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Nizwa and Jabal Shams Private Day Trip: Explore Oman's Historic Capital and Grand Canyon
4.9
59 Ratings
Nizwa
Discover the rich history and natural beauty of Oman on a private day trip to Nizwa and Jabal Shams. Explore the ancient market, visit Nizwa fort and castle, and experience the breathtaking views of the Grand Canyon of Oman.
Discover the rich history and natural beauty of Oman on a private day trip to Nizwa and Jabal Shams. Explore the ancient market, visit Nizwa fort and castle, and experience the breathtaking views of the Grand Canyon of Oman.
Duration:
9 hours
Cancellation:
24 hours
Highlights
- Nizwa Souk - The tour begins in the morning as the group departs from Muscat heading towards Nizwa. Once the capital of Oman during the Al Yaruba Dynasty, Nizwa is home to the renowned Nizwa Souq. Here, a diverse array of vendors line the streets, offering everything from vegetables, pottery, jewelry, and handicrafts to Omani sweets (Halwa),…
- Nizwa Souk - The tour begins in the morning as the group departs from Muscat heading towards Nizwa. Once the capital of Oman during the Al Yaruba Dynasty, Nizwa is home to the renowned Nizwa Souq. Here, a diverse array of vendors line the streets, offering everything from vegetables, pottery, jewelry, and handicrafts to Omani sweets (Halwa), dates, spices, and souvenirs, all within authentic old market halls that are rare to find. Particularly fascinating is the Friday cattle market, where locals gather to sell goats, cattle, sheep, and chickens in a lively, open marketplace setting.
Please Note: If staying in Muscat and wishing to attend the Friday cattle market, it is necessary to start at 05:30 AM. Please contact us after booking or mention it in the special request form, and we will respond accordingly.
- Nizwa Fort Oman - Adjacent to the Souq is the Nizwa Fort and castle. The Fort, constructed in 1649, and the castle, built in 888, now serve as a museum offering breathtaking views of the ancient town and surrounding mountains. Visitors can explore the impressive Fort and Castle, which feature numerous passages and rooms. The fort stands as an architectural testament to the economic and military prowess of the early Yaruba dynasty from the mid-17th century. It was a formidable military stronghold, designed to withstand even the most powerful attacks of its time, with traps laid along the corridors to deter any intruders who might breach the defenses.
- Jabal Shams - The journey continues towards Jabal Shams Mountain, known as the Grand Canyon of Oman. The mountain road ascends to Jebel Shams at 3009 meters, offering one of the most thrilling mountain experiences in Oman, with exciting off-road adventures and stunning views. At the canyon view, which is 2000 meters high, visitors can stop to enjoy the scenery and take photos. From there, the tour returns to Muscat.
What's Included
- Taxes
- Bottled water
- Pick up & drop off from hotels, port, airport, and residence
- Transportation by air-conditioned 4WD vehicle
- Taxes
- Bottled water
- Pick up & drop off from hotels, port, airport, and residence
- Transportation by air-conditioned 4WD vehicle
What's Not Included
- Nizwa Fort entry fees
- Lunch
- Nizwa Fort entry fees
- Lunch
Additional Information
Spend a day delving into Oman’s rich history and culture. Nizwa, once the capital of Oman 500 years ago, was also recognized as the capital of Islamic culture in 2015. Enjoy a tour of the ancient Nizwa market, located next to the historic Nizwa Fort and Castle. The fort, constructed in 1649, now serves as a museum, while the castle dates back to 888….
Spend a day delving into Oman’s rich history and culture. Nizwa, once the capital of Oman 500 years ago, was also recognized as the capital of Islamic culture in 2015. Enjoy a tour of the ancient Nizwa market, located next to the historic Nizwa Fort and Castle. The fort, constructed in 1649, now serves as a museum, while the castle dates back to 888. From there, travel to Jabal Shams, known as the Grand Canyon of Oman, standing at 3,009 meters. It promises an exhilarating off-road adventure and breathtaking views.
- Not stroller accessible
- Infant must not sit on laps
Location
Nizwa Souk
City Center, Close to the fort
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.9
(59 Ratings)
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Filippogenzini
Jan 19, 2026
One of the most beautiful landscapes in Oman - Beautiful hike in the mountains of Jabal Shams and views of the majestic canyon. After so many hours of driving it is pleasant to walk along the canyon along the coast of the mountain. The slopes are not excessive and there are also refreshment points. However, the best view is from above, where you arrive by car,
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Deborah_s
Nov 26, 2025
Excellent day of history and natural beauty - This is a great full day trip from Muscat, first visiting the souq and fort in Nizwa followed by drive to the spectacular Grand Canyon at Jabal Shams, all rounded off with a delicious late lunch in the way back to Muscat. Our excellent guide Fawzi made the trip very memorable. He was full of interesting information and kept surprising us with delicious treats such as ice creams and teas along the way. The fort provides a fascinating insight into the history of Oman, while the canyon is a breathtaking natural wonder. We highly recommend the trip.
Review provided by Viator
Companion05281459235
Feb 19, 2025
A must visit when in Oman. - Stunning scenery and culture from the Fort in Nizwa to the mountains. Ahmed was an amazing guide. Thank you for providing us with such a enjoyable day.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Faraway34395445795
Oct 22, 2024
Ann & David Blackmore from Wales - We had Ali again on this tour. What a great guide to have. Be prepared for a long day. Nizwa is a fascinating town but for us TGF highlight was going to Jabal Shams. A wonderful mountain experience which included a spectacular flash flood the scenery was spectacular. Our guide Ali was an extremely courteous, knowledgeable and safe driver.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Josh
Mar 31, 2024
Great and fun day out - Knowledgeable and very friendly tour with Omar as my guide. All very professional and very pleasant day. Learned a lot about Oman.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Tracyjgreaves
Mar 20, 2024
The tour of the unexpected 🥰 - Fahad was an outstanding guide. We were picked up promptly in a lovely comfortable air conditioned immaculate car. Initially we had booked to visit Nizwan and Jabel Akhder, however Fahad advised us he thought we would much prefer The green mountain as there was much more to see. We took his advice and had an amazing day filled with surprises!! After a visit and quick shop in the souk at Nizwa we went up a mountain only accessible to 4x4’s. We saw some spectacular views on the way up and on our return stopped at some fabulous ancient deserted village that were so unexpected. He took us to see further amazing places. Fahad was an exceptional host who is clearly understandably proud of his amazing country.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Nurhanani_i
Mar 16, 2024
A great experience! - We had our tour to Nizwa Souk, Fort Nizwa and The Grand Canyon with Ferhad. He was a great tour guide, giving us the explaination throughout the journey on the famous lamdmark and history of it. He took time to walked with us to explain their local specialty food and snacks at the souk. Also give us a tour and information of the function of the many rooms in the fort. He took us to one of the restaurant for lunch that has delicious local food.
Overall we had a great time and thanks to Ferhad for the dedication, patience and safe driving to and fro.
Review provided by Viator
Junjie
Feb 21, 2024
Amazing full day tour in Nizwa and in the wild - Highly recommend. Great tour with amazing view of the mountain and Nizwa. Our guide Bu Mashari is very nice and professional. Really enjoyed this full day trip.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Henrylo6551hk
Jan 26, 2024
Enjoying the Great Outdoors of Oman! - We enjoyed a fantastic day exploring the countryside of Oman on this private tour. Our guide Fawzi Muhammad was super friendly, accommodating and knowledgeable. He shared so much about Omani custom and culture on the drive. We were left with a much deeper understanding and appreciation of the country.
After getting picked up at our hotel, we first checked out Nizwa Fort. Had plenty of time to explore and take photos of the beautiful compound. We also got see oryxes and feed a camel in the garden. Nizwa Fort was definitely a highlight of the trip.
Another highlight was Jebel Shams. We drove along paved and gravel roads to experience the rugged mountainous terrain. Enjoyed incredible views from up top. It’s sometimes easy to forget how the Arabian Peninsula isn’t just flat desert. :)
Topping it off were late afternoon photo stops of Bahla Fort and Nizwa Mosque. They weren’t officially part of the tour. We really appreciated Fawzi’s flexibility adding in these stops as they’re architectural gems.
Oman has a diverse array of landscapes - the desert, ocean, oasis, canyons and mountains. After visiting the cityscapes of Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Doha, it was great to explore the great outdoors of Oman. Be prepared for a long day. Maybe 10-11 hours. It’s time well spent if you want to leave Muscat to see a different side of Oman. Highly recommend this tour!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Martin
Dec 28, 2024
Waste of time - I was charged for the tour then TripAdvisor cancelled the tour?
Still waiting for the refund?
Please improve your service
Review provided by Tripadvisor
