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

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...

Night scene on an urban street with young women walking on the sidewalk in Oman.

Education System

2 min read

When Sultan Qaboos Ibn Said seized power in 1970, the education system in the country was outdated and in no way future-oriented. There were only three boys' primary schools in the largest cities of the country, alongside the exclusively religiously motivated Quran school. At that time, only about 900 students were taught by 30 teachers. Given the population of approximately 700,000, the number of students at that time was very small. From the beginning of his reign, Sultan Qaboos had the plan to lead his people into an era of prosperity and progress. His success in this can be attributed, on...

An older man with a white beard, wearing traditional Omani attire and a cap, sitting against a textured wall with a pillow behind him in a market.

Life Expectancy in Oman

2 min read

In the Arab world, the life expectancy of people is usually not comparable to that of Western Europe or North America. There are various reasons for this. However, in Oman, life expectancy has come remarkably close to that of the Western world in recent decades. In 2015, it was 76 years – the average of both genders. Comparing life expectancy to just about 30 years earlier, it was only 41 years. A change as striking and rapid as the overall development of the Sultanate on the Persian Gulf. Why has life expectancy improved? There are several answers to this. The simplest is: The government of...