(
Traverse ancient villages on two wheelsAl Hamra, Oman
Pop on your helmet and pedal back in time as you hit the streets of Al Hamra. Nestled at the foothills of the Al Hajar Mountains in Oman’s west, the 400-year-old village is one of the oldest in the country and home to the carefully preserved mud-brick houses of a bygone era.
Enjoy a leisurely ride among the two, three and four-storey mudbrick houses – their frames made of palm trunks and ceilings of fronds slathered with mud and straw – before edging your way down the hillside to date palm and banana tree plantations. Once out of the town’s confines, the striking mountainscapes and vegetation offer a quiet serenity that will make you feel like you’ve found a corner of the world no one else knows.
If the silence gets too much, you’re just a stone’s throw from some of Oman’s most incredible sites, including Al Hoota Cave, one of the largest cave systems in the world; Misfat al Abryeen, a beautiful old village full of Omani history; and Jebel Shams, Oman’s highest mountain at 3009 metres. Once you’ve pumped yourself out, kick back and rest weary limbs on your hotel balcony, toasting an adventure well done with your fellow cyclists, and admiring the stunning landscape you’ve just traversed.
get there
Fly to Muscat, where you’ll be picked up from the airport and delivered to your hotel.
This two-hour bike tour is part of the nine-day Active Oman tour by Swagman Tours, which costs about US$3625 per person, twin share.
Swagman Tours
swagmantours.com.au
This tip was provided by Swagman Tours, but we’re sharing it with you because we think it’s great.
Ready to go?
Get Inspired In Print
While you're here
There are sand dunes, and then there are the mighty kahunas you’ll find in...
There are sand dunes, and then there are the mighty kahunas you’ll find in Oman. ...
Built in a region of Oman formerly off-limits to foreigners, it’s hardly...
Built in a region of Oman formerly off-limits to foreigners, it’s hardly surprising that...
Driving through the arid landscape of northern Oman, you probably wouldn’t...
Driving through the arid landscape of northern Oman, you probably wouldn’t expect to...
When it comes to action, Oman’s terrain is an adventurer’s playground and...
When it comes to action, Oman’s terrain is an adventurer’s playground and this tour...