Our latest adventure was a trip to Oman with our friends—you know, the one where the passport drama happened! This was our first time traveling with another family, and honestly, we were a little nervous about managing four kids under five. Little did we know, the "grown-up to kid" ratio was about to get even crazier.
The day before we left, my friend discovered her passport was expired. So for the first part of the trip, it was three adults and four kids. It was a bit overwhelming at times, especially when trying to have a "quiet" meal, but the kids were so happy to have each other to play with. Sharing the experience with them made everything feel so much more special. As the saying goes, "happiness is only real when shared," and this trip proved it!
Kicking off in the Mountains of Saiq
We started our trip in the stunning Saiq mountains, staying at the Al Jabal Al Akhdar Resort by Anantara. The views were absolutely breathtaking. The kids were so excited to be on an adventure with their friends!
Despite the late April heat our first hike took us through a local village where we saw beautiful terraced pomegranate farms. We even stumbled upon a rose oil cultivation. The wadis were dry since it hadn't rained in months, but the scenery was gorgeous. On the way back, the kids were totally wiped out, so the dads heroically ran uphill for 30 minutes to get the car and bring us back. (For context, that same walk had taken us 2.5 hours with the little ones!)
Our second hike took us to a quiet village called Al Suwgra, where we grabbed a snack at a cool local café. Coincidentally, it was Italy's Liberation Day, so we added a special memory by singing "Bella Ciao" on the trail. Axel kept singing "Oh parmigiano" instead of saying "partigiano" though.
History, Sands, and Wadis
In between our mountain adventures, we visited the Nizwa Fort. The heat was brutal, but the fort's design was fascinating, and the kids loved all the clever defensive traps. The walls were tall enough to make us walk in the shade.
Next, we went into the Wahiba Desert. Getting to our camp, Infinity Desert Camp, was an adventure in itself. Paolo managed to get our car stuck in the sand! Luckily, we made it in time to see a beautiful sunset, with the kids gracefully rolling down the dunes.
The next morning, we were up at 4:30 a.m. for a camel ride. Our little one, Ari, was so excited and even named his camel Giallin! He spoke about Giallin for months!!
During the camel walk the silence of the desert before sunrise was incredible. The kids were also too sleepy to talk.
On the way out of the desert, we stopped at Wadi Bani Khalid. We heard it can get crowded, so a quick tip for anyone going: get there early! It was already hot, and the hike was a bit tough, but the cool water at the end was so worth it. The kids were brave enough to try to swim with us in the tunnels digged by water's passage through stone.
A Peaceful Ending in Muscat
We wrapped up our trip in Muscat, after stopping in Sur for a half day trip. We arrived in Muscat very late in the evening. The navigation pushed us to take an unpaved road, but after the desert experience, we decided to take the longer paved route. Muscat was the perfect way to wind down. We visited the famous Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque, a place of incredible beauty and peace but for the most of the time we stayed by the sea. The city was spotless—it’s amazing how well-maintained everything is there.
We also explored the Mutrah Souq, where we did what we do best: food shopping! We love bringing home edible souvenirs, and we found a sweet shop where the kids could taste everything before we bought it. We also discovered a fantastic restaurant called Ramssa Omani Restaurant, with a lovely outdoor seating area, a playful corner for the kids, and even some friendly cats.
In the Mutrah Souq I regretted not buying some jewellery. The jewellery stores are full of hand made unique pieces, usually crafted in India. In Europe we can't find this craftmanship masterpieces anymore, I'm afraid. We've lost the skills.
