Okay, perhaps your geography is not up to par – Oman is part of the Arabian Peninsula bordered by Saudi Arabia, Yemen, and the UAE. Now don’t get all worried on me – Oman is actually a very safe and lovely country with a progressive Sultan – and to date, there have been NO terrorist attacks against U.S. citizens.
Jabal Akhdar for your information, means “The Green Mountain” in Arabic, and is the perfect place to escape from Oman’s desert heat as well as being an inspiring nature respite. People come from all over the world to enjoy the beauty of this region and experience a place that time has hardy touched.
To get here you need to fly to the Muscat International Airport (which is on the Gulf of Oman) and from there it’s a 2.5-hour drive accessible only via four-wheel drive. If you’re coming from the USA you’ll probably have to take Qatar Airlines to Doha and then take a short flight from there to Muscat.
However – Muscat is certainly worth visiting before venturing west – it’s a beautiful port city, with warm Arabic hospitality and great food! Visit the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque or even the Royal Opera House. Or heck – just get out into the desert sands for some exciting dune bashing!
They have an amazing spa – for example you can get up at sunrise, do Tai Chi overlooking the gorge as the sun is rising over the mountains, followed by a healthy breakfast, and then three hours of pure cleansing heaven.
We’re talking about a “signature foot bath, a natural exfoliation, a cocoa, coffee and coconut body wrap, and a red clay facial to draw out impurities whilst releasing essential minerals.” Now who would refuse that? Seriously.
You’re not going to go hungry here, the onsite Juniper Restaurant will surprise you with a variety of Middle Eastern cuisines using fresh and seasonal local options. That means the creamiest hummus you can imagine, mouth-watering babaganoush (roasted eggplant), and a bright salad drizzled with local pomegranates (yes, grown right there fresh) and feta cheese.
If you are feeling international they do have spaghetti with lamb dumplings and Omani grilled lobster. Although I have to say, lamb kefta or kebab is right up my alley – but if you are vegetarian you’ll love the seasonal veggie tajine (a Moroccan preparation). And I am certain too that the desserts will be the perfect ending to a stellar day.
Go visit the town of Nizwa and check out the souks (traditional Arabic shops), explore an oasis of palms or even go mountain biking if you are doing an adventure retreat. Or just hug one of the majestic 2000 to 3000-year-old juniper trees that grow in the area.
I encourage you to stretch your wings and think about locations that other folks are not traveling to – YET! The entire travel industry is moving towards experiential travel and either you are on the leading wave or you are going to be trying to catch up with what everyone else is doing. If you have any questions about planning this kind of trip – feel free to connect with Ales Struna – our Director of Custom Travel here at Journeys of the Spirit!
To your wanderlust life, Sheri
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Dr Sheri Rosenthal is known as one of the most sought after retreat strategists for coaches, speakers, and authors — and is the owner of Journeys of the Spirit Travel®, a boutique agency specializing in the planning and management of group travel.
Through her Wanderlust Entrepreneur Community and her signature course, The Retreat Blueprint Program, she has taught thousands of facilitators how to design exceptional retreats that allow them stand out in their niche. She is famous for helping clients plan, fill, and profit from transformational retreats that change lives in a huge way while adding serious income to their bottom line!
