Oman · EMPTY QUARTER TOURS

The 15 Best Empty Quarter Tours from Salalah

18 tours  ·  from $95

Two hours inland from Salalah the map runs out of names. These 15 are compared on how far into the Rub al Khali they actually go, whether sunset is included and what the 4x4 day costs.

Sunset Desert Safari Salalah Tour in Rub Al Khali - Empty Quarter - Reaching Rub Al Khali before sunset
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Sunset Desert Safari Salalah Tour in Rub Al Khali – Empty Quarter

1.Sunset Desert Safari Salalah Tour in Rub Al Khali – Empty Quarter

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 91 reviews · from $95Our pick

Leave Salalah for Wadi Dawkah’s frankincense trees, Thumrait, the Ubar ruins, and Rub Al Khali. Guide Mohammed Ali may lead the day, with mountain views, dune driving, desert walks, and sunset photos. The private 4x4 carries up to six adults. Expect about eight to nine hours, long road time, and no phone coverage in the desert.

“Great way of hanging out in the Empty Quarter to enjoy the dunes and the sunset in the evening Muhammad Ali was a good guide to work with. On this trip though one of the woman (from Mxo) was the most selfish and inconsiderate traveler I ever encountered in my travels. Rather shocking.”

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Salalah: Sunset Desert Safari - Rub Al Khali - Empty Quarter - Wadi Dawkah and Dhofar’s frankincense trees
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Salalah: Sunset Desert Safari – Rub Al Khali – Empty Quarter

2.Sunset Desert Safari – Rub Al Khali – Empty Quarter

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 79 reviews · 8 - 21 hours · from $102

Leave Salalah by 4x4 with an Omani guide such as Musllam, Rabi, or Thaer. Visit Wadi Dawkah, see black camels, pass Thumrait, and optionally stop at Ubar before dune bashing across the Rub Al Khali. Finish above the dunes at sunset, with optional Bedouin dinner and camel riding.

“è stato Musallah è stato un grande autista e compagno di viaggio e ha fatto di tutto per farci star bene....in sintesi è stato bravissimo.”

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Empty Quarter Desert Sunset tour - Wadi Dawkha and the frankincense trees
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Empty Quarter Desert Sunset tour

3.Empty Quarter Desert Sunset tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 55 reviews · from $152

Spend about eight hours with Salalah Premium Tours visiting Wadi Dawkha’s frankincense trees, the Ubar archaeological site, and the Empty Quarter. Expect hotel pickup, private 4x4 transport, dune driving, sunset views, camel encounters, and guides such as Mohammed, Alawi, or Abdullah. The trip suits families, photographers, and anyone wanting more than a simple desert drive.

“Mohamed is an absolutely wonderful guide! So kind, helpful, and knowledgeable — he made the entire experience unforgettable. His warmth and patience made us feel very welcomed and comfortable. I couldn’t have asked for a better guide. our kid also had a memorable time in the desert! Highly recommend to anyone looking for a truly special experience!”

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Desert Safari, Sunset & Sand Bashing (Rub Al Khali Desert) - Wadi Dawka and the frankincense trees
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Desert Safari, Sunset & Sand Bashing (Rub Al Khali Desert)

4.Desert Safari, Sunset & Sand Bashing (Rub Al Khali Desert)

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 44 reviews · from $164

Leave Salalah in a private 4x4 with guide Ahmed or Said for an 8 to 9 hour journey into Oman’s Rub Al Khali. Visit Wadi Dawkah’s frankincense trees, Ubar at Shisr, black camels near Thumrait, and the dunes at sunset. Sand bashing is optional, and the Ubar entrance fee costs 3 OMR per person.

“Amazing experience. The guide is really kind and expert of the area, he brought us on the highest dune, provided us with tasty snacks and tea and also typical outfits for taking some pictures. Nice stops on the way, he also offered us some camel meat in an authentic restaurant”

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Magical Night Stay in Rub Al Khali Empty Quarter Desert Salalah - Ubar, the lost city near Thumrait
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Magical Night Stay in Rub Al Khali Empty Quarter Desert Salalah

5.Magical Night Stay in Rub Al Khali Empty Quarter Desert Salalah

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 35 reviews · from $275

Leave Salalah by private 4x4, cross the Qara Mountains, visit Ubar and a camel farm if arranged, then reach the Rub Al Khali for dune driving, sunset, dinner, and a Bedouin camp night. Guides such as Ibrahim, Mohammed, Ahmed, and Tahir Mahmood have led this route. Breakfast and Wadi Dawkah follow the next morning.

“A very memorable overnight trip into Rub Al Khali with interesting stop-overs in Ubar and Wadi Dawkah on the way there. We also stopped at a camel farm which is interesting if you have not seen camels elsewhere. Our guide Ibrahim was very Read more”

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Desert Sunset Magic – Salalah Empty Quarter Experience - A short coffee stop in Thumrait
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Desert Sunset Magic – Salalah Empty Quarter Experience

6.Desert Sunset Magic – Salalah Empty Quarter Experience

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 19 reviews · from $200

Travel privately from Salalah to Wadi Dawkah, Thumrait, the Lost City of Wubar, and Al Hadaf in the Rub al Khali. Guides Hamid and Hamed are praised for warm hospitality and clear insight into Oman’s past. Expect an air-conditioned vehicle, coffee, dates, snacks, dune bashing, and a sunset above the sands.

“Great experience. Our guide Hamid was very professional and took care of us making sure we had the best experience, arriving at the dunes in time for a unique experience. Hamid was very knowledgeable on Oman history and we appreciated him sharing the historical facts of his country.”

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Magical Desert Safari By Land Cruise in Empty Quarter - A first look at Dhofar’s frankincense country
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Magical Desert Safari By Land Cruise in Empty Quarter

Desert Safari Trip Full Day & Ubar Lost city - Thumrait coffee makes a simple first stop
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Desert Safari Trip Full Day & Ubar Lost city

8.Desert Safari Trip Full Day & Ubar Lost city

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 18 reviews · from $195

Travel from Salalah toward the Empty Quarter on a private 7 to 8 hour trip with a local driver. Stop in Thumrait for Omani coffee, meet black camels, ride across golden dunes, watch sunset, and visit Ubar, with its entry fee paid separately. Pickup, water, snacks, tea, and onboard WiFi are included.

“Wir waren Aufgrund einer Kreuzfahrt in Salalah. Pünktlich wurden wir direkt am Hafen abgeholt. Die Fahrt bis zur Wüste war sehr angenehm, unser Fahrer erklärte und erzählte uns viel über sich, sein Land und die Leute. Wir hatten viel Spaß und die Zeit verging wie im Read more”

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Private Sunset Experience in Empty Quarter Desert - Leaving Salalah through the Dhofar mountains
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Private Sunset Experience in Empty Quarter Desert

9.Private Sunset Experience in Empty Quarter Desert

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 17 reviews · from $195

Leave Salalah around 1:30 p.m. in a private air-conditioned 4x4 for the Empty Quarter. Visit Thumrait, black camels, Wadi Dawkah’s frankincense trees, and Ubar before dune driving and sunset on the sand. Guides associated with the tour include Ali, Ahmed, and Yosef. Water and snacks are included, but dinner is not.

“Had the best day. I live in the UAE & have been to the desert a few times before but the Empty Quarter was by far the best experience I’ve had. The sunset view is second to none. Firstly, Ali, my driver is the absolute best. So friendly and helRead more”

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Empty Quarter And Lost City Of Ubar - Crossing the Qara Mountains into Dhofar’s Nejd area
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Empty Quarter And Lost City Of Ubar

10.Empty Quarter And Lost City Of Ubar

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 10 reviews · from $250

Leave your Salalah hotel in a private vehicle with a driver-guide for an eight-hour journey across the Qara Mountains to Thumrait, the Empty Quarter, and Ubar. Expect towering dunes, a brief desert stop, frankincense trees, bottled water, and hotel pickup. The desert driving may last only about five minutes.

“It is nice, but not worth the money - way too expensive for what you get. First of all it is a very long car drive to the desert, where you only spend like 30 minutes - also the dune bashing is not really fun, as it lasts for about 5 min and that is it. On Read more”

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Desert Safari, Sunset & Sand Bashing (Rub Al Khali Desert) - Wadi Dawka and the frankincense trees
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Desert Safari, Sunset & Sand Bashing (Rub Al Khali Desert)

11.Desert Safari, Sunset & Sand Bashing (Rub Al Khali Desert)

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 9 reviews · 7 hours · from $180

Travel by private 4x4 from Salalah to Wadi Dawka, Ubar, and the Empty Quarter with an English or Arabic-speaking guide. Expect a long desert road, frankincense trees, dune bashing, possible sand skiing, and sunset from the Rub Al Khali dunes. Guide Saïd is among the named drivers associated with this outing.

“Fantastica, la nostra guida disponibile vera Omanita, ci ha portato a bere il caffè Omanita in uno spiazzo nel nulla, poi sulle dune con una guida da vero esperto! È stato fantastico il tramonto con un tè al cardamomo e latte di cammello, il pane casereccio. I cammelli neri e il loro latte, bevuto. ( tutto bene!) Il ritorno abbiamo chiesto rispetto alla loro cultura, ci ha cantato del passi del Corano. È stato emozionante. Speciale. Grazie”

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Golden Dunes Getaway: Overnight Safari in Salalah’s Empty Quarter - A short pause in Thumrait
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Golden Dunes Getaway: Overnight Safari in Salalah’s Empty Quarter

12.Golden Dunes Getaway: Overnight Safari in Salalah’s Empty Quarter

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 9 reviews · from $300

From Salalah, your private group travels through Dhofar to Wadi Dawkah, Thumrait, and the lost city of Ubar before reaching the Al-Khadaf dunes. Guide Hamid shares local customs and stories, then leads you through dune bashing, sunset, an Arabian dinner, a desert camp night, and sunrise breakfast.

“Talking with our very kindly Driver and getting so many news about this beautyful country, sunset on the dunes, the night experience by the sitting around the fire in the camp and seeing wonderful sunrise next morning. An very amazing trip!”

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Desert Safari in the Rub al Khali - Ubar brings the old desert route into view
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Desert Safari in the Rub al Khali

13.Desert Safari in the Rub al Khali

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 6 reviews

Leave Salalah at 8:30 am for a private journey through Dhofar’s frankincense valley, the ruins of Ubar, and the huge dunes of the Rub al Khali. Expert sand drivers lead the desert section. Alice, Geraldina, and Bedouin guide Bukhit are associated with the welcoming Ibex Camp experience, where meals, fireside talks, stargazing, and singing may form part of the wider program.

“Everything was going perfect. Nice people, beautiful landscape. Professional tour in an unforgettable place.”

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Empty Quarter 'Rub Al Khali' Day Tour - 4X4 Safari Adventure - Ubar, the city swallowed by sand
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Empty Quarter ‘Rub Al Khali’ Day Tour – 4X4 Safari Adventure

14.Empty Quarter ‘Rub Al Khali’ Day Tour – 4X4 Safari Adventure

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 5 reviews · from $240

You’ll leave Salalah at 8:00 am in a private 4X4 with a local guide such as Khaled, crossing toward Ubar and the Empty Quarter’s 250-meter-plus dunes. Expect bottled water, hotel pickup, optional lunch in Thumrait, a possible geode search, and a chance to see frankincense trees on the return.

“Our tour guide was Khaled. Very nice tour & even he has been surprised that me & my husband we the only one to go to the Empty Quarter in the heat. We weren't lucky to find any geodes, but the experience was amazing.”

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Private tour - Empty Quarter desert adventure - Wadi Dawka + Ubar - Three Hours of Dune Driving in the Empty Quarter
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Private tour – Empty Quarter desert adventure – Wadi Dawka + Ubar

15.Private tour – Empty Quarter desert adventure – Wadi Dawka + Ubar

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 5 reviews · from $195

Travel privately from Salalah to Wadi Dawka, Ubar, and the Empty Quarter with an experienced 4WD driver. Walk among frankincense trees, explore the lost desert city, ride steep dunes, and watch sunset colors from the sand. Guides including Azouz and Ahmed have been praised for their care and local insight.

“A very well organized trip that brought me and my family incredible experiences. especially the sunset in the desert is beautiful. The guide was very pleasant and gave us a lot of information. We also had a rental car from the same company and everything was in perfect order. I recommend it to everyone.”

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