Empty Quarter desert tour from Salalah: Dunes, Wadi Dawka, Ubar

Drive and climb the world's largest sandy desert, then walk barefoot across dunes at sunset.

A private tour of the Empty Quarter desert near Salalah takes you through Wadi Dawka's frankincense groves and the ruins of Ubar before heading into the largest sandy desert on earth, where you ride the dunes in a terrain vehicle and climb to the peaks on foot. The tour runs 8 hours with hotel pickup, a live guide in English or Arabic, water and refreshments included. Entrance to Ubar costs extra per person. Children from age 2 are welcome.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Wadi Dawka, Ubar, and Empty Quarter

• Visit Wadi Dawka frankincense trees
• Discover the lost city of Ubar
• Drive and ride dunes in Empty Quarter
• Climb dunes and enjoy sunset views

The experience

What makes this tour different is the combination of three stops that tell the story of the frankincense trade, then a full afternoon in the Empty Quarter itself. You start at Wadi Dawka, a UNESCO site where thousands of frankincense trees grow on the Nejd plateau. You can smell the resin as it pours from the bark. From there the route follows the ancient trade path to Ubar, the lost city that collapsed into a sinkhole in the limestone bedrock centuries ago. The ruins stand as evidence of the wealth that flowed through here when incense was as valuable as gold. Only after you've walked those two historical sites do you head into the desert proper.

The Empty Quarter is the world's largest sandy desert, and the afternoon is built around what terrain vehicles and your own legs can do there. Your driver handles the adrenaline part (driving up steep dunes, dropping down the far side, tilting sideways across slopes), while you sit in the vehicle and feel the shift of sand beneath the tires. Then you get out and climb the dunes on foot, running up the slopes and walking barefoot across the moving sand if you want to. The real payoff comes at the top: from the peaks you watch the landscape change color as the sun drops toward the horizon, and the light turns the sand gold, then orange, then deep red. This is when most people take their best photographs.

The tour includes a guide who speaks English, Czech, Arabic or Slovak; hotel pickup from Salalah; bottled water, soda and coffee or tea throughout the day. The entrance fee to Ubar is separate (3 OMR per adult, 1 OMR per child), and you pay it at the site. The full day runs 8 hours, so plan for an early start and a late return.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup from Salalah.
• a live guide in English, Czech, Arabic or Slovak.
• bottled water, soda, coffee and tea.
• access to Wadi Dawka and the Empty Quarter.
• the adrenaline rides and dune climbs.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 12:30, 13:00, 13:30 and 14:00

Book up to4h before

AgesAdult (12 and older) · Child (2 to 11 years)

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish, Arabic, Czech and Slovak

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Paid on siteUS$ 8

Prices and times updated 11 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortPets welcomeNot recommended with back problems

Operated by Takamul Travel and Rent a Car

Is this one for you?Book this eight-hour tour if you want both the frankincense sites and desert dunes in one day. Choose the shorter version if you prefer to start later or finish earlier.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Czech, Arabic and Slovak.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (2 to 11 years).

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What exactly is Wadi Dawka and why do people visit it?

Wadi Dawka is a UNESCO World Heritage site on the Nejd plateau where thousands of frankincense trees grow in the rocky desert. You walk among them and smell the precious resin as it seeps from the bark. This is the same frankincense that made the ancient trade routes valuable enough to build cities around.

Is Ubar really a lost city, and what will I see when I get there?

Ubar was an oasis settlement on the frankincense trade route that collapsed into a sinkhole in the limestone bedrock beneath it, which is why it was lost for centuries. The ruins you visit show the remains of the city's structures, standing as evidence of its importance as a center for incense trade in ancient and medieval times.

How much of the Empty Quarter tour involves driving versus walking?

Your driver handles the terrain vehicle for the adrenaline rides up and down the dunes and across steep slopes. You then get out and climb the dunes on foot yourself, running up the sand and walking barefoot across the peaks if you choose to. The walking part is optional and at your own pace.

What time of day do you see the sunset, and is that the end of the tour?

The tour is timed so you reach the dunes in the afternoon and climb to the peaks as the sun moves toward the horizon. You photograph the landscape as the light changes over the sand, then head back to Salalah. The full day is 8 hours from pickup to return.

Do I need to bring anything, or is water provided?

Bottled water, soda, coffee and tea are included throughout the day. Wear sunscreen, a hat and closed shoes for the vehicle rides. Bring a camera for the sunset. The terrain is sandy and exposed, so sun protection is essential.