Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
For the casual visitor, the best way to explore the sands is by staying at one of the
desert camps. If you don't have a car, then the owners of the camp will meet you at the
Muscat-Sur Hwy, and guide you, usually in convoy, across the sands. Some now have
graded tracks and even tarmac roads approaching the camp gates, making for a less hair-
raising driving experience. Needless to say, it is essential to have a 4WD, and prior know-
ledge of off-road driving is very helpful if you try to reach some of the more remote
camps on your own.
If you don't fancy the prospect of getting your vehicle stuck in the sand, there are
plenty of tours available and some camps will come and collect their non-driving guests
for an extra fee (usually around OR40 return with a sunset drive thrown in).
Alternatively, if you want to enter the sands without the drama of going off-road, you
can drive through the sands on a sealed road from Al-Ashkara to Shana'a - a desert exper-
ience unique to Oman.
SURVEY OF THE SANDS
If you drive through the Sharqiya Sands in the spring, when a green tinge settles over the dunes, you'll notice that
they are not the static and lifeless heap of gold-coloured dust that they might at first appear. Not only do they
move at quite a pace (up to 10m a year) but they are also home to a surprising number of mobile inhabitants.
The Royal Geographical Society of London, in cooperation with the Omani government, conducted a survey in
1986 and concluded that among the 180 species of plants, there were 200 species of mammals, birds, reptiles and
amphibians in the sands. The best way to spot these inhabitants is to look for the prints that slither, wriggle and
otherwise punctuate the sand early in the evening and then lie in wait above the point where the tracks end. Soon-
er or later, the animal will burrow to the surface and scuttle off for twilight foraging.
While each animal has its place in the delicate ecosystem of the sands, the health of the environment as a
whole is largely due to one six-legged, black-boxed insect called a dung beetle. Rolling its prize up and down the
dunes, it can cover many acres of land and in so doing helps fertilise the fragile plants in its path.
Sleeping
Accommodation in the sands takes the form of tented or barasti camps that offer the full
desert experience, including camel and horse rides (OR30/20 per hour), dune-driving
(OR40 to OR60 per hour), sand-boarding and trips to Bedouin settlements. Don't confuse
camping here with budget accommodation. The camps are often quite expensive for what
they offer. The best-value camps are as follows and prices shown include breakfast and a
barbecue dinner.
Al-Raha Tourism Camp$ DESERT CAMP
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