Textiles of the Arabian Peninsula

Meet Karin and your Arena Travel Tour Manager at London Heathrow airport for your flight to Dubai. We will arrive in Dubai very late this evening.

During our first morning in Dubai we will start with an Old Dubai city tour, starting at the Al Seef. Here you can capture fantastic views of Dubai’s historic creek, traditional dhows and old-world architecture paired with modern comforts. The tour continues through Bastakia, an area rich in history, to the Textile Souk before enjoying a ride across the famed Dubai creek in a local water taxi, an ‘Abra’. Here, you will visit the aromatic Spice Souk and one of the oldest traditional markets, the famous Gold Souk. A traditional lunch will be served in the Al Fahidi historic district, one of the oldest neighbourhoods in Bur Dubai.

This afternoon we will visit Chuk Palu, a wonderful Afgan textile shop before spending the evening at La Perle, a one-of-a-kind theatre. It features a cast of 65 artists, each bringing their own unique set of skills to the performance. Enjoy dinner at Abd El Wahab which offers a unique dining experience with exceptional views of the Dubai Fountains and the Burj Al Arab.

Today we will travel to Abu Dhabi and explore the city’s heritage on a city tour. Visit inside the Sheikh Zayed Mosque, the largest mosque in the United Arab Emirates and the eighth largest mosque in the world. Stop at Heritage Village, which provides a glimpse into the simple life and times of the Emirate, and the Qasr Al Watan Presidential Palace, a majestic and cultural landmark. We will enjoy lunch as a group and then continue to the Louvre, a museum designed as a seemingly floating dome structure.

Afterwards, we will travel back to Dubai where this evening, you will board a traditional wooden Dhow for a dinner cruise. Sail along the Dubai Creek and capture the city.

This morning we will check out of our hotel in Dubai and head to Muscat via Sohar. On route we will stop at Al Hazm Castle, visit Nakhl springs and Bait Al Ghasham Museum. At the Bait Al Ghasham Museum, we will enjoy a guided tour and lunch.

This afternoon we will continue our drive to our hotel in Muscat. This evening dinner is included at the hotel.

Today we will start our projects with Karin Hellaby at the hotel. Karin’s project will be based on traditional henna designs and this morning we will be joined by a local henna artist.

We start our sightseeing day of Muscat at the Grand Mosque, which is one of the largest mosques in the world. Here you can admire beautiful artwork, chandeliers and one-piece carpet covering the entire prayer hall. Next, we drive to visit the Amouage Perfume Factory and the Royal Opera House and later we visit Bait Al Zubair, which now houses one of the largest heritage and permanent art collections in the country.

After lunch in a local restaurant, we will visit the Local Market of Qurum and Seeb followed by dinner at an Omani restaurant.

Another day of exploring Muscat is in store today, starting with a visit to the Muttrah fish market, situated in the heart of Muttrah on Oman’s largest harbour. After, we will walk to Muttrah Souq, one of the oldest souq’s in Oman. Wander through the narrow alleys with mystic smells and browse the local antiques, clothing and spices.

We then drive to visit the Sidab Women’s Sewing Group, one example of a growing group of local women social entrepreneurs. Their most successful cottage industry is based in Sidab, a fishing village near Muscat, with 35 women active in the group. Using traditional wizar art of Oman, products like calico shopping bags, mobile phone cases, cushion covers and more are made.

Next we proceed to the NHI, The National Hospitality Institute, where young Omanis are trained to be part of the Omani workforce in the hospitality sector. Meet and learn about the students and their backgrounds and enjoy an Omani buffet lunch cooked by them. We will return to the hotel in the late afternoon.

This morning we will check out of our hotel in Muscat and drive along the mountain road to the Wadi Dayqah Dam, the highest and largest in Oman. Then we will drive high into the Eastern Hajar Mountains through some spectacular and colourful rock formations. This afternoon we will stop at the Bimmah Sinkhole, which according to legend was formed by a falling star. Here, enjoy a packed lunch and a refreshing swim.

Once we arrive into the desert later in the day, we will check in for our overnight stay at the Oryx Desert Camp, where this evening we will drive into the dunes to watch the sunset.

This morning we will leave the campsite and drive to Misfat Al Abriyeen, a unique and mountainous village located 1,000 metres above sea level. The village boasts amazing agricultural terraces, beautiful alleys and old houses. Later on we will continue on mountain tracks to Wadi Ghul known as the Grand Canyon of Arabia and the second deepest canyon in the world only surpassed by the view of Jebel Sham’s Oman’s highest mountain. We then check into Jebel Shams Resort and have the rest of the day at leisure.

This morning we drive to the town of Al Hamra, one of the best preserved old towns in the country and the home of the Bait Al Safar living museum. Walk through the alleys they date back three centuries and learn about Omani traditions.

Later we head to Bahla, a town famous for its pottery. Visit the Aladawi Pottery Factory, where we will uncover one of Oman’s oldest crafts. Then we continue to Nizwa Fort, built on a solid base of rock, the huge tower was designed to withstand the vibrations of 24 cannons. From the top, a superb panoramic view provides a bird’s eye view of Nizwa. When we arrive at the hotel this afternoon, we will enjoy another workshop with Karin.

After breakfast we will drive to the Friday cattle market, where the ancient Omani capital of Nizwa comes to life for the weekly market, one of the finest traditional markets in the Middle East (January departure only). We will also have the opportunity to explore Oman's oldest souq. The early start is worth witnessing this sight and after explore one of Oman’s oldest souks and the fort with its 40-metre high round tower.

After, we will drive to Birkat Al Mauz, a traditional village located in the Ad Dakhiliyah region. It serves as the entrance to the Wadi Al-Muaydin on the southern rim of Jebel Akhdar and is also home to a restored fort called Bait al Redidah. It is one of the most famous villages in ruins in the Sultanate and home to the traditional Falaj irrigation system, which is listed as UNESCO world heritage. Later today we arrive in Muscat where we will check into our hotel.

We have a very early start, checking out of the hotel early hours of the morning to catch our flight out of Muscat and back to London.