16 Dec 2022
This local tour was very good. The driver was very nice, a good driver up the mountain trail, and I felt safe as a solo traveler. As I noticed with another tour in the region, however, don’t bank on the stated itinerary. I had taken this tour because I also wanted to visit the souks to shop for Omani crafts before the holidays. Instead, the driver took me to some Pakistani -run stores elsewhere in town telling me why I wouldn’t like the souks after I specifically said I wanted to go and both old and new were on the itinerary. (I left Oman without any purchases.) Two other minor issues were that the castle and fort we stopped at were closed, and the driver’s English was not too good so I sometimes did not know what I was seeing. All of that aside, this region of Oman was one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen, and I had a really good time. He also would stop anywhere along the way, so I asked him for a quick stop at Hill Beach. Finally, Viator as a company is good on the bookings and confirmation side. I just wish I had gotten to those souks too!