A white vehicle driving on a sandy, desert landscape with dunes in the distance, viewed from inside another vehicle.

Self-Drive Travel Oman

Self-Drive Travel Oman

Written by: Luca Krohn Last updated at: May 27, 2025

Due to the well-developed road network – especially in northern Oman – it is recommended for tourists to explore the country independently with a rental car. To ensure a smooth flow of your trip, you should plan in advance which parts of the country you want to explore. Especially if you plan to spend one or more nights in the desert, you should ensure that the rental car has all-wheel drive and sufficient ground clearance. However, it is not advisable to explore the desert without the guidance of a local expert, even with the best off-road vehicle, as driving in the loose sand of the desert requires experience. Rental cars are generally available year-round in Oman. A small exception is the coastal region in the south of the country during the summer months. Due to high demand, there may occasionally be shortages. Therefore, it is advisable to also reserve a rental car when booking such trips.

Discover Oman with experts who have called it their home

Your dream holiday, tailor-made by experts.

We don't just know Oman from books, we visit the country several times a year to experience the culture, landscape and people first-hand.

From your first enquiry to your return home, we are there for you personally - by phone, email or WhatsApp, whenever you need us. Our trips are as unique as you are: individually planned and provided with exclusive privileges and high-quality arrangements that will make your trip unforgettable.

You might also like this

A man dressed in traditional Bedouin attire walking through a desert landscape with sand dunes during sunset.

Bedouins in Oman

2 min read

Classically viewed, a Bedouin is a desert dweller who wanders as a nomad through the desert. Historically, nomads generally moved from grazing land to grazing land to ensure the survival of their herds and their respective tribe. The people in the coastal regions of Oman settled down long ago. In the fishing villages and smaller trading ports, people have lived as 'Hadr' for centuries—a term used to describe settled coastal dwellers. The Bedu (the term for desert tribes in Oman), on the other hand, have mostly settled down in recent decades. How many Bedouins are there in Oman? The country i...

A street sign pointing towards Bait Al Zubair Museum in an urban area with cars and buildings in the background.

International Connection

1 min read

Oman has long become a true hotspot for tourism in the Middle East. A consistent expansion of the country's infrastructure, the introduction and development of a gentle tourism concept, and the preservation of the identity of the state and the people in Oman play an important role. It is different from countries like the United Arab Emirates, where tourists only find a colorful world of replicated superlatives, but no identity or originality. In Oman, you can get to know the culture and history of the people in the country. Overall, Islam in Oman is more cosmopolitan and progressive than in an...

An indoor market or shopping arcade with people walking and shops on the sides, illuminated with cozy lighting.

General Economic Situation

2 min read

The general economic situation in Oman is very good. The country owes this to two factors: firstly, the very prudent leadership of the Sultan Qaboos and secondly, the oil and gas resources in the country. However, in recent years, the importance of other sectors of the economy has also been understood, and efforts have been made to promote them further. Thus, the tourism industry, industrial enterprises in general, and agriculture have also become important components of the domestic economy, even though the sale of oil and gas still accounts for around 80% of the government's revenue. The de...