Salalah Adventure – August 12-15, 2016

Day and date: Friday August 12th – Monday August 15th
Drive Type: All Level Camping & Sightseeing/Exploration Adventure
Meeting Point: In front of Chuck E Cheese at Dubai Outlet Malls E66
Google maps users (just copy and paste in Google maps): N25.07230° E55.40195°
GPS users: 25°04’20.3″N 55°24’07.0″E
Meeting Time: 23:30 on Thursday August 11th
Drive Start: Midnight Friday August 12th (00:00/12:00am)
Drive End: Monday night/Tuesday morning (August 15th/16th)
Duration: 4+/- days
Drive Route: Dubai, UAE to Salalah, Oman and back
Drive Terrain: Very long stints on tarmac, mountains, graded tracks, wadis, beaches, rocky tracks (no sand dunes)

Let’s escape the UAE heat and enjoy the cooler climate of Salalah during its Khareef season. This trip is open to all DO members and their families and will be exciting for both Salalah first-timers as well as repeaters! We will plan for 4 days of driving, exploring, sightseeing, and camping in and around Salalah and the wider Dhofar region.

A brief outline of the trip is as follows:

Day 1 – Dubai to Dalkut
1) This route will be a straight shot to our campsite
2) Will cover about 1350 km
3) Will require at least 15 hours of straight driving inclusive of 2 hours for border crossing and petrol stops (so 13 + 2)
4) Each car should have at least 2 drivers to accomplish this drive
5) If you wish to drive to Nizwa/Bahla/Ibri on Thursday night, stay in a hotel and meet up with the convoy early Friday morning this is
an option

Day 2 – Salalah West to Salalah North
We will have a full day of driving, about 250km but it will be broken up all along the way as we stop for many nice sites: beaches,
fishing villages, blowholes, natural springs/gardens (one to swim in possibly), Prophet Job’s tomb, etc

Day 3 – Salalah East to Wadi Darbat to Camp 3
This day we will see the archaeological fort for trading frankincense (Khwar Ruwi), travertine carpet, wadi Darbat, the sink hole,
Tayq Cave, and finally reach our campsite up on a mountain overlooking a 1,300-meter drop.

If anyone need to depart after only 3 days, this would be an option for them to jump on highway 31 from here and head back to Dubai direct. Others with more time could continue per below.

Day 4
1) Darbat to Mirbat – Nice, easy coastal drive to the old fishing village of Mirbat
2) Mirbat to Sadah – About 50 km of nice, easy wadi driving along the coast to Sadah
3) Sadah to Hasik – Final drive up the coastal route to the waterfalls of Hasik
4) Hasik to Dubai
a) We continue on up the coast route before heading inland back to Dubai
b) This leg will be about 1300km so some may want to stay at a hotel in Nizwa/Bahla/Ibri to break up the drive

Key things to bring
1) A very reliable 4×4. This is a long, demanding trip and you need to have complete faith in your ride.
2) Petrol stations are generally available but are few and far between. We plan to stop at almost everyone as you never know how
far for the next one. 1 jerry can is required nonetheless to be safe.
3) Working spare tire and lug wrench or other tools to be able to remove/change the tire
4) Spare fluids, belts, hoses, etc
5) Shops are very basic like your typical small grocery shops. ALL food and drink for the whole trip for each car and passengers
should be carried. We will be able to re-load with ice at the grocery stores but we must bring cool boxes full of food and drink for
the full trip
6) All camping gear, tents, cooking utensils, warm clothes, waterproof jackets, etc
7) Two tarps for each tent: 1 for under the tent and one for over the tent. Even if it doesn’t rain it will be foggy and misty
8) 1 bundle of firewood for each night from each car. We will want to have both night time fires and morning fires. It is very nice to
wake up and have morning breakfast around a fire in this climate.
9) All other offroad/recovery gear you would normally carry.
10) A complete first aid kit and lots of insect repellant, insect bite cream, sun screen, etc.
11) Costs: You will need to budget approximately AED 1,000 for fuel depending on how thirsty your car gets; visa to leave UAE is
AED 35/person and to enter Oman is AED 50/person; all of your food and supply requirements

This will be a great trip but will require preparation and stocking up on supplies so plan early. I make the assumption that participants of this trip have camped out in the wild before having to be completely self-sufficient so the list above of requirements is not exhaustive. If however, this would be a new/first-time experience for you, please reach out to me directly to answer any questions that you may have or help you with your preparation!

We look forward to seeing you down there!!

Checklist:
a) Keep your emergency contact info at vehicle dashboard.
b) Carry air compressor with you and ensure it’s in working condition.
c) Ensure your 4×4 vehicle is in perfect condition and with enough fuel.
d) Compatible Radio is a must.
e) Carry all necessary off-road gear / recovery equipment in good working condition.
f) Carry enough water / refreshments / re-hydration drinks for self & co-passenger(s).