KHASAB CITY TOUR WITH KHASAB FORT, GRAND MOSQUE & ROCK CARVINGS

Musandam Khasab city tour is famous among the cruise ship guest mostly. Khasab is a city in an exclave of Oman bordering the United Arab Emirates. It is the local capital of the Musandam peninsula and is also known as the ” Norway of Arabia” due to its extensive Fjords-like landscape and coastline.

The city itself is a peaceful fishing village that overlooks the gulf of Arabia and the straits of Hurmuz, but it is also considered an important historical landmark in Oman.

Khasab Fort

Khasab was strategically founded by the Portuguese in the 17th century, as to take control over the Strait of Hormuz, which divides the country from Iran. The Portuguese built the Khasab fort for military use and as a defense against the threats coming from the Omanis. However, The Omanis were military more organized and defeated the Portuguese in 1624.

The fort passed then to their hands, who first used the castle for military use then as a city prison. Now a museum, this fort features an exhibition about the history of the Musandam peninsula with many rooms displaying jewelry, clothes, weapons, wedding decorations, and kitchen equipment. You will have the opportunity to view this on your 3 hours tour.

What To Expect From Khasab City Tour?

The Khasab city tour is a half-day tour package to explore the historical Khasab fort, rock carvings, Sultan Qaboos Grand mosque, and major attractions in Khasab Musandam. The tour starts in the morning at 10:00 am and ends at 01:00 pm. It is a group tour but can also be booked as a private.

You will also pass by the neighboring village of Qadah to view the fascinating prehistoric rock carvings located near the Portuguese fort. Here you will find the amazing rock craving that will lead you to the art of ancient times, with the unique opportunity to discover the history behind the “petroglyphs”, prehistoric rock carvings, depicting camels, ships, and warriors in the village of Qadah.

At the end of the tour, you will be taken back to the port in plenty of time for your ship’s departure or to your hotel in Khasab.

Khasab City Tour Itinerary

The city tour is one of the best Musandam tour packages if you are interested in exploring Khasab Oman. Here is the detailed tour itinerary to give you a route map.

Meet & Greet – 09:30 am

We will meet you around 09:30 am at the given location. If you are visiting Khasab by cruise ship then we will meet you at the cruise ship port. In case you are staying in a hotel in Khasab Musandam, we will meet you at reception.

Tour Starts – 10:00 am

The Khasab city tour starts at 10:00 am from the given meeting point and then we will head towards our first stop attraction which will be Khasab Fort.

Khasab Fort – 10:30 am

We will reach Khasab fort around 10:30 am and will spend almost 30 to 40 minutes here. The Portuguese built the Khasab fort for military use and as a defense against the threats coming from the Omanis.

Grand Mosque at -11:00 am

Sultan Qaboo Grand mosque is the biggest mosque in the Khasab. The entry to the mosque depends on the timing and availability. If we are not allowed to enter the mosque then there will be only an outside view.

Khasab City Highlights – 11:30 am 

You will have free time to explore the Khasab downtown so you can get to know the local lifestyle and routine of residents. After that, you will be taken to the Khsab city highlights and will pass by major buildings and offices.

Tawi Rock Art – 12:30 pm

For the residents of Qida, this ancient art is part of their environment. The rock art of Musandam can be easily missed if you don’t know where to find it. A collection of boulders on the road that leads to Qida, just 3 km from Tawi, has several petroglyphs.

Petroglyphs are images created by removing part of a rock surface by incising, picking, carving, or abrading, as a form of rock art. Packed with different techniques, experts say, the artwork is from different ages.

Drop Back – 01:00 pm

Around 01:00 pm the Khasab city tour will come to an end and you will be dropped back. All the cruise ship guests will be dropped off at the cruise port and the guests picked from hotels will be dropped off at the hotel as well.

Note: The tour itinerary me be adjusted according to the weather, the opening of Khasab Fort, and the Sultan Qaboos grand mosque.

Border Crossing Details

• Single entry Oman visit vis is 5 OMR each and 35 AED UAE exit fee need to be paid on the border.
• The passport of all participants must be valid for more than 90 days from the travel date.
• If you have a UAE resident visa then it must be valid for more than 90 days.
• You must carry your original passports with you to cross the border.
• You must carry a vehicle registration card (Mulika to cross the border.
• If you don’t have car insurance, you can buy it from the border. (around 100 AED)
• If you are renting a car then must get a NOC from a car Rental Company to cross borders.
• If you have sponsored (dependent) visa then the sponsor must be traveling along.
• All professions are not eligible for an arrival visa, check your profession first.
• Single entry visa holders are not allowed, their visa will be canceled on exiting UAE.