Oman offers one of the finest and most varied birding experiences in Arabia, combining dramatic mountain scenery, vast desert landscapes, productive wetlands, rich coastal mudflats and the tropical influence of Dhofar in the far south. This tour has been designed for the cooler winter period, when temperatures are generally comfortable, wintering birds are well established, shorebird numbers are impressive, and several of the region’s most sought-after specialities are at their most reliable.

Beginning in Muscat and ending in Salalah, the itinerary follows a logical north-to-south route with minimal backtracking. We start with coastal birding around Muscat, including Al Fahal Island and Al Ansab, before moving into the Al Hajar Mountains for regional specialities such as Omani Owl, Sand Partridge, Streaked Scrub Warbler, Plain Leaf Warbler, Hume’s Wheatear, Red-tailed Wheatear and Striolated Bunting. From there we travel south to the extensive tidal flats and coastal habitats of Barr al Hikman and Masirah Island, where large numbers of shorebirds may include Crab-plover, Great Knot, Terek Sandpiper, Broad-billed Sandpiper and a range of gulls, terns and migrant waders.

The journey then continues through Oman’s central deserts and oases, visiting areas such as Al Ghaftain, Maqshin, Muntasar and the Rub al Khali Desert, also known as the Empty Quarter. These remote sites provide excellent opportunities for Grey Hypocolius, Sociable Lapwing, Crowned, Spotted and Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse, Asian Desert Warbler, Cream-colored Courser, larks, wheatears, pipits and wintering raptors. We then reach Mudayy, an important transition zone between desert and Dhofar habitats, before descending to Salalah.

The final part of the tour is based in Dhofar, Oman’s most diverse birding region. Here we explore wooded wadis, mountain slopes, coastal khawrs, agricultural areas and the Mirbat coast. Key possibilities include Arabian Golden-winged Grosbeak, Yemen Serin, Arabian Warbler, Arabian Wheatear, Black-crowned Tchagra, Abyssinian White-eye, Bruce’s Green Pigeon, Palestine and Arabian Sunbirds, Arabian Scops Owl, Arabian Eagle-Owl and Desert Owl. Weather permitting, we will also undertake a Mirbat pelagic, offering chances for seabirds such as Jouanin’s Petrel, Persian Shearwater, Masked Booby, Red-billed Tropicbird, skuas, terns and phalaropes.