Under The Desert Sky: Wild Camping In Oman

Minarets, mountains and markets: photographer Eddie Wrey captures the quiet majesty of Oman’s landscapes on a camping journey through the dunes with the Bedu.

“The camp was hard to find in the sandy void of the Empty Quarter, but eventually the majlis [traditional Bedouin tent] appeared like an apparition before us.”

“This is the view over the palm grove at Birkat Al Mouz (Pool of the Bananas). The perfect house nestled into the grove made the frame feel cartoon-like… I had also wanted to photograph the Nizwa minaret through the fort parapets. The minaret was lit by the mosque’s uplighting and I was satisfied that my camera was in place. I sat back and listened as the croaky muezzin geared up for a morning cry.”

“Here you can see the dishdasha, which is the white floor-length cotton robe. On his head is the ubiquitous kumma. I could never quite work out the art of the perfect kumma. Each new friendly Omani man would helpfully snatch my kumma off my head and proceed to fiddle and pinch the rim of the hat in inexplicable places before smilingly returning it to me with a nod of proud finality.”

“The framed doorways of Nizwa Fort cast shadowy scenes as characters weaved about their business… Shepherds and traders from all over the land filtered in [to Nizwa’s cattle market] with their animals and [reserved] their spaces at the ring. Greetings, prayers and bleating animals brought the energy to a simmer. It grew into a full boil as hooves stomped everywhere; haunches and hides were grabbed and tugged.”

“I never worked out what this castle [on the road from Wahiba to Birkat al Mouz] was, but it felt interesting at the time. The odd scale combined with the soft-pink tone and fluffy heart-shaped cloud makes it feel like a fairytale… Dates seemed to be a national treasure with a huge range in quality. Our host had a very efficient way of removing the stone by squishing the date in his fingers and prising out the pip.”

“I love the harmony of tone and shape between the camel and its environment. The hump perfectly mimics the rolling desert dunes and the caramel hair melds into the golden sands… Imagining a safari of thirsty desert travellers of a bygone era discovering [Wadi Ash Shab’s] crystal oasis of waterfalls and caves made it even more spectacular.”
Eddie Wrey was a guest of Hud Hud Travels. With special thanks to Taimur Al-Said.
This story appears in Issue 6 of Culture Trip magazine: The Sustainability Issue.

If you’re ready for your own wild adventure, check out guide on how to plan the perfect camping trip in Oman.

landscape with balloons floating in the air

KEEN TO EXPLORE THE WORLD?

Connect with like-minded people on our premium trips curated by local insiders and with care for the world

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.