Desert Crossings
Nomad Tours provide Car Hire, desert camp oman, desert adventures, desert crossings, wild camping, camping in the desert, Roof Top tents, Tours Camping in Oman, Tours in Oman, 4WD cars, Muscat city Tours, Overnight Tours, Adventure Tour, Dolphin watching & Dhow Cruises etc services.
Desert Camp Oman
The Wahiba Sands and the Rub Al Khali are two desert locations to visit in Oman (The Empty Qarter). We provide Desert Crossings Day Tours from Muscat to the Wahiba Sands, which are significantly more accessible. However, a trip to Oman isn’t complete without spending at least one night in the desert, desert camp oman, desert adventures, wild camping, camping in the desert. We offer a selection of desert crossings, desert camp oman, desert adventures, wild camping, camping in the desert, Overnight Tours that involve a one-night stay in a “permanent” Desert Camp. For further information, visit Overnight Tours. We also run tours where we build up our own camp sites, which we refer to as “Wild” camping. For more information, see Camping & Adventure Tours. Some of these excursions entail crossing the Wahiba sands from north to south.
Desert Adventures
We do not recommend driving through the desert on your own because it can be unsafe. In November of this year, a French couple attempted to cross the desert by themselves. They were on the verge of losing their lives, and we at Nomad Tours had a difficult time organising their rescue. Below is their French account, followed by a Google translation.
Wild Camping
The vista as you emerge from the high dunes and see the ocean shimmering in front of you is just breathtaking. If you’re going camping, you’ll have to make a decision on desert crossings, desert camp oman, desert adventures, wild camping, camping in the desert. You must choose between camping high in the dunes and admiring the view or going to the beach and camping near the water. However, you should be aware that because the guide has a compressor, he must re-inflate your tyres before leaving. This means that if you choose to camp high in the dunes, you must travel down the dunes to the beach on full tyre pressure the next morning. This is fine as long as you are constantly travelling downhill.
Camping in the Desert
Desert Crossings
Desert Crossings & Adventures
Oman has two Desert regions to explore, the Wahiba Sands and the Rub Al Khali (The Empty Qarter) The Wahiba sands are much more accessible and we run Day Tours from Muscat see Day Tours. But a holiday in Oman is really not complete unless you spend at least one night in the Desert. We organise a number of Over night Tours that include staying one night in a “permanent” Desert Camp see Over night Tours We also organise Tours where we set up our own camp sites we call this “Wild” camping see Camping & Adventure Tours Some of these tours include actually crossing the Wahiba sands North to South.
The desert can be a dangerous place and we do not recommend driving in there on your own. In November 2019 a French couple attempted to cross the desert alone. They very nearly lost their life’s and we at Nomad Tours had the most distressing and worrying time coordinating their rescue. Below is their account in French and beneath that is a google translation.
Lost in the Desert
+ que Parfait et d’excellent soutien !
Guesthouse irréprochable, de propreté entre autres, de soutien surtout. Mais le plus important à été le soutien de Chris et son fils pour contacter Police et Ambassade suite à notre galère dans le désert. Ensablé à plusieurs reprises, nous sommes alors partis à pied le lendemain matin tôt trouver du réseau GSM à 14 kms d’après nos relevés MAPSME. Aprés 1 journée de marche difficile dans les dunes et seulement 10.2 kms parcourus ; nous captons du réseau GSM. Chris s’est alors démené pour déclencher de l’aide durant toute la fin d’ après-midi et matinée suivante. Nous avons été récupérés dans la matinée vers 10h.CONSEILS :
Les coordonnées MAPSME et GOOGLE sont en DD base décimale, les GPS portable souvent en DMS donc base sexagesimal. Pensez à les convertir.
Rester autour de la voiture et rayonner vers des Camels Farms car les bédouins les ravitaillent en eau et vous pouvez compter sur leur extrême gentillesse et connaissance pour vous tirer alors d’affaire.
La marche dans les dunes est harassante, moyenne 2km/h…!!!
Partir avec un maximum d’eau.
Gérer les batteries portables.
Garder sur vous le tél. de NOMAD TOUR !!!!
Google Translation
Impeccable Guesthouse, cleanliness among others, support especially. But the most important was the support of Chris and his son to contact the Police and the Embassy following our galley in the desert. Sanded up several times, we then left on foot the next morning early to find the GSM network 14 kms according to our MAPSME surveys. After 1 day of difficult walking in the dunes and only 10.2 kms covered; we receive from the GSM network.
Chris then struggled to trigger help throughout the late afternoon and following morning. We were picked up in the morning around 10am.TIPS:
MAPSME and GOOGLE coordinates are in DD decimal basis, portable GPS often in DMS therefore sexagesimal basis. Consider converting them.
Stay around the car and radiate to Camels Farms because the Bedouins supply them with water and you can count on their extreme kindness and knowledge to get you out of trouble.
Walking in the dunes is exhausting, average 2km / h … !!!
Leave with as much water as possible.
Manage portable batteries.
Keep the phone with you. from NOMAD TOUR !!!!
If you have your own car and camping gear we can provide a Guide to escort you to a great camping spot in the Desert. Your car must be a 4WD and must be insured to go offroad so please Rent your car through Nomads or check with your rental company. The car must have adequate ground clearance so typically the Engine size must be at least 2.7 Litre. The guide will drive his own car and take you at least 35 Km through the sand dunes to the camping spot. We take you 35 Km to be sure that there is no light pollution and so you can enjoy the peace and tranquility of the Desert. Note some of the most expensive permanent Desert camps are right on the edge of the desert and close to villages.
You will meet your guide at a prearranged place and time in Al Badiyah. Your guide will give a little instruction about driving in sand see also Tips for Driving in Sand. After deflating the tyres you will drive around 30 km to a place to set up camp. We call this “Wild Camping” but we do cheat a little; you will find a Toilet & a Shower. Your guide can, if requested, arrange a BBQ, The BBQ costs 7 rials per adult. After the BBQ he will leave you to enjoy the serenity of the desert. He will return at 0830 hrs the next morning. You will drive out of the Desert together and before he leaves you he will make sure you tyres are reinflated.
The cost of this Tour is 35 Rials per car
Drive your own car across the Desert North to South to the Indian Ocean escorted by a Nomad
On this Tour you will follow a guide who will drive a lead car. If you have your own camping equipment you can camp at the Southern end of the Desert in the high dunes overlooking the sea or on the beach. If you are not camping our guide will make sure your tyres are reinflated before you drive to your chosen resort or Hotel.
Meet your guide at a restaurant in Al Badiyah at 0900 hrs. The Guide will first inspect your vehicle and provide tips on driving in the sand (see below). Check full tank of petrol and that you have lots of water. Next stop to deflate the tyres and then enter the Desert. Drive for about 3 hours with plenty of stops for photos etc. Stop for a Picnic lunch And then continue driving to the southern end of the Desert.
As you come out of the high dunes and see the Ocean glistening in front of you the view is absolutely stunning. Now if you are camping you have to make a choice. You must decide to camp high in the dunes and admire the view or you must go to the beach and camp by the sea. But you must know this:- the guide has the compressor and so he must re-inflate your tyres before he leaves. This means that if you have chosen to camp high in the dunes the next morning you must travel down the dunes to the beach on full tyre pressure this is ok as long as you are always going DOWN HIll
The cost for One car is 110 Oman Rials
Desert Adventure Tour Drive 1/2 way across the desert and back
On this Tour you can drive your own car and follow a guide or you can travel in the guide’s car.
Meet your guide at a restaurant in Al Badiyah at 0900 hrs. If driving your own car the guide will first inspect your vehicle and provide tips on driving in the sand (see below). Check full tank of petrol and that you have lots of water. Next stop to deflate the tyres and then enter the Desert. Drive for about 3 hours with plenty of stops for photos etc. Stop for a Picnic lunch. After lunch we drive back via Wadi Marer to Al Badiyyah
The cost for One car is 130 Oman Rials
The cost for an additional car will be 25 Oman Rials
TO BOOK
Press “Get In Touch” and fill in the contact form and tell us:- Tour number & date of Tour, Number of people. And where to pick you up and drop you off. We will recommend any hotels/ resorts for your chosen tour. Finally we will ask you to pay a 25 percent deposit.
- When Driving in Sand always engage 4WD.
- Nearly all 4WD cars will have a Low and High Gear Box. Most of the time you should be driving in High Box.
- Low Box might be required if you get stuck or if you are Dune bashing.
- Dune Bashing is the term used for driving completely off any tracks, high up into the dunes and in Virgin sand. Our cars are not insured for this so we will not write about driving techniques for Dune Bashing here.
- Before entering te desert you should lower your tyre pressure Bring them down to just over 1 Bar or around 16 Psi.
- Make sure you have a GPS or your phone has GPS and you have the Nomad Off road recovery kit and lots and lots of water. Have you told someone where you are going ?? Is the car full of petrol ??
- OK engage 4WD and off you go !!
- Drive at a comfortable speed and enjoy the tranquility of the desert. Look at the camels, most of the time they just stroll around at a leisurely pace. Do the same!
- If you drive up an incline or sand hill first take the automatic gear box out of Drive and put in 2 or 1 after a bit of practice you wil be able to judge if you should select 2 or 1 given how steep the hill is or how soft is the sand. Note if you do not take the car out of Auto Drive as you go up the hill the automatic gear box might want to change gear just as the sand gets soft = STUCK.
- As you ascend the hill turn the steering wheel from right to left and left to right drive in a slight Zig Zag.
- Always know where you are !! regularly check the GPS on your phone.
- If you feel you are loosing speed or loosing traction consider a different route always think ahead, look for the flattest firmest ground. Note the sand is normally always firmest early in the morning while it is still wet from the overnight dew.
- If you do get stuck NEVER EVER press the throttle do not spin the wheels if you spin the wheels the car will immediately Dig itself in.
- Get out of the car have a look at the situation and think. We are going to assume that the tyre pressure is about 16 PSI so you really do not have an option of lowering the pressure any more . If there is sand over the wheels dig out the sand.
- Consider which way you want to get out, forward or back if you are on an incline go down hill.
- Once you have dug out any sand from around the wheels put the sand boards under 2 of the wheels . it is a 4WD car right ! so it does not matter much which wheels you put the boards under choose the easiest to get the boards under and once the cars is moved to get the boards out.
- Once the boards are under the wheels get back in the car and engage Low gear box, Only the driver should be in the car all passengers should be pushing.
- Note some cars have differential locks so that each of the wheels can spin at a different speed if you know how to use them do so.
- As you try and drive the car out from the stuck situation you might have to use the sand boards over and over again until the car is on firm sand NEVER EVER Spin the wheels always try and get out using as little wheel spin as possible.
- If you really cannot get out it is time to hook up the car to your mate’s car if there is one or try and flag down a passing car.
- Get out the Kinetic rope . Loop one end around a towing point on one of the cars and use the shackle to hook on to the other towing point.
- Leave the rope in a loose coil. Get in the car and put it in neutral with the hand brake off . The towing vehicle will now engage low gear and start driving. By the time the rope goes tight the pulling car should have gained enough sped and momentum to “pop”: you out.
- Time to resume your Journey !!
