Whether for an extended weekend, as a stopover on a longer vacation or as a short city break, three days at the View Oman make for great memories and builds anticipation for your next visit. So here is a great itinerary for three days at Al Hamra when you stay at The View Oman.
Drive down to The View Oman which is situated on the road between Al Hamra to Hail Al Shas. The last stretch of 7.5 km of winding mountainous paths leading up to the resort requires a 4WD to navigate, so if you're not driving one you can wait to escorted up to the resort using their vehicle— Do remember to arrange for it beforehand.
Arrive at the resort, take in the spectacular panorama of the surrounding valley and the beauty of the resort itself as it stretches out in front of your across the hillside.
Depending on the weather enjoy lunch in the open air outdoor areas or in the closed dining area indoors.
Post lunch head towards Wadi Al Nakhr, better known as the Grand Canyon of Oman. We start from the base of the canyon to drive up to the top. Our first stop along the way is a tiny village with crumbling houses set in the mountainside, Misfat al Abriyyin. It is one of the oldest villages in Al Hamra, and offers panoramic views of the surrounding valleys— The best view available is from the viewing platform, which is a short walk from the village entrance. The village is known for its traditional mud houses that are made using palm frond roofs with the houses themselves built on solid rock foundations.
We can also take a short walk through the date plantations here, before continuing to the beautiful Wakan Village in Wadi Ghul, which is famous for its terrace farming. This mountain village sits on the Western Hajar mountains at an altitude of 2,000 meters overlooking the surrounding mountains above and Wadi Mistal below. You should take in the amazing views from the viewing platform set up at the village and explore the beautiful green terrace farms here, which are irrigated by the ancient Falaj irrigation system which has been placed on the Unesco World Heritage list.
We continue upwards till we reach the highest peak of the Jebel Akhdar range, Jebel Shams, from where we can peer down into the depths of Wadi Nakhr to fully admire its gigantic proportions and massive depth.
Later visit the town of Al Hamra and enjoy learning about village life and the history of Oman at this 400-year-old town that lies on the southern slopes of the Akhdar Mountains. Here you should visit the Bait Al Safa museum, where locals demonstrate old Omani traditions in a restored mud-brick house.
Leisurely explore some of the oldest preserved houses in Oman and visitors to the nearby souq can watch a halwa maker at work in the only halwa shop still operating in the old souq.
Afterwards, head back to the resort for dinner and a quiet evening under the stars.
Enjoy breakfast at The View Oman, before or after enjoying a leisurely swim at the gorgeous infinity pool at the resort.
A few hours later start off on a day tour of the surrounding areas with an early morning visit to the abandoned ruins of the village of Birkat Al Mauz. The village is named after the numerous banana plantations that once thrived here and while it was abandoned over fifty years ago, the structures are still intact and offer an insight into the lives of common Omani villagers of the past. Situated at the foothills of Jebel Akhdar, the village is home to the ancient Falaj irrigation system which is labelled as a UNESCO World heritage. You can enjoy a pleasant walk through the oasis and the date plantations here before heading to Nizwa.
Here we will visit the famed Nizwa Fort and Souk. The fort, famous for its circular main tower, is one of the largest of its kind, is supposed to be a great representative of the seventeenth century architecture. It is. After the fort visit, we head to the Nizwa souq, where you will discover many interesting finds from intricately carved khanjars, traditional handicrafts to silver jewellery and tourist souvenirs; On Fridays you can be witness to the weekly cattle auction that takes place.
Our next stop for the day is Jabreen Castle, one of the most ornately decorated and beautifully furnished in the country. It is one of the only castles in Oman that has been refurbished to display furnishing authentic to its time period. The fine calligraphy etched into the walls, beautiful artwork decorating the ceilings and decorative arches, windows and balconies go on to show that the castle was made with a focus of the beauty— and not on war like most other castles and forts in Oman.
We can visit Bahla fort and potters complex before heading back to The View Oman for the evening. Bahla Fort, has been declared a World Heritage site but as it was built with mud and straw bricks the fort has seen heavy damage due to weathering over the years. It has reopened recently in 2012 after massive restoration however it is not well set up for unguided tours with a serious lack of informational plaques or other instruments.
An oasis lies adjacent to the fort, along with an ancient wall that once spanned 13 kilometres. Much of the oasis lies in ruins but the basic structure and some of the houses still remain standing. The pottery method is Bahla is considered unique to the area and you will enjoy taking in the traditional pottery methods used here and the unique results.
Afterward back to the View Oman where you will have dinner and spend the night at the resort.
Wake up to an amazing sight as the sun spreads its rays across the valley.
Enjoy a leisurely morning exploring the resort after breakfast or just lounge about in the swimming pool.
Check out and depart for your next destination.
You can also discuss other itinerary options while making your booking, explore the Experiences section for inspiration or customise your own itinerary with the help our reservations team by calling +968 97233189 or emailing us at reservations@theviewoman.com.
