Luxury private expedition into Oman’s Empty Quarter: The World’s Largest Sand Desert
This exclusive five-day journey follows the legendary Frankincense Trail, unfolding across dramatic desert, mountain, and coastal scenery. With private mobile camps, expert local guides throughout, and unforgettable terrain, this is luxury travel in Oman at its most elemental and enriching.
UNESCO-listed Wadi Dawkah and the Lost City of Ubar
Journey into the remote Rub’ al Khali, or Empty Quarter, one of the largest and least inhabited sand deserts on Earth. Begin your private expedition with two nights deep in the dunes, where towering russet sand formations ripple endlessly under immense desert skies.
Accessed by a remote desert route from Salalah, the journey winds through rocky desert and the UNESCO-listed frankincense groves of Wadi Dawkah (harvested by Omanis for millennia) before reaching the remote oasis of Shisr, believed to be the lost city of Ubar. From here, venture into a landscape few have experienced, where traffic disappears, and silence reigns.
"Begin your private expedition with two nights deep in the dunes, where towering russet sand formations ripple endlessly under immense desert skies."
Exclusive desert camping in Dhofar
Your private desert camp, set in the heart of the Empty Quarter, is a haven of style and simplicity. Sleeping tents come equipped with proper mattresses, feather pillows, crisp cotton linens, and en-suite bathroom tents open to the stars. Days are spent walking the dunes, searching for desert geodes (rocks lined with crystals), or visiting a Bedouin herder from the Al Rashidi tribe. Come evening, gather for a candlelit dinner prepared by your camp chef, followed by a campfire beneath one of the clearest night skies on Earth.
Discover Oman’s Frankincense Trail and Dhofar’s mountain landscapes
On day three, leave the dunes behind and trace ancient incense routes east into the remote Jabal Samhan range to continue your private desert tour. Journey along a rugged Bedouin trail to Wadi Exil, a secluded valley where acacia trees offer shade and wildlife roams, from porcupines and wolves to the occasional Arabian leopard.
Remote Wadi adventures in the Jabal Samhan Mountains
Spend the next two nights at a private camp set on raised ground in the heart of Wadi Exil. Until the 1990s, your guides’ families lived in the surrounding caves – a nomadic life shaped by herding goats and camels.
Private Wadi Camp and traditional Dhofari BBQ with local families
Explore this ancestral land on foot, trekking to a hidden freshwater spring beneath towering cliffs, or simply unwind beneath the shade of trees. Evenings bring open-air showers under the stars, meals crafted by your private chef, and (with advance notice) a traditional Dhofari BBQ prepared in collaboration with your guide’s family.
On your final day, travel through the majestic Dhofari escarpment, where camel tracks trace the mountainsides and the terrain begins to green. Pause at a baobab wadi for a picnic, or stop at historic Mirbat Castle, the site of a covert SAS battle in the 1970s.
Tailor your luxury Oman holiday with our specialists
Optional visits during this holiday through Oman’s most remote corners includes the coastal ruins of Sumhuram and the lush trails of Wadi Darbat, before arriving in Salalah: a coastal town steeped in incense trade heritage, with vibrant souqs, seafront alleys, and the fragrant air of fruit plantations.
This desert adventure pairs perfectly with our expert-curated family journey in Oman, “Sojourn in the Sultanate”. Alternatively, speak to our travel experts to design your own perfect luxury travel in Oman.