General Information for Tours to Oman
Note: The information presented here is an abbreviated version of our formal General Information for Tours to Oman. Its purpose is solely to give readers a sense of what might be involved if they took this tour. Although we do our best to make sure what follows here is completely accurate, it should not be used as a replacement for the formal document which will be sent to all tour registrants, and whose contents supersedes any information contained here.
ENTERING OMAN: United States citizens will need a valid passport and a tourist visa. These can be obtained from the Embassy of the Sultanate of Oman, 2535 Belmont Road N.W., Washington, D.C. 20008, telephone (202) 387-1980/2, or visit the Embassy of Oman web site at: www.omani.info for the most current visa information. Visas can also be obtained through a visa service, such as C.I.B.T. A list of addresses can be found on the last page of this General Information. Citizens of other countries may need a visa and should check their nearest Oman embassy. At tour invoicing or confirmation we will provide a letter for you to use regarding your participation in the tour.
Note: Entry may be refused if you have an Israeli stamp or visa in your passport.
CLIMATE: It is generally warm to hot and dry in Oman in early- to mid-November, though we can expect it to be a little fresher in the south. Temperatures range from lows of 16-20°C (63-68°F) at night to daytime highs of 30-38°C (88-100°F). Rain is unlikely. Most days will be clear and sunny with occasional high clouds.
PACE OF THE TOUR AND DAILY ROUTINE: The tour is not a strenuous one, but in a number of places we’ll walk on stony desert, up rocky valleys, or over soft sand, and a fair amount of general walking is required in order to participate fully. There will be some early starts to take advantage of the cooler early mornings, and on some days we will take breaks during the hotter part of the day. On one or two nights we’ll stay out after dark to look for owls and nightjars.
HEALTH: Although parts of Oman fall just within a malaria zone, current information indicates that there will be virtually no risk at the time we are visiting. The Centers for Disease Control recommend up-to-date inoculations against hepatitis A, polio, tetanus/diphtheria, measles and typhoid. As some of these inoculations cannot be given concurrently, you should consult your doctor to obtain advice about when to start your treatment.
Biting insects are not a big problem, but can be a nuisance if we are birding wetland areas around dusk. Any standard insect repellent, preferably with a high percentage of diethyltoluamide (DEET), should provide adequate protection.
Tap water is generally safe to drink, and bottled drinking water is cheap and widely available. Upset stomachs might occur at some time during the tour, and we suggest bringing some anti-diarrhea medicine such as Imodium. Gatorade or other electrolyte-replacement drinks in powder form are also worth bringing, as they replace the vital salts and minerals lost during a bout of diarrhea. The use of sunblock lotions and creams is recommended in any warm climate. Finally, make sure that you bring adequate supplies of all personal medication, as it may be difficult or even impossible to obtain them during the tour.
Please note that any health/medical information contained herein is gleaned by WINGS from websites that are dedicated to traveler’s health issues. Advisories and recommendations by agencies such as the CDC can, and do, change frequently. We urge you to consult with your physician, local health department, or the CDC for the most up-to-date health advisories for travel to Oman. Information on vaccinations and other health precautions may be obtained from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s hotline for international travelers at 1-877-FYI-TRIP (1-877-394-8747); fax 1-888-CDC-FAXX (1-888-232-3299), or via CDC’s Internet site.
ACCOMMODATION: Throughout the tour we’ll be staying in reasonable to good-quality hotels. All rooms will have private facilities including a bath or shower and are generally of a high standard. For our one night at Qatbit, we’ll stay in a rather basic hotel; the hotel is clean and the rooms have their own bathrooms. Our hotel at Salalah is only 100 yards from the sea, and the warm water and breaking waves can provide a very refreshing break in the middle of the day!
DRESS: Dress will be informal throughout the tour. Though not extreme, Oman has conservative dress traditions. Swimwear should be confined to the beach and hotel pools. Men as well as women should try to keep shoulders and knees covered when in public; ladies’ sleeves should be to the elbow, and no tight clothes should be worn, especially in markets, shops, and villages. In the more remote places where we will be birding we can be more relaxed about this.
TRANSPORT: Transportation will be by minibus. Please note that the leader will operate a rotation system for seating in the vehicles.
SMOKING: Smoking is not allowed in the vehicles or when the group is gathered for meals, checklists etc. If you are sharing a room with a non-smoker, please do not smoke in the room. If you smoke in the field, we ask that you do so well away and downwind from the group. If any lodge, accommodation, or location where the group is staying or is gathered has a more restrictive smoking policy than the WINGS policy, the more restrictive policy will prevail.
TIPPING: All tour-based tips are included in the tour price. These include tips to local guides, drivers, hotel porters, and waiters and waitresses when we have group meals together in restaurants. You only need to pay tips for personal services such as room service or drinks from the bar. Our leaders do not expect to be tipped for their services, and there is no need for anyone in the group to organize a collection for them.
GENERAL INFORMATION & CONDITIONS OF WINGS TOURS: Please take a moment to read our About WINGS Tours which contains important information about how we conduct tours, e.g., what is included in the tour price, refund and cancellation policies, pace of the tours and other information that will help you prepare for the tour.
FINAL INFORMATION: Final information for the Oman tour with instructions for meeting the group, hotel addresses, etc., will be mailed about three weeks before trip departure. Other news will be communicated as necessary. If you have any questions, please let us know.
Updated: April 2008