Joanna Booth discovers the hidden side of the Middle East with adventure and culture tours in Oman, Abu Dhabi, Iran and Syria
The Middle East isn’t just about spas and flashy resorts. Operators are making it increasingly easy to get off the beaten track, visit lesser-known locations
and experience a more unusual side of the old favourites.
Oman
This fascinating country is one to watch. It’s got a huge amount to offer tourists, with 1,980 miles of pristine coastline, historical and cultural sights and the desert.
There are great diving sites including Fahal Island and the Daymaniyat Islands, with dramatic drop-offs, thriving coral and an average sea visibility of 20-30 metres. You can surf off Masirah Island and kayak around the coastal inlets close to Muscat.
The rugged landscapes provide the perfect setting for rock climbing, trekking and cave exploration. Head for the desert and have a go at camel riding, dune driving, sand boarding, or camping under the stars.
History and culture are at every turn, from the souks of Muscat to numerous castles and forts.
GAP Adventures offers a 14-day Oman Adventure exploring Muscat, the stupendous Al Jabal Al Akhdar (Green Mountain) and the lost city of Ubar, before camping under the stars in the Wahiba Sands and swimming in the emerald pools of the Wadi Shab.
Regaldive and GAP offer liveaboards on a traditional dhow off the fjord-like eastern Musandam Peninsula. Regaldive is also featuring trips to the untouched coastline of Salalah and Mirbat in the far south for the first time. Visit between October and May, when a humid wind turns the desert scenery lush and green.
Many operators now offer desert excursions. Somak Holidays offers a three-day programme visiting the Wahiba Sands with dinner under the stars and optional quad biking or camel safari, Al Jabal Al Akhdar, the oasis city of Nizwa and Bibi Miriam’s tomb.
Abercrombie and Kent offers two desert camping experiences, one in traditional Bedouin tents and a more luxurious option. Exsus also offers a tailor-made luxury camping experience.
Abu Dhabi
Vast development is transforming the face of the largest of the emirates, and while much of it will cater to the glitzy hotel market, there’s culture and nature to be found too.
Sir Bani Yas is an island nature reserve, with llamas, giraffes, ostriches and flamingoes wandering freely. There are also 35 archaeological sites including a seventh century monastery. A multi-billion dollar project will preserve and promote this as an ecotourism destination.
At the moment you can arrange a visit from the nearby Danat Resort Jebel Dhanna. A cultural district is also being developed, with a Guggenheim Museum, a National Museum designed by Norman Foster, an offshoot Louvre and a performing arts centre designed by Zaha Hadid.
However, long-established attractions in Abu Dhabi are the Grand Mosque and the White Fort. Visitors can head for the city of Al Ain, the cradle of Bedouin culture and home of the last authentic camel souk in the Middle East.
Other emirates
Visitors can travel to the smaller emirates of Fujairah, Ras Al Khaimah, Sharjah and Ajman. Kuoni offers an off-road adventure in Fujairah and a walking tour in Sharjah, visiting the mosque, the fort, the art museum, the souks and the creek full of colourful dhows. Operators such as Peltours and Hayes and Jarvis also offer properties in the lesser-known emirates.
Jordan
Think Jordan and you’ll probably picture the rose red city of Petra. It’s not one to miss, but there’s plenty more to discover in the country. You can bathe in the Dead Sea, explore the rock formations at Wadi Rum, see Roman ruins at Jerash; find sun, sea, sand and diving on the coast at Aqaba and a clash of old and new worlds in the capital, Amman.
Take in the highlights on GAP Adventures’ nine-day tour, Kirker’s eight-night programme, or Peltours’ new eight-day escorted itinerary. Collette Worldwide Holidays twins Jordan with Egypt for a 14-day small group tour.
Iran
It might not spring to mind as the obvious place for a holiday, but keen climbers may want to take advantage of Explore’s 10-day trekking trip to Iran.
If you’ve climbed Kilimanjaro and done Everest base camp, Mount Damavand should be next on your hitlist as it is the highest peak in the Middle East. This trip also allows you to have a good look around the capital Tehran, but avoids territory bordering Afghanistan, Iraq and Pakistan, in line with Foreign Office guidance.
For the less adventurous, Explore offers a 15-day cultural tour of the country.
Syria
It may seem like another leftfield destination, but British tourist numbers are growing and should reach 55,000 by 2010. Explore’s nine-day Ancient Caravan Trail itinerary takes in the city of Damascus, the desert of Palmyra, dead cities and the Crusader castle of Krak des Chevaliers.
Kirker’s 14-day trip includes these plus the ancient cities of Bosra, Raqqa and Aleppo, and hops across the border to Lebanon for a full day’s visit to the ruined Roman city of Baalbeck.
