Camels in the Wahiba Sands of Oman. Photo courtesy of Elite Travel & Tourism

Oman is a country with an amazing array of activities and sights. Tours of some of the country’s highlights are certainly not to be missed: from the Grand Mosque in the city of Muscat to the forts and canyon-like scenery of the Nizwa region. There is something for everyone in Oman, whether on a self-drive trip or a guided holiday with a company like the one I work for, Elite Travel & Tourism.

But most people who come to Oman may not realise that the best way to get to know the country is to get a feel for the way the locals have gone about their daily business for hundreds of years. And, in my mind, the perfect way to do that – to really experience the diversity of the people and the conditions in which they live – is to cross the Wahiba Sands desert. And to do it like a local in the company of a Bedouin.

A Bedouin leading a camel caravan across the Wahiba Sands of Oman. Photo courtesy of Elite Travel & Tourism

The Wahiba Sands, and a journey just like this one, were made famous by the British explorer Wilfred Thesiger, who crossed the desert and headed to the Empty Quarter, a journey he recounts in his book, Arabian Sands. I only had a week, compared to the years during which Thesiger explored the area, but in this tranquil environment with my Bedouin guides and camels I got a sense of the kind of trip he would have made.

The dunes of the Wahiba Sands extend over an area of 15,000 square kilometers. In this beautiful desert, we saddled our camels and climbed aboard to begin our trip along an old caravan route. Travelling as far as possible in the cooler climes of the morning and later afternoon, we headed across the vast space in peaceful silence, enjoying the barren land, which is occasionally dotted with small Bedouin settlements.

While the caravan moves at a slow, lollopy pace, the camps come alive whenever we stop. It is a sight to behold every time the well-organised Bedouin set about erecting and dismantling a camp, but the real joy is spending time with them around the campfire at night. On my first night in the Wahiba, at the northern end of the desert, we enjoyed a wonderful evening with many of the Bedouins from the local area, the men playing percussion and the women singing and dancing. The rest of evenings were dedicated to the Jewel of Arabia – the stunning starlit skies. With no light pollution and only the glow of the fire and oil lanterns, it is easy to get transported back in time and understand why the Bedouin are so happy out in the desert.

Most days we were up early in the morning (when the sun is not so strong) and walked for four hours. We stopped for lunch under a shade and slept, smoking shisha or playing cards with Bedouin. It was wonderful to learn how they can read signs from the desert and judge the weather, how they embrace this harsh environment. I was equally rapt by details of their lives – some own racing camels, others guide full time. Our leader, Ali Al Hajri, actually owns a tourism camp, although you could see when he spoke that his real passion is away from the masses and out in the tranquil desert.

Bedouins relaxing around a campfire in Oman. Photo courtesy of Elite Travel & Tourism

Just before sunset we would ride for another two hours on the camels and then settle down for a delicious barbecue dinner and stories round the campfire.

After six days of travelling in pure isolation – without a vehicle in sight, without mobile signal or TV (bliss) – we reached one of the most spectacular moments of our journey. Climbing slowly over the last high dune of the Wahiba Sands, we found the beach and the deep blue waters of the Indian Ocean below us. A refreshing dip after the days in the dryness of the desert and all too quickly we waved goodbye to the traditional. It was back to the modern comforts as we are whisked away to Muscat in a 4WD vehicle.

But the tranquil memories will live with me forever of time spent in the peacefulness of old and enjoying a snippet of days in the life of a local Bedouin.

To learn more about local tours like this in Oman, visit Elite Travel & Tourism, a Local Travel Movement partner in Oman