Table of Contents
Trip at a glance
| Duration | 8 days, 7 nights |
|---|---|
| Start and finish | Salalah, Dhofar Region |
| Vehicle | 4x4 with rooftop tent [Toyota Tacoma incl. camping equipment] |
| Terrain | Coastal tracks, mountain roads, wadis, sand dunes |
| Guided section | Days 6 to 8, desert with a Go Salalah guide |
Why do this trip with a rooftop-tent 4x4?
A rooftop tent means your bed goes wherever the car goes. There is nothing to pitch and no accommodation to book in advance, so you can change the route, stay an extra night or skip a stop. The tent is always fixed on the car, including in the desert. (What the rental includes: two batteries, fridge, table and chairs, cooking equipment, sunshade, shower and toilet, water tank, rooftop tent)
Where you will sleep: night by night
| Night | Camping spot | Setting | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fazayah Beach | Beach, far west | Very weak phone signal |
| 2 | Khor Kharfout | Beach by a khor | Migratory birds, turtles, dolphins from shore |
| 3 | Top of Jebel Samhan | Mountain viewpoint | Sunset and sunrise views |
| 4 | Khor Senaq (Wadi Al Nakheel) or Fushy Beach | Khor or beach | Fushy is the shorter drive |
| 5 | Coconut Beach (Haffa) or near Qayrun Hayrity | Beach or mountains | The mountains are quieter |
| 6 and 7 | Desert camp with your guide | Desert | Rooftop tent, or Bedouin tent or lodge |
When to go
The best time for this camping trip is September to April. The weather is drier and clearer, which suits the beaches, mountain viewpoints and desert nights.
Dhofar also has the khareef (monsoon), roughly late June to September, when the mountains and wadis turn green and the air is cooler and misty. It is beautiful, but the rain can make camping uncomfortable, so we recommend the drier months if you plan to sleep in the rooftop tent. If you travel during khareef, allow for low visibility on the mountain roads and watch out for animals on the road.
The 8-day itinerary
Day 1: Pick up your 4x4 and drive west to Fazayah Beach
Collect the car at our Salalah location in the morning. Then stock up at Lulu Hypermarket, Hypermax or Nesto. All three have a small camping section with firewood, charcoal, blankets and pillows. Head west and stop at Mughsail Beach, the Blowholes, Marneef Cave and the Hidden Beach viewpoint. Finish at Fazayah Beach and camp overnight. Phone signal is very bad here, so download offline maps first.
Day 2: Shaat Viewpoint, Rakhyut and Khor Kharfout
Continue west to Shaat Viewpoint, then on to Rakhyut. Drive the new ocean road between Rakhyut and Dhalkut. A good camping spot is Khor Kharfout, right next to the beach. It is known for migratory birds, turtle watching and dolphin watching from the shore.
Day 3: Back to Salalah, Wadi Darbat and Jebel Samhan
Return to Salalah to refill the fridge with food and drinking water. Continue east to Wadi Darbat, then camp at the top of Jebel Samhan for sunset and sunrise views.
Day 4: Baobabs, Mirbat, Hasik and Fushy
Visit the baobab trees, Gravity Point, Mirbat, the Sugar Dunes of Fushy, Hasik and Natif Waterfall. For the night, Khor Senaq (Wadi Al Nakheel) is our recommended camp. Fushy Beach is closer if you do not want to drive all the way to Khor Senaq.
Day 5: Sumhuram, Salalah city and a beach or mountain camp
Drive back toward Salalah with possible stops at Sumhuram (Khor Rori) and Taqa. Then explore the city: the Sultan Qaboos Mosque (open Sunday to Thursday, 8 to 11 am), Al Baleed and the Museum of the Frankincense Land, the souq, the plantations and Al Haffa Waterfront. Camp at Coconut Beach (Haffa Beach), or for a quieter night, in the mountains near the village of Qayrun Hayrity.
Day 6: Into the desert with a Go Salalah guide
Drive into the desert with one of our guides for a two-night adventure. Look out for black camels and enjoy a night sky full of stars. Sleep in your rooftop tent, or book a Bedouin tent or lodge at the desert camp. It is entirely your choice.
Day 7: Oasis visit and dune driving
Visit a desert oasis and learn desert and dune driving from an experienced guide. Breakfast, lunch or dinner at a nearby desert camp is optional, and you can bring your own food. You spend a second night in the desert.
Day 8: Ubar, Wadi Dawkah and back to Salalah
On the way back, visit Ubar, the lost city, and Wadi Dawkah. Return the car in Salalah.
Make it your own
This route can be done at a slower pace, and every traveller is different. Be open to spontaneous decisions and change the plan as you go.
Arranging the desert nights
When you plan your desert overnight, contact us and we will arrange the guide. Tell us at the same time whether you want to sleep in the rooftop tent or at the desert camp.
Book your Dhofar overlanding trip
Ready to explore Dhofar at your own pace? Reserve your 4×4 with rooftop tent from Go Salalah and follow this 8-day route, or change it to suit you.
This itinerary takes 8 days and 7 nights. You can slow it down with rest days or shorten it by skipping one region.
Yes. On the two desert nights you can sleep in the rooftop tent or in a Bedouin tent or lodge at the desert camp. Tell us your choice when you contact us to arrange the guide.
Contact Go Salalah when you plan your desert overnight. We arrange the guide and note whether you want to sleep in the rooftop tent or at the desert camp.
Signal is very weak around Fazayah Beach and can be limited in other remote areas. Download offline maps before you leave.
Lulu Hypermarket, Hypermax and Nesto all sell groceries plus a small camping range with firewood, charcoal, blankets and pillows.
