Roof Top Tents – A Guide to Camping in Oman

Roof Top Tents, Tailgate Tents & Camping in Oman

Camping in Oman is becoming more and more popular both with locals and tourists alike.

In fact if you want to see the most “adventurous” places in Oman the only way to see them with time to marvel at the beauty is to camp.

Where in the World can you Camp?

• Safely both from crime and largely from wild life… No great whites to take a bite out of your surfboard.
• With normally fantastic weather. In Oman it is possible to camp all year around although in June you should really only camp in the mountains.
• If you have a roof top tent you can camp almost anywhere the car can go. There are very few restrictions of where you cannot camp such as the turtle nesting beaches.
• You never have to pay to camp unless you choose to camp with in the grounds of say the Jebel Shams resort or the Al Hoota guest house.
• Without crowds more often than not the camping spot you choose will be very quiet. There are exceptions to this such as public holidays.
• On majestic white sandy beaches.
• High in the grandiose mountains with incredible views.
• In lush wadis with beautiful Palm tree.

The things to see and do and the places you can camp are almost Endless. We once had a delightful couple from Switzerland she was 70 and he was 69. They took a car and a roof top tent out for 55 Days and they camped every day. When they got back I saw that Hans was looking very miserable. I said “what is wrong, Hans” ? he said “not enough time Chris not enough time”.

Type of Tents for Camping in Oman

If you want to turn your rental vehicle into an overnight camper then you’re going to need a roof top tent! The great news is that you can certainly hire vehicles in Oman with roof top tents which will provide you with a mobile campsite you can pitch up where you desire.

The great news is that because Oman is a haven for wild camping and pretty much nowhere is off limits, you’ll have the freedom of an entire country to choose from.
As you’d expect from a camping-friendly country, you’ll be able to pick up a vehicle with a roof top tent from most major hire car companies, and there are also a few more specialist places that will also provide some top tips for destinations.

Roof Top Tent

If you’re wondering why you should choose a roof top tent over regular wild camping or perhaps even a desert campsite, here are a few reasons why you should consider it.

1. Easy to set up
2. Very comfortable and provides enough space to sleep on large mattresses
3. Being up higher will give better views
4. You get great protection from desert conditions and insects.

You might not think it’s possible if you haven’t seen one before, but even a small car can accommodate a car top tent.

Car top tents are very similar to roof top tents but as they’re fixed to a smaller vehicle then they do offer less space, so you should consider your camping arrangements and how many people will be camping.

Nevertheless, you’ll get all the same benefits as a roof top tent and again you’ll have the luxury of finding your perfect place in Oman to pitch up and enjoy the surroundings.

There’s a great place in Oman called ‘Nomad Tours‘ that specialises in roof and car top tents, who will be able to advise on the best type of vehicle to suit your needs and give you some awesome tips about how to plan your trip. You view the full range here on this page “roof top tents in Oman“

The roof camp tent is what you’ll get if you hire a vehicle for camping purposes. What you’re planning to do in Oman will largely decide what type of vehicle you need. If you plan to stay on major roads and highways, a car with a roof camp tent would be ok, but if you’re an adventurer who wants to go off the beaten track then a 4×4 type vehicle with a roof camp tent will be the best choice.

A roof camp tent is going to provide you with the flexibility to pitch up where you want to and it’ll also elevate you from the ground which would be a nice idea if you’re uncomfortable with camping on the desert floor.

A roof top camp tent is also easy to set up and pack away which would be handy if you don’t like the sound of messing around with pitching a normal tent and having to put it away again.

Roof racks will elevate your Oman holiday experience by providing you with extra storage space for all your camping equipment and belongings. The roof racks are attached to the top of the vehicle using the roof rails. To enable use of a roof rack, ensure the vehicle is fitted with sufficiently strong roof rails, to maximize safety and the ability to tie all the items down securely

Roof racks are a solid option for those travelling with families and extra luggage, as all the items required for camping is quite substantial. Roof racks could be a suitable solution to travelling and camping around Oman with just one vehicle.

Overall, if you want to get the best possible experience on your Oman camping holiday, a vehicle with a roofrack tent is a solid choice.

As wild camping is so popular in Oman, amongst tourists and locals, there are plenty of places that offer vehicle rental services that include a roofrack tent option.

A car roof top tent is a great option if you’re travelling around Oman are going to keep you on major roads and highways. A standard car isn’t the correct choice if you intend on wandering off-road trying to find secluded beaches or into Wahiba sands though, and you’d be much better off choosing a 4×4 type vehicle.

Planning your Camping Tour?

View Wide-Range of Roof Top Tents Available for Rent in Oman

Another aspect to consider is that a car roof top tent tends to be smaller so if you want to have a bit more space on your camping experience then you’ll need to look for alternatives such as dual roof tent or double roof tent.

That being said, car roof top tents offer a great way to see and experience Oman. When you plan your holiday itinerary, make sure you choose the correct type of vehicle, or take advice from in-country experts if it’s your first time.

If you decide to visit Oman and decide to rent a Jeep, combining it with a Jeep roof top tent would give you the ultimate wild camping experience. With the Jeep, you’d be able to access all of Oman and places where any other type of vehicle wouldn’t dare to go. You’d just need to make sure your driving skills can cope with the terrain.

A few of the top Jeep roof top tents include:

• Falcon 2
• Thule Tepui Kukenam Sky Tent
• Condor Overland
• Wanaka 55

Pitching a roof top tent on the top of your Jeep will keep you safely above the ground and give you epic views no matter the time of the day. These tents can also be used as beach camping tent, you can set them up anywhere on the beach and use them as a beach camping tent.

If you’re unfamiliar with tailgate tents they are an easy way to provide a vehicle extension that provides shelter for you to be able to sleep or rest. They can differ in varieties but they’ll help let air into your vehicle without letting insects in, especially if you also use a mosquito net. Read more details about tailgate tents on Camping Equipment – A Complete Guide to Renting blog article.

Tailgate tents are more flexible than ground tents, because they are partly secured to the car; It is easier to find suitable ground to erect them. And Tailgate tents from Nomad Tours do not have ground sheets which can be ripped apart by jagged rocks in the mountains. So rather than sleep on mattresses on the floor Nomad tours provide camping cot beds. These tents are quite “roomy” and you can actually stand up in them.

A tailgate tent requires a car with a tail gate that opens vertically. Such cars include the Renault Duster, the Nissan Pathfinder, the Nissan Xterra and the GMC Yukon. One great advantage of both the Nissan Pathfinder and the GMC Yukon is that all the back seats fold completely flat. So it is possible for 2 people to sleep very comfortably in the back.

Check out our comprehensive range of Tailgate Tents with Cars:

4 x 4 Cars with Tailgate Tents Rental Service in Oman

Roof top tents originated in Southern Africa with good reason. When you are on Safari in the Bush and in a ground tent you do not want uninvited guests such as lions, snakes etc into the tent, So if you are cramping up high on top of the car you are less likely to be invaded.

To recommend the best roof top tent we’d need to know a bit more about your Oman travel plans because multiple factors need to be addressed before making a final decision.

The main things to think about are as follows:

• The time of year you’re planning on travelling around Oman, for example, June to September is classed as monsoon season in Oman so this could affect your plans and which roof top tent you need.
• Another aspect to consider is your available budget, which could play a factor in which one you’re able to choose.
• How much space do you need? Whilst roof top tents offer convenience and flexibility, you need to choose the correct one that suits your travel plans.

Oman has far fewer potentially dangerous wildlife. None of our campers have ever been bitten by a scorpion or any other wild animal.  One of our guests did discover footprints of a Hyena in the sand under their tent when they woke up in the morning.

So sleeping in a roof top tent does give you a greater sense of comfort. But that is not the main reason that a Nomad Tours was the first tourist company to bring roof top tents to Oman. It is because they are incredibly easy to put up and to take down. They can be erected in about 5 minutes and put away in about 10 Minutes if you are working together. The hard shell tents can be erected even quicker. But the main advantage of a roof top tent mounted on the car is that you can camp anywhere the car can go. You don’t have to look for a suitable piece of soft ground to erect your ground tent .

Some of the best roof top tents of 2024 include:

• Intimate or light weight roof top tent. The tent is 1.2 m wide x 1.9 m long suitable for a “Romantic” couple or one adult.
• Type 1A + all equipment soft shell side opening roof top tent 1.4 m wide x 3.1 m long. Note the actual mattress size is 1.4 m x 2.4 m suitable for two Adults.
• Type 1B + all equipment soft shell side opening roof top tent 2. 0 m wide x 3.1 m long. Note the actual mattress size is 2.0 m x 2.4 m suitable for two Adults + 2 children up to around 12 year.
• Type 2A + all equipment hard shell side opening roof top tent 1.9 m wide x 1.9 m long. Suitable for two adults + 2 children up to around 12 years.
• Type 2B + all equipment hard shell side opening roof top tent 1.8 m wide x 2.1 m long. Suitable for two adults + 2 children up to around 12 years.

We would not recommend 3 adults sleeping in one roof top tent or 2 adults and 2 children over about 12 years old. It could just be uncomfortable particularly if the weather is warm.

You could take a roof top tent and an ordinary ground tent but if you do this you immediately lose the main advantage in that with a roof top tent you can camp anywhere the car can go. Rather than take one roof top tent and one ground tent it would probably be better to save a little and take 2 Ground tents.

Or a much better option is to take a car with 2 Roof top tents. Note these cars are in big demand so it is very important to book as early as possible.

Check out our 4WD Cars with 2 Roof Top Tents for Camping:

4 x 4 Cars with 2 Roof Top Tents Rental Service in Oman

The main camping season in Oman is from mid September to the end of April. The busiest times mirror the European school holidays and the Christmas period can be “Crazy”, avoid it if you can. In the year 2025 Ramadan will be nearly the whole month of March. March is normally one of the very best times to camp, not too hot and not too cold; if you are camping Ramadan will not be too much of a concern. It just means that the restaurants will be closed during daylight hours. So you will have to make a picnic lunch. Ramadan moves forward 11 Days each year so in 2026 it will begin about February 17. It lasts 28 Days.

If you are considering camping in May you should try and spend as much time in the mountains as possible and lower down budget for a few nights in hotels. The first two weeks in June are really too hot to camp unless you want to stay in the mountains. In mid June the Monsoon should kick in and it is kite surfing season. The kite surfers arrive and set up base camps along the East coast in places like Masirah Island and Bar Al Hickman. Then it is Mid September and the main camping season begins again.

If you’re planning on camping in the Oman desert you first need to choose which type of camping, you’re planning on doing. If you’re planning to stay in one of the desert camps then things will be pretty straightforward, book your desired stay, make use of the amenities and depart when your time is up.

Wild camping on the other hand is a bit of a different matter and it’s wise to be comfortable with wild camping elsewhere before attempting it in Oman. This includes the basics of putting up a tent, sleeping outdoors building campfires and cooking food.

If you do plan on camping in the Oman desert here are a few top tips to help you with your experience:

• Keep a trowel or small spade handy to dig a hole for toilet business and make sure you do this in a secluded place away from water sources and places where people could encounter it. It’s also advisable to bag used toilet paper and dispose of it safely at the earliest opportunity.
• Be sensible and careful with building a campfire – a top tip is to build a circle of stones and contain the fire within that if possible as it helps to stop the spread and is easier to put out.
• Don’t litter! Nobody wants to see your leftover rubbish after you’ve left so be responsible and take your litter with you.
• Make sure you take plenty of drinking water and food. It’s going to be a long night without the correct supplies so make sure you’re stocked up. Click here to see the wide range of camping equipments Nomad Tours offers with the camping in Oman adventure.

If you’re visiting Oman and plan on camping in the Oman desert, Oman will provide you with a unique holiday experience you’ve never had before.

One of the highlights of camping in the Oman desert is that you’ll get to experience Oman as local people do, and there’s a great chance of interacting with locals as wild camping is a popular local pastime.

If you decide to embark on a cross-country road trip, you can expect to encounter amazing beaches, deserts that stretch for thousands and thousands of square km, irresistible Wadis and amazing wildlife,

Camping in the Oman desert will present challenges, so you should be an experienced camper if you plan on going alone, and definitely enlist the help of local experts if you’re unfamiliar with desert camping.

Camping in Oman is something many travellers undertake and it’s not uncommon to see many locals doing the same thing too – it’s a really popular pastime in this country. There’s also a high chance you’ll encounter locals whilst camping in Oman and don’t be afraid to interact with them as they’re very friendly towards visitors.

Camping in Oman can take many forms but wild camping is allowed across nearly all of the country. You can also choose to stay in the safety of desert camps if you’re not comfortable with wild camping. These come at a higher cost but will give you peace of mind of being around other people and having facilities to use.

The only places that you’re not allowed to camp is on the Ras Al Jinz Turtle Reserve, private or cultivated land, or too close to inhabited buildings. It’s also a good idea not to wild camp in the Wadis as the water level can rise quickly after heavy downpours which could leave you in danger.

 Is Oman the best place to camp on this planet?

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