Magic desert safari by land cruise in the Empty Quarter

For thousands of years, Omani families lived among the incense trees of Wadi Dawkah, protecting, harvesting and trading incense, the “gold of the desert.” In 2000, Wadi Dawkah's contribution to Omani heritage, culture and biodiversity was recognised by UNESCO.

Amouage continues this heritage by harvesting the world's finest incense, creating a destination worth seeing that will introduce visitors to the various steps involved in the creation of this natural ingredient.

Thumrait is a small town in the Dhofar region of Oman, known for its rich history and culture. Over the centuries, Thumrait has been influenced by various civilizations and cultures and played an important role in the development of the region. In this blog post, we take a closer look at Thumrait’s history and its many sights that reflect the city’s past.

The Empty Quarter, or Rub' al Khali, is the largest continuous sand desert in the world, spanning parts of Oman, Saudi Arabia, Yemen and the United Arab Emirates.
Dune bashing is a popular desert activity that can be performed in the Empty Quarter, although the term is mostly associated with tours in more accessible desert regions such as Dubai. A driver drives a special SUV up and down the hiking dunes at different speeds – an exciting experience. To truly experience DA's Empty Quarter, a special tour rather than a typical tourist tour is required as the area is vast and desolate and has few permanent settlements.

Ancient Ubar (وبار), also spelled Wubar, today Shisr (الشصر), is an archaeological site in Dhofar Province, Oman. Since its discovery in 1990 AD, the lost city has received many names, including Ubar, Wabar, Iram (ارم) and Atlantis of Sands, to name but a few. Artifacts indicate that the city originated before 2800 BC. Legend has it that it was destroyed by God due to the debauchery of its inhabitants, but new evidence suggests that it may have been destroyed around 100 to 200 AD when a large limestone cave collapsed beneath it. It is located on a small hill in the barren part of present-day South Oman, known as the "Empty Quarter (الربع الخالي)". The large fountain of the fortress was the only source of water within several days.

DA the ruins of Salalah are two hours away by car, so they are not worth seeing. Therefore, only visitors who meet one of the following criteria should plan a trip to Ubar.

You have a passion for history and want to visit UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Salalah.
They want to see the place where the A'ad tribe lived and was punished by Allah when they disobeyed it and did not follow the message of Prophet Hud.
If you drive from Muscat to Salalah, you can visit Ubar either on the way there or back.
If you are coming to Salalah by car from Dubai or any other part of the UAE, you can also visit Ubar on the way there or back.
If you want to see all four sites of the incense country – Ubar