Empty Quarter Sunset Tour from Salalah: Frankincense & Ubar

Summary

Frankincense Trail & Rub' al Khali Dunes Adventure

If you've ever wanted to see Oman's legendary frankincense trees or watch sunset over endless dunes, this tour's for you. You'll walk through real history at Wadi Dawkah and Ubar before ending your day with that unforgettable Empty Quarter sunset—just sand, sky, and silence.

5.00

(58 reviews)

What’s the experience like?

The first thing I noticed as we pulled up to Wadi Dawkah was the faint, earthy scent in the air—almost peppery, definitely different from anything back home. Our guide, Ahmed, explained how these Boswellia sacra trees have been tapped for their resin for centuries. He even showed us a spot where the bark had been scored just last week; you could see tiny beads of sap hardening in the morning sun. The place isn't manicured like a city park—it's wild, quiet, and you can hear nothing but wind and the occasional bird. Walking among those ancient trees, it really hit me how important frankincense has been here. Ahmed shared stories about traders crossing these lands long before highways existed.

We made our way to the Ubar Archaeological Site next. It's out there—dusty roads, not much signage, and then suddenly you're standing among old stone walls and wells that look like they've seen a thousand years of sun. There's something mysterious about it; some say this was the lost city from old tales. Our guide pointed out where archaeologists found pottery shards and camel bones—proof that this was once a busy stop on trade routes. I took a moment just to listen: no traffic, just wind whistling through broken arches.

Late afternoon is when we reached the edge of the Empty Quarter—Rub' al Khali. The sand here is soft underfoot, almost squeaky when you walk on it. The dunes go on forever; some are taller than apartment buildings back home. As sunset crept in, everything turned gold and pink—the shadows stretched so far you lose sense of distance. We climbed one dune (not as easy as it looks!) and sat at the top with bottled water in hand, watching the sky change minute by minute. It's quiet out there except for your own breathing and maybe a distant 4x4 engine if another group is around. Honestly, it's hard to describe how peaceful it feels until you're sitting there yourself.

8h