Oman is a top birding destination, known for its warm hospitality, excellent infrastructure, and diverse birdlife influenced by the Indian subcontinent and Africa.

Our journey focuses on Salalah, a lush oasis between the Dhofar Mountains and the Arabian Sea, offering a unique mix of Arabian, Asian, and African bird species. We’ll explore coastal habitats rich in shorebirds and embark on two pelagic trips from Mirbat, where we may spot rare seabirds, whales, dolphins, and sea turtles.

Beyond Salalah, we’ll venture into Oman’s desert interior, targeting various desert species, as well as migrating European and Asian birds, attracted to the sunfarm oasеs.

This tour blends world-class birding with Oman’s stunning landscapes and cultural richness – an unforgettable adventure for birding enthusiasts!

Tour itinerary

Day 1

Arrival at Salalah Airport or pickup from a hotel in Salalah no later than 11:00 a.m.

The tour will start at one of Dhofar’s most picturesque sites, Wadi Darbat. This lush, green, mountainous gorge looks surreal amidst the predominantly desert landscapes of the Dhofar region of Oman. The area’s rivers, lakes and waterfalls attract many species of birds, including Bruce’s Green Pigeon, Pheasant-tailed Jacana, Forbes-Watson’s Swift, Oriental Honey Buzzard, Bonelli’s Eagle, Diderick Cuckoo, Gray-headed Kingfisher, Blue-cheeked Bee-eater, Barbary Falcon, Amur Falcon, African Paradise Flycatcher, Fan-tailed Raven, Rock Martin, White-spectacled Bulbul, Siberian Stonechat, Arabian Warbler, Abyssinian White-eye, Tristram’s Starling, Blackstart, Palestine Sunbird, Shining Sunbird, Rueppell’s Weaver, African Silverbill, Long-billed Pipit, Yemen Serin, Arabian Grosbeak, Striolated Bunting, Cinnamon-breasted Bunting and more.

Then, we will visit Tawi Atayr in search of the Yemen Serin, an endemic Arab species. Other bird species we might see here include the Arabian Partridge, Namaqua Dove, Forbes Watson’s Swift, Lappet-faced Vulture, Bonelli’s Eagle, Lon-legged Buzzard, Grey-headed Kingfisher, Barbary Falcon, Black-crowned Tchagra, African Paradise Flycatcher, Isabelline Shrike, Fan-tailed Raven, Horsfield’s Bushlark, Rock Martin, White-spectacled Bulbul, Arabian Warbler, Abyssinian White-eye, Tristram’s Starling, Blackstart, Arabian Wheatear, Palestine Sunbird, Shining Sunbird, Ruppell’s Weaver, African Silverbill, Cinnamon-breasted Bunting.

We will then continue to Jabal Samhan, the prime area in Oman for Verreaux’s Eagles. The landscape and the view of the entire Dhofar coastal region from here is outstandingly beautiful and worth the visit in itself. Other bird species that might be seen here include Lappet-faced Vulture, Eurasian Griffon, Steppe Eagle,, Spotted Eagle, Eastern Imperial Eagle, Short-toed Eagle, Barbary Falcon, Fan-tailed Raven, White-spectacled Bulbul, Tristram’s Starling, Isabelline Wheatear, Desert Wheatear, Blackstart, Arabian Wheatear, Palestine Sunbird, Shining Sunbird and Long-billed Pipit.

We will check in to Hotel Hojari Jabal Samhan for three nights and explore the surroundings in the afternoon.

Day 2

Today, we will take our first pelagic trip from Mirbat Harbour. As well as many species of seabird, including Pomarine Jaeger, Brown Noddy, Bridled Tern, Great Crested Tern, Lesser Crested Tern, Red-billed Tropicbird, Wilson’s Storm Petrel, Swinhoe’s Storm Petrel, Jouanin’s Petrel, Flesh-footed Shearwater, Sooty Shearwater, Persian Shearwater, Brown Booby, Masked Booby and Socotra Cormorant, we will also have the chance to see Blue and Sperm Whales, Common and Spinner Dolphins, as well as four species of sea turtle: Green, Olive Ridley, Loggerhead and Hawksbill.

Back at Mirbat harbour, we will search for Abdim’s Stork, Socotra Cormorant, Sooty Gull, Heuglin’s Gull, Steppe Gull, Striated Heron, Reef Egret and Tristram’s Starling. We will also check Mirbat Public Park for migrating songbirds.

In the afternoon we will visit Khwar Sawli, where we can expect to see Namaqua Dove, Baillon’s and Little Crakes, Tibetan and Greater Sand Plovers, Pin-tailed Snipe, Marsh Sandpiper, Temminck’s Stint, Heuglin’s and Steppe Gulls, Caspian, Gull-billed, White-winged, Greater Crested and Lesser Crested Terns, Indian Pond Heron, Blue-cheeked Bee-eater, Red-tailed and Isabelline Shrikes, Graceful Prinia, Clamorous Reed Warbler, Citrine Wagtail, etc.

In the evening we will visit Ayn Tabraq in search of the Arabian Scops Owl .

Day 3

We will start the day by visiting Ayn Hamran and Wadi Kheesh, where our targets will be Arabian Partridge, Oriental Тurtle Dove, Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse, Lichtenstein’s Sandgrouse, Egyptian Nightjar, White-breasted Waterhen, Forbes-Watson’s Swift, Bonelli’s Eagle, Arabian Scops Owl, Arabian Eagle Owl, Pied Cuckoo, Diderick Cuckoo, Gray-headed Kingfisher, Blue-cheeked Bee-eater, Barbary Falcon, Black-crowned Tchagra, African Paradise Flycatcher, Red-tailed Shrike, Isabelline Shrike, Arabian Gray Shrike, Fan-tailed Raven, Black-crowned Sparrow-lark, Horsfield’s Bushlark, Graceful Prinia, Upcher’s Warbler, Rock Martin, White-spectacled Bulbul, Scrub Warbler, Arabian Warbler, Menetries’s Warbler, Abyssinian White-eye, Tristram’s Starling, Desert Wheatear, Blackstart, Arabian Wheatear, Palestine Sunbird, Shining Sunbird, Rueppell’s Weaver, African Silverbill, Long-billed Pipit, Arabian Grosbeak, Striolated Bunting, Cinnamon-breasted Bunting, etc.

In the afternoon we will visit Khwar Taqa, where we will be looking for Cotton Pygmy Goose, Red-knobbed Coot, Pacific Golden Plover, Pheasant-tailed Jacana, Pin-tailed Snipe, Marsh Sandpiper, Temminck’s Stint, Long-toed Stint, Small Pratincole, Sooty, Caspian, Heuglin’s and Steppe Gulls, Caspian, Lesser Crested and Greater Crested Terns, Greater Flamingo, Yellow Bittern, Western Reef Egret, Indian Pond Heron, Medium Egret, Red-tailed and Isabelline Shrikes, Graceful Prinia, Clamorous Reed Warbler, Bluethroat, Rueppell’s Weaver, African Silverbill and Citrine Wagtail.

Day 4

We will start the day with our second Pelagic trip at Mirbat in an attempt to see more sea wildlife.

After lunch we will have our transfer to the desert. We will first check in our hotel in Thumrait and have a little break before head towards Mudday.

Mudayy is located on the edge of the Dhofar Mountains and the vast Arabian Desert, and its oasis attracts many desert bird species. Here, we will look for Sand Partridge, Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse, Spotted Sandgrouse, Crowned Sandgrouse, Lichtenstein’s Sandgrouse, Oriental Turtle Dove, African Collared Dove, Blue-cheeked Bee-eater, Arabian Green Bee-eater, Arabian Grey Shrike, Bar-tailed Lark, Desert Lark, Rock Martin, White-spectacled Bulbul, Asian Desert Warbler, Menetries’ Warbler, Hooded Wheatear, Desert Wheatear, Blackstart, Hypocolius, Nile Valley and Palestine Sunbirds, Striolated Bunting.

We will spend two nights in Thumrait.

Day 5

This day will be dedicated entirely to the desert.

Firstly, we will visit the sunfarms to the north of Thumrait, which are magnets for many desert and migrating species of birds like Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse, Spotted Sandgrouse, Crowned Sandgrouse, Sociable Lapwing, Red-wattled Lapwing, Cream-colored Courser, Black-winged Kite, Montague’s and Pallid Harriers, Blue-cheeked Bee-eater, Red-tailed, Arabian and Steppe Gray Shrikes, Greater Hoopoe-lark, Black-crowned Sparrow-lark, Bimaculated Lark, Arabian Lark, Turkestan Short-toed Lark, Desert Wheatear, Menetries’s Warbler, Desert Wheatear, Richard’s Pipit.

Then we will have a 2-hours transfer to Mudday through the desert. On the way we will pass via habitats suitable for species like Crowned and Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse, Cream-coloured Courser, Brown-necked Raven, Desert, Bar-tailed, Bimaculated, Greater Hoopoe, Arabian, Greater Short-toed, Turkestan Short-toed and Black-crowned Sparrow Larks, Desert and Isabelline Wheatears, etc.

The afternoon we will spend again in Mudday looking for some elusive species we missed the day before.

Day 6

On the second morning in the desert, we will be in Wadi Rabkut looking for Sand Partridge, Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse, Crowned Sandgrouse, Arabian Green Bee-eater, Arabian Gray Shrike, Isabelline Shrike, Greater Hoopoe-lark, Desert Lark, Black-crowned Sparrow-lark, Upcher’s Warbler, Asian Desert Warbler, Blackstart, Pied, Desert and Isabelline Wheaters, etc.

We will arrive in Salalah at noon, where we will check in for four nights at the Samharam Coastal Resort to the west of the city.

In the afternoon we will first check the lagoon near the hotel, West Khawr, where we can expect to see Spotted Thick-knee, Greater Sand-plover, Lesser Sand-plover, Pheasant-tailed Jacana, Sooty Gull, Heuglin’s Gull, Steppe Gull, White-cheeked Tern, Great Crested Tern, Lesser Crested Tern, Intermediate Egret, Indian Pond Heron, Western Reef Heron, Blue-cheeked Bee-eater, Isabelline Shrike, Graceful Prinia, Clamorous Reed Warbler, Rock Martin, Rueppell’s Weaver, African Silverbill.

And in the evening we will check Raysut Lagoon, where many gulls and terns come to spend the night and our targets here will be Crab Plover, Greater Sand Plover, Lesser Sand Plover, Caspian Plover, Terek Sandpiper, Broad-billed Sandpiper, Temminck’s Stint, Pheasant-tailed Jacana, Sooty Gull, Heuglin’s Gull, Steppe Gull, Caspian Tern, Gull-billed Tern, White-cheeked Tern, Great Crested Tern, Lesser Crested Tern, Intermediate Egret, Indian Pond Heron, Western Reef Heron, Graceful Prinia, Clamorous Reed Warbler, Rock Martin, Rueppell’s Weaver, African Silverbill, etc.

Day 7

This morning we will visit the Ayn Razat. The target species here include Bruce’s Green Pigeon, White-breasted Waterhen, Forbes-Watson’s Swift, Arabian Scops Owl, Arabian Eagle Owl, Diderick Cuckoo, Black-crowned Tchagra, Fan-tailed Raven, Graceful Prinia, White-spectacled Bulbul, Arabian Warbler, Abyssinian White-eye, Tristram’s Starling, Blackstart, Palestine Sunbird, Shining Sunbird, Ruppell’s Weaver, African Silverbill, Long-billed Pipit, Striolated Bunting and Cinnamon-breasted Bunting.

In the afternoon, we will visit the Al Balid Archaeological Park in Salalah. As well as preserving the medieval ruins of Zafar, which acted as an important port for the frankincense trade, the park is also home to a variety of bird species, including the Spotted Thick-knee, the Pacific Golden Plover, the Sooty Gull, the Heuglin’s Gull, the Steppe Gull, the Blue-cheeked Bee-eater, the Isabelline Shrike, the Graceful Prinia, the Clamorous Reed Warbler, the Rock Martin, the White-spectacled Bulbul, the Shining Sunbird and the Rueppell’s Weaver.

In the evening, we will search for the Desert Owl and the Egyptian Nightjar in one of the wadis. Other bird species that we might see in the wadi include Sand Partridge, Arabian Partridge, Bonelli’s Eagle, Arabian Green Bee-eater, Desert Lark, Rock Martin, Tristram’s Starling, Desert Wheatear, Blackstart, Arabian Wheatear, Long-billed Pipit, Striolated Bunting, Cinnamon-breasted Bunting and some mammal species such as Arabian Ibex, Rüppell’s Fox and Hyrax.

Day 8

In the morning we will visit Al Mughsail Lagoon and Beach. Our target species here are Sand Partridge, Arabian Partridge, Red-knobbed Coot, Little and Baillon’s Crakes, Tibetan and Greater Sand Plovers, Pheasant-tailed Jacana, Terek Sandpiper, Marsh Sandpiper, Temminck’s Stint, Sooty, Caspian, Heuglin’s and Steppe Gulls, Brown Noddy, Bridled Tern, White-cheeked Tern, Lesser and Greater Crested Terns, Greater Flamingo, Jouanin’s Petrel, Persian Shearwater, Brown and Masked Boobies, Socotra Cormorant, Yellow Bittern, Western Reef Egret, Indian Pond Heron, Western Cattle Egret, Barbary Falcon, Rock Martin, Tristram’s Starling, Arabian and Desert Wheatears, Striolated and Cinnamon-breasted Buntings.

In the afternoon we will visit the Raysut Settling Pools, where we may see Greater Flamingo, White-tailed Lapwing, Pin-tailed Snipe, Small Pratincole, Abdim’s Stork, African Sacred Ibis, Blue-cheeked Bee-eater, Rock Martin and Rueppell’s Weaver. After that, we can return to Ayn Razat to look for the Arabian Scops Owl and the Arabian Eagle Owl.

Day 9

In the morning we will visit Khawr Al Qurm Al Sagheer near the hotel, looking for Forbes-Watson’s Swift, Pacific Golden Plover, Sociable Lapwing, Pin-tailed Snipe, Temminck’s Stint, Gull-billed, Whiskered and White-winged Terns, African Sacred Ibis, Indian Pond Heron, Western Cattle Egret, Medium Egret, Greater Spotted Eagle, Blue-cheeked Bee-eater, graceful Prinia, Citrine Wagtail, Red-throated Pipit, etc.

In the afternoon we will visit the coastal lagoon of East Khawr, where we will look for Cotton Pygmy Goose, Greater Flamingo, Pacific Golden Plover, White-tailed Lapwing, Greater Sand Plover, Lesser Sand Plover, Caspian Plover, Pheasant-tailed Jacana, Long-toed Stint, Pin-tailed Snipe, Crab Plover, Small Pratincole, Sooty Gull, Heuglin’s Gull, Steppe Gull, White-cheeked Tern, Great Crested Tern, Lesser Crested Tern, Socotra Cormorant, Yellow Bittern, Intermediate Egret, Indian Pond Heron, Western Reef Heron, Western Cattle Egret, Glossy Ibis, Blue-cheeked Bee-eater, Red-tailed Shrike, Graceful Prinia, Clamorous Reed Warbler, Rock Martin, White-spectacled Bulbul, Rueppell’s Weaver, African Silverbill, etc.

Day 10

Birdwatching around Salalah in the morning. We will decide which sites to visit based on our success in previous days.

In the afternoon, we will transfer to Salalah airport.