Challenge Week 2009

OMAN

Click here for a short video about happenings during the week.

BRIEF ITINERARY.

Day 1- On arrival in Oman you will be collected by bus and taken to your hotel. The hotel is a 2 star hotel in a fantastic location on the corniche of Muttrah Port. The views overlook the port and old part of Muttrah town. The locality is ideal for a short walk to the famous souq which is a maze of shopping stalls of crafts and Omani Arabic wares

Day 2-An early start will see the group taken by coach to our local climbing operator for a revision of skills learnt at home ready for the cave descent of 7^th Hole. The climbing wall is indoors and is sufficient for a re-cap of the main skills required to make a successful trip to 7^th Hole. Once the instructors are happy with every ones performance, the group will head off in 4x4 vehicles along the old Quriyat road to the coastal plains of Tiwi and Bima. Here the group will stop for lunch on one of the many sandy and remote beaches under the shadow of Salma Plateau which lies on top of the Hajar mountains – the destination for the first of the camping nights. After lunch the group will travel off-road and up approximately 1000 metres above sea level to the plateau for a camp and bbq dinner. It can be fairly cold at night so best come prepared

Day 3 -In the morning and after a pleasant breakfast with spectacular views, the group will divide into two: Caving group and Trekking group. The caving group will take their turn on the attempted descent of 7^th Hole. The trekking group will traverse a mountain side in search of Kaftary cave hidden in an enormous wadi system where they can explore the huge cave before heading back for a late lunch with the finished caving group. An afternoon to relax and take part in some team activities before a bbq dinner and rest for the next day.

Day 4- Today the group change and have their turn at the alternative activity. After lunch the group will head over the mountains to the town of Ibra, a major market town on the edge of the Sharqiya Wahiba Sands which stretch for hundreds of miles south and east to the coast. En-route the group will visit the famous bee-hive tombs high up in the Hajar mountains, believed to be 4000 years old. Once in Ibra the group will take the road to Mintirib town the access point to the desert. From here and for approximately an hour the group will travel through the sands to their camp for the night. Hidden deep in the desert is 1000 Nights Camp, an ideal location for some rest and relaxation. Dinner is served Arabic style under the large majlis tent, with music from an oud player and comfy seating area to lie down and relax. Sleeping is in Bedouin tents, with proper beds, sheets and blankets and en-suite bathroom.

Day 5- In the morning the group can witness the rising sun over the desert dunes, something not to be missed. After breakfast there will be time for some dune exploring and the chance to have a bathe in the pool before heading back to the main road and onto the next venture. The group will travel back into the mountains to the start of their next activity which will take them through one of Oman’s most spectacular wadi walks of Wadi Bani Khalid. This takes approximately 5 hours to complete and is a mixture of trekking, scrambling and swimming. At the end we will be met by our vehicles and dry clothes and taken to Ibra market town and to the Nahar Tourist Oasis for dinner and a night. Dinner will be traditional shuwer meat, cooked the traditional way in the ground and is superb! After dinner it will be possible to see the local dance group and have henna tattoos from the skilled ladies

Day 6- In the morning an after breakfast the group makes their way to Oman’s old capital – Nizwa. Here the group will visit the souq and then move to the newly opened Hoota Caves, a tourist attraction deep in the caves of the area. After the cave visit they will take the road up to Sharaf al Alamayn which is an impressive view point looking into the deep Wadi Bani Awf and the plains of Nizwa and beyond. Lunch will be served here. After lunch the 4x4’s will take the group down in to Wadi Bani Awf with a short visit to the village of Bilad Sayt – an oasis in the middle of nowhere. From here it is a short journey to the camp site near Snake Canyon where they will spend the night.

Day 7- An early start and breakfast and then the start of the high wire act of via ferrata for the first part of the morning. This will take the group high up above Snake Canyon traversing the canyon on the odd occasion with impressive views. After this the group will head into the gorge for the wadi walk and swim. After the much needed lunch break the group will head out of Wadi Bani Awf and back to Muscat to the Oman Dive Centre where they will spend the night.

Day 8 -Today the group will have the final activities, with optional choices of kayaking and snorkeling or just relaxing on the white sand of this beautiful cove. Lunch and departure.

Activities will include;

ACTION: Trekking, wadi bashing (gorge walking with swimming), Via Ferrata (climbing with cables, traverses), camping, cave descent, desert camping.

This trip is run by Les Elfes International

Cost Per Student	$18000 approx
Number of places available	30
Open to which year groups	9 - 13

For enquiries, please contact Ms Xanthe Knight Or Mr Charlie Riding ( Xanthe.knight@kgv.edu.hk or charles.riding@kgv.edu.hk