• Camel experience
• Sunset
• Desert scenery

So while it wasn’t exactly the full experience we had planned, we still had a good time.

We eventually reached the hotel around 9 PM.

And yes…

Talabat.

At this point, Talabat deserved its own section in the itinerary. 😂

Day 5 – Free Day in Muscat

We deliberately kept one day relatively free.

We had originally considered visiting Nizwa, but with such a large group and young children, we decided against adding another early morning and long drive.

Honestly, I think this was the right decision for our group.

Some friends went to the beach.

I went to Oman Mall.

More specifically…

I went shopping with my wife. 😂

VR Gaming in Oman Mall

I found a VR gaming place inside the mall.

I already have VR equipment in India, so I wasn’t expecting anything too different.

But this was actually very good.

The setup was like a large enclosed shooting area, and we played zombie games where enemies were coming from all directions.

It could accommodate around six players.

The experience was better than what I’d personally experienced in India, although it was also more expensive.

Food and Coffee

We visited places like Paul’s and Leto.

At Leto, coffee was around ₹500 and cheesecake around ₹1,000.

Definitely not cheap, but it was good.

My wife’s missing purse

And then my wife managed to forget her purse in one of the stores.

We realised it about an hour later.

So we ran back.

Thankfully, it was still there.

That was a very happy ending. 😂

Omani Food

Later we ate at an Omani restaurant where we sat on carpets and ate traditional food.

I remember we ordered a huge potion , food fit for a king — that’s how I remember it from the trip.

It was around ₹700 per person, and the food was very good.

Last Day – More Shopping Before the Flight

Our flight was at night, so we had most of the day free.

We woke up late, had a relaxed morning and went to a nearby mall.

And yes, my wife wanted to shop again.

I don’t know how much girls want to shop. 😂

We had kunafa and burgers for lunch and spent the rest of the day shopping.

Buying Omani Halwa

We also bought Omani halwa for my uncle from a highly rated shop we found on Google.

Personally, I’m not a big fan of Omani halwa, but my uncle liked it.

One thing I would recommend:

Don’t wait until the airport to buy it.

We found the airport prices expensive compared with what we saw in the city.

Muscat Airport

Muscat Airport isn’t enormous.

There are places to eat, including McDonald’s, but I didn’t find the food selection particularly exciting.

There were some vegetarian options, but compared with larger international airports, the choice felt limited to us.

Our Total Oman Trip Cost

Our approximate total expenditure came to around:

₹80,000 per person

This included:

• Flights
• Oman visa
• Hotel
• Tours and transfers
• Food
• Shopping and other day-to-day expenses

Obviously, this was our 2023 trip, so prices today can be very different.

But if you’re planning an Oman trip from India, I think this gives you a useful real-world reference for what our group actually spent.

Was Oman Worth It?

For us, absolutely.

Oman gave us a really nice combination of:

• Beautiful coastline
• Desert
• Mountains and wadis
• Mosques and architecture
• Traditional souqs
• Good food
• Relaxed evenings
• Adventure activities

And because we were travelling with friends, the trip was even more enjoyable.

The biggest thing I would change?

Leave on time.

Especially for a day combining Wadi Bani Khalid and the desert.

We lost a significant part of the desert experience simply because our group took too long to get moving.

Apart from that, it was a really fun trip.

Oman was a relaxed, adventurous and memorable trip with friends — and one I’d happily do again.

Planning your own Oman trip?

For the tours and transfers, we used Happy Travels Oman in 2023. Their current website lists info@happytravelsoman.com and +968 9719 8733 for enquiries. (Happy Travels)

Just remember that our prices and experience are from 2023, so confirm current prices, availability, visa rules and inclusions directly with the company before booking.