Your Cairo Top Tours representative will pick you up at your hotel to begin your full-day tour along the Batinah Expressway coast. We leave Muscat early in the morning and head west, where we make our first stop of the day at the Seeb fish souk (market) along the coast. The fishing village of Seeb has slowly been swallowed up by the capital, but still offers a glimpse of what life was like in the old fishing villages of the Gulf. A visit to this picturesque seaside fish market is a good way to understand the history of Oman's coastal villages. Seeb is famous for Mashakik, a grilled delicacy of meat, fish, and squid dipped in a spicy tamarind sauce that can be sampled here.
Next, we head towards Nakhl passing through roads surrounded by green expanses of date palms and making a quick stop at the hot springs of Ain Al Thowarah. Photo stop at the Nakhl Fort (closed for renovation), whose construction dates back more than 1500 years. Set in an oasis of palm trees, the fort is built along with the stone on which it sits rather than on a single level, and also houses a mosque and museum, as well as residential quarters.
From here we drive to the beautiful village of Wakan, famous for its terraced crops. This mountain village is located in the Western Hajar Mountains, at an altitude of 2,000 meters, overlooking the surrounding mountains above and the Wadi Mistal below. As it can only be reached by driving uphill on a narrow dirt road up a steep hillside, we have experienced drivers with a 4x4 who can negotiate this road with ease. From the lookout point in the village, you can take in the breathtaking views and explore the beautiful green farms in the area.
Our next stop is Wadi Abhyad, whose name roughly translates as the white valley. It is named for the large patches of white sediment that have settled in the small pools of freshwater throughout the Wadi. Upon completion of the tour, our guide will take you back to your hotel.