Travel to the birthplace of Islam on our fascinating small group tour to Oman and Saudi Arabia.

Oman is an independent sultanate on the Arabian peninsula. Covering a strategic location on the Arabian Sea, Oman was coveted by the great powers which came and went. In the late 1400’s, the Portuguese occupied much of the territory, including the capital, Muscat. Almost 100 years later, The Ottomans drove them out and occupied the region for some 100 years. The Persians also came and went briefly. Since 1741, it has been self-governing. The country occupies just over 300,000 square km and has a population of over 4 million, with the overwhelming majority being of the Islamic faith. Oman is famous for breeding its Arabian horses. Muscat, Oman’s port capital, sits on the Gulf of Oman, which is surrounded by mountains and desert. With a history dating back to antiquity, it mixes high-rises and upscale shopping malls with clifftop landmarks such as the 16th-century Portuguese forts, Al Jalali and Mirani, looming over Muscat Harbour. Its modern, marble-clad Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque, with 50m dome and prodigious Persian carpet, can accommodate 20,000 people.

Saudi Arabia is a culturally rich destination but remains completely off the tourist trail. It encompasses a vast expanse of arid desert and mountains. The second largest country in the Arab world (after Algeria), it is an enormous 2,150,000 square kilometres and the only nation with coastlines on the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf. Home to Mecca and Medina, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is the spiritual caretaker of the two holiest shrines in the Islamic world, a role it takes seriously. Staunchly traditional, the country’s citizens are required by law to be Muslims. It is one of the few places on earth that has a ‘religious’ police force. Saudi Arabia is also a land with a vibrant cultural pedigree. Away from the glitz and glamour of its oil-rich, ostentatiously wealthy modern cities, the country is laden with World Heritage sites and remote mountain villages. Amongst the rock-hewn splendours of Madain Saleh, you can find Nabatean treasures on par with those at Petra. At the same time, the mud-brick ruins of Diriyah provide a fascinating insight into the origins of the Saud Dynasty. The mountains of the southwest are home to a surprising collection of traditional villages that still evoke echoes of the past, whilst the haunting ruins of Al Ula provide a chance to explore one of the most impressive ghost towns anywhere in the Middle East.