Muscat: Mud-Brick Villages Tour with Lunch & Pickup

Discover the mud-brick villages of Oman on a full-day tour from Muscat. Explore Birkat Al Mouz and Al Hamra, learn about the aflaj irrigation system, and enjoy a traditional Omani lunch.
Begin your journey with a pickup from your hotel, resort, or Muscat airport/cruise terminal in a private, air-conditioned vehicle with a local driver-guide. As you travel, learn about why mud-brick architecture dominates traditional Oman, how climate, water scarcity, and tribal life shaped village design, and the difference between abandoned, partially inhabited, and living villages.

Stop at Birkat Al Mouz, one of Oman’s most important traditional settlements, located at the foothills of Jebel Akhdar. Walk through the old village while your guide explains why houses were built vertically, how extended families lived together, and how villages balanced privacy, defense, and airflow.

Next, see the aflaj irrigation system, one of the oldest continuously used water-management systems in the world. Learn about open water channels, underground water distribution, and farmland fed entirely by gravity.

After Birkat Al Mouz, continue by car through Oman’s interior. Pass palm groves, dry wadis, and isolated settlements. Your guide explains tribal territories, why villages cluster in certain valleys, and why some villages were abandoned and others survived.

Next, stop at Al Hamra, one of the best-preserved mud-brick villages in Oman and still partially inhabited. Walk through narrow shaded lanes, homes built entirely from earth and palm trunks, and structures over 400 years old. Learn how thick mud walls regulate temperature, why windows are small and positioned high, and how social life revolved around courtyards and rooftops.

Optionally, visit Bait Al Safah, a restored traditional house within Al Hamra. Inside, learn about traditional Omani household life, food preparation methods, clothing, and daily tools.

Finally, stop at a local Omani restaurant serving traditional dishes. Enjoy a lunch of Omani rice dishes with chicken or lamb, local bread and salads, dates, and Omani coffee.

Om de beschikbaarheid te garanderen, dient u zo snel mogelijk te reserveren. Vroegboekkorting is het overwegen waard, vooral als u de reis plant tijdens het hoogseizoen, zoals op feestdagen of in het weekend.

Deze excursie kunt u kosteloos annuleren tot: annuleringstijd voor aanvang van de reis. Bij annulering na: annulering na: annuleringstijd of niet aanwezig zijn op de excursie wordt de volledige prijs van de activiteit alsnog in rekening gebracht. Te laat komen bij het ophalen of vertrekken wordt beschouwd als niet komen opdagen.