17 Epic Wild Camping Locations in Oman (with GPS Points and Map)
Scribbled by Claire ◊ 25 Mar 2025
Are you curious about how to find ideal camp spots in Oman? Read on for our absolute favourite 17 wild camping locations across Oman, including GPS details, road conditions, camping tips, car requirements, maps and more.
Are you looking for a quiet, outdoorsy trip with a difference?
Wild camping in Oman is a cultural institution and a fabulous way to have an outdoor adventure on a budget in the Middle East. From the soaring Hajar Mountains, extraordinarily striking coastlines, sand dunes, wadis, and deserts; Oman provides a diverse array of free, solitary camping in what we consider to be one of the most beautiful countries on Earth.
After two months camping across Oman, here is the definitive list of our 17 absolute favourite wild camping spots including GPS coordinates. For general suggestions on how to find a campsite, camping rules, tips, and recommendations, check out our detailed guide to camping in Oman.
IN THIS GUIDE //
Wild camping locations in Oman
ABOUT WILD CAMPING IN OMAN
– WILD CAMPSITE FACILITIES
– WEATHER AND WADIS
– WILD CAMPING SAFETY
WILD CAMPSITES IN OMAN – MAP
BEST CAMP SPOTS IN THE WESTERN HAJAR MOUNTAINS
BEST CAMP SPOTS IN THE EASTERN HAJAR MOUNTAINS
BEST CAMP SPOTS ON OMAN’S CENTRAL COAST
BEST CAMP SPOTS IN DHOFAR
WILD CAMPSITE LOCATIONS GOOGLE MAP
FINAL THOUGHTS
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About Wild Camping in Oman
A few things to note about wild camping in Oman:
Costs | camping is free; it’s also a totally normal practice.
Vehicle | a rental car is required for access to all these camp spots. Some are accessible by a two-wheel drive and others by four-wheel drive, high-clearance vehicle. Each camp spot entry below advises which is necessary. For more information, check out our detailed driving in Oman guide.
Wild Campsite Facilities
Oman does not have any designated campgrounds, outside of Muscat. This means that there are no campsite bathrooms, showers, potable water points, fire pits or tent pads.
So, any campsite you choose will have to be self-sufficient – bring adequate equipment, including:
⬩ a bowel-trowel
⬩ toilet roll
⬩ bucket
⬩ a surplus of drinking and cooking water
⬩ all food and snacks
⬩ fire wood
and much more. For a more detailed list of wild camping gear suggestions, check out our Oman camping guide.
Leave no trace | some popular camp areas, particularly along the coast, can get trashy. Leave your camp as you found it (or better, preferably).
Weather and Wadis
Wild camping in Oman is, for the most part, drama free. The one difficulty that may arise is the weather.
Winter | for most campsites, the best time to visit is winter. Some of the higher mountain spots, like Jebel Shams, will be very cold and windy though, so bring three-season camping gear.
Summer | summers in Oman can be brutally hot, so the only comfortable places to camp are at the tops of the mountains.
Wadis | be careful when camping in wadis if there is any sign of rain in the weather forecast, at any time of year. These can be deadly, just like a slot canyon in the United States, for example. Flash flooding is common.
Wild Camping Safety
Oman is a safe country to camp in. Camping is a cultural tradition and a common occurrence across the country. We camped for two months across Oman and didn’t have any safety issues or concerns. The only wildlife hazard to be aware of is goats – they will eat your stuff!
Another nominal risk is your vehicle breaking down in an area without cell reception. We found many of Oman’s campsites to have little signal, if at all. Download offline maps and tell someone where you are heading.
Wild Camp Spots in Oman Map
Below is an artistic rendition map showing where the best campsites are clustered across Oman. At the bottom of this page, we’ve also included a Google map that you can save with all the actual camp locations marked on it.
We’ve split our list of campsites into four regions to help you plan your trip:
1. Western Hajar Mountains (near Nizwa)
2. Eastern Hajar Mountains (between Muscat and Sur)
3. Central coast (Masirah Island, Duqm and middle of nowhere)
4. Dhofar (around Salalah)
Best Camp Spots in the Western Hajar Mountains
1. Wadi As Sahtan
This location in the western Hajar Mountains is our favourite wild campsite in Oman. Up on rolling hills, surrounded by the highest mountains in Oman (including the impressive peak of Jebel Shams) this was the Omani landscape that I was romantically chasing in my mind. With only a man and his sheep for company (for five minutes), we spent the evening watching the sun set against the magnificent mountain scenery.
Campsite Location – Wadi As Sahtan
This campsite is on a dirt track, off the ‘main’ road towards Little Snake Canyon. You can pretty much choose any camp spot, as far into the mountains as you want to travel. The further up the hills you drive, the more epic the views get.
Tip | be aware that ground is quite shaley, so we recommend using a footprint if you have a tent.
Tip | use Google satellite to see the tracks off the main road.
GPS coordinates | 23.270940, 57.361442
Car access | four-wheel drive if you want to go adventuring, although you could camp just off the road here with a two-wheel drive, too.
2. Jebel Shams
A night in Jebel Shams is an absolute must if you are considering a camping trip to Oman. As the tallest mountain in the country, the views are unbeatable and watching the sun cast a glow across the Grand Canyon of Arabia at sunrise is an extraordinary experience.
Campsite Location – Jebel Shams
Anywhere along the canyon ridge past the Jebel Shams resort is perfect for wild camping. Small tracks lead off either side of the main, unpaved road and anywhere along these is fair game. The rim of the canyon has the best views, but some of the sites here can be a little rocky and windy, so watch out for your tent. There are lots of spots to choose from, although as a well-known site, it can get busy.
The best wild campsite at Jebel Shams, in our opinion, is detailed in our specific guide to camping in Jebel Shams.
Tip | secure your tent well from the wind, and consider a footprint if your tent is delicate.
Tip | watch out for resident goats who will inevitably eat your food and tent.
GPS coordinates | 23.206645, 57.203446
Car access | four-wheel drive for the best sites
3. Wadi Damm
The fairy tale Wadi Damm pools are a highlight of any Oman itinerary and one of the most enchanting wadis.
Very convenient, accessible camping just above the wadi valley allows easy access to the hike, and means you can get started early in the morning. This is probably one of the less remarkable campsites on this list but is easily made up for by how stunning the Wadi Damm pools are!
Campsite Location – Wadi Damm
Campsite location | an unpaved path, snaking along the southern edge of Wadi Damm, leads to a flat, comfortable area commonly used by campers (although it was empty when we stayed there). It’s a short drive away from the beginning of the Wadi Damm Pools hike. You can also camp in the actual entrance to the wadi, however this has some trash and people occasionally pass through. Also, as always, be careful camping in wadis if there is rain forecast.
Tip | this road leads to Jebel Shams, so is perfect for an itinerary prior to or following a visit there.
Tip | from this campground, you can hike directly down to some lesser-visited wadi pools.
GPS coordinates | 23.233207, 57.091369
Car Access | four-wheel drive
CAR HIRE FOR YOUR OMAN WILD CAMPING TRIP
We always rent our vehicles all over the world, including our recent trips in Oman, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia and Morocco, with Discover Cars. They’re often the most affordable, plus they paid out immediately on an insurance claim we made when our car took some heavy damage in Sicily. We fully recommend them.
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TAKE A LOOK BELOW OR CHECK CAR RENTAL
4. Above Al Hijir, Between Wadi Bani Kharus and Wadi Bani Awf
Sat high above a small village, surrounded by magnificent, rugged mountains, this lofty spot was our second favourite wild camping location in Oman. As we silently perched on the rocky cliff, listening to the Friday evening call to prayer echo through the basin, I realised that this was one of my all-time most memorable travel moments.
This area is pretty remote (no cars passed by on the road for the entire night) but is actually well located if you want to hike Little Snake Canyon, any of the many hiking routes in the region, or explore Wadi Bani Kharus and Wadi Bani Awf.
Campsite Location – Above Al Hijir
There are a few outstanding wild camping spots here; we found it difficult to choose. One specific location near the road on a cliff edge was beautiful. Another was in a small valley surrounded by tall mountains; another down some isolated tracks under shady trees. We have put the coordinates for all three so you can choose your favourite. Also, there were a few camel skulls around!
GPS coordinates | 23.207395, 57.481156; 23.210589, 57.474204; 23.206493, 57.479605
Car access | four-wheel drive
5. Near Big Snake Canyon in Wadi Bani Awf
This campsite is smack bang in the middle of Wadi Bani Awf, arguably the most spectacular area in the western Hajar Mountains. The precipitous, vertigo-inducing mountain tracks in this area are some of the most jaw dropping in Oman, with captivating vistas from all sides. Big Snake Canyon, a favourite for canyoneering, is adjacent to this wild campsite and Balad Sayt, one of the most picturesque villages in Oman, is around the corner.
Campsite Location – Near Big Snake Canyon
Set back off the road at the bottom of a narrow valley under shady trees, there are lots of little wild camp spots to set up at for the night. Although not the most private, the area is ideal for accessing all that Wadi Bani Awf has to offer, and there’s even a little hotel just down the road if you want to skip the camp cooking for an evening! We think it’s a really pretty area with all the trees and huge sheer mountain cliffs.
GPS coordinates | 23.209656, 57.382344
Car access | four-wheel drive
6. Wadi Al Abyad
Aptly named, this narrow little valley with year-round flowing water and pretty bright blue-white pools is a great option for some river driving and hiking (Al Abyad means white in Arabic).
The camping options are secluded and peaceful, while also conveniently placed between Nakhal (for Nakhal Fort) and Rustaq (for Rustaq Fort and a Lulu Hypermarket). This wadi was also particularly great for spotting the brightly-coloured red dragon flies in springtime. Check out our dedicated post about the curious pools of Wadi Al Abyad for more information.
Campsite Location – Wadi Al Abyad
There are two options; the north or the south part of the wadi. Chunky rocks in the river will stop you passing halfway through the valley, so you’ll have to enter via both the north and south to see the entire length. Both ends have pretty wild campsites, although our personal preference was the northern end.
Tip | be very careful camping in Wadi Al Abyad if it is expected to rain.
GPS coordinates | 23.444647, 57.656041 (north part of the wadi), 23.420081, 57.672663 (southern side).
Car access | four-wheel drive
GOT MORE TIME IN OMAN?
Explore some wadis:
Take a look at our 13 favourite wadis
Hike Oman’s favourite Wadi Shab
Live in a fairytale at the Wadi Damm pools
Explore the quirky white pools of Wadi Abyad
or the magnificent waterfalls of Wadi Darbat
Explore the cities and mountains:
Feel intrepid on an Oman offroad mountains itinerary
Discover what dramatic means with this Salalah itinerary
See some offbeat spots around Sur
Explore Oman’s cultural heart in Nizwa
Prepare with our Oman driving guide
Max out your time with these Muscat day trips
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Best Camp Spots in the Eastern Hajar Mountains
7. Above Yiti Beach
Yiti Beach is one of the closest places to Muscat that you can camp by the sea, which means it gets busy. The beach now has a lot of ongoing construction due to a new resort being built at the northern end, meaning there is less space for campers and it’s just not a great place to hang out anymore. However, you can drive on the cliffs that surround the coastline and there are some epic offroad adventures and wild campsites. The best part is that we saw no people at all!
Campsite Location – Above Yiti Beach
Between Yiti Beach and Yenkit are loads of tracks that run towards the sea. We would suggest you just drive up to explore and pick your favourite spot to camp. Some locations have amazing views of the ocean, but be careful not to go down a road you cannot get back up – the tracks are fairly rough in places. Towards the east, in the Yenkit direction, are some of the most spectacular coastline views in the entire of Oman (at 23.525972, 58.703341).
Tip | use Google Satellite view to look at the roads and tracks in this area.
GPS coordinates | 23.527999, 58.684535
Car access | four-wheel drive
8. Wadi Dayqah
Between Wadi Al Arbeieen/Arbiyyin and the stunning emerald lake at Wadi Dayqah, created by Oman’s largest dam, is this magnificent campsite area in the eastern Hajar Mountains. The track leading through the wadi valley is stunning, passing bright blue pools nestled under high cliff sides.
Campsite Location – Wadi Dayqah
Above the wadi valley, this campsite has panoramic views of the sun setting over the tips of the jagged mountains. Nestled under savannah-like trees up against a shaley hill, this area is right up there on the ‘Oman campsite vistas’ list. The ground is flat and smooth with masses of space, so even if someone else was camping nearby, you wouldn’t notice them. There was nobody around for either of the nights we camped, though.
GPS coordinates | 23.095097, 58.914642
Car access | four-wheel drive
9. Fins
Within easy driving distance of Muscat and Sur, Fins is a popular oceanfront location for wild campers. Full of sea cliffs and little beachy coves, the area has magnificently vivid blue seas where you can spot turtles and dolphins right offshore. There is ample space for everyone, even on a weekend, so you’ll never have a lot of neighbours, and the backdrop of the towering Hajar Mountains dominates the skyline.
Campsite Location – Fins
South of the town, there are numerous stunning spots all along the coast. We stayed several times around the coordinates below, but there are honestly so many good places! Camping at Fins is also a perfect location for combining with a hike to Wadi Shab which is just ten minutes south. Be aware, it can sometimes be quite windy here.
GPS Coordinates | 22.876232, 59.230173; 22.882761, 59.226109
Car access | two- or four-wheel drive (some sites require a little more off-roading than others). There are loads of suitable camp sites for two-wheel drive vehicles too.
10. Jaylah Beehive Tombs
Hidden on a vast plateau in the eastern Hajar Mountains, the mysterious beehive tombs at Jaylah have exceptional camping combined with some 4000-year-old tombs. Sleeping in a tent adjacent to what feels like an undiscovered archaeological site is something very Indiana Jones-esque! With between 60 to 90 tombs dotted across the area, there are loads of wild camp locations to choose from, too.
Campsite Location – Jaylah Beehive Tombs
It depends on how far up you want to drive, but there are so many wild camp options. Most have clean, wide flat spaces to pitch a tent in the shadow of these magnificent burial sites, right on the cliff edge with vast, sprawling views of the mountains. The area is on a high plateau, so will be cooler than down by the coast.
Tip | please don’t mess with the tombs, they don’t need us touching them.
Tip | bring warm camping gear during winter due to the elevation.
GPS coordinates | 22.807025, 59.069402
Car access | four-wheel drive
Best Camp Spots on Oman’s Central Coast
11. Masirah Island
Masirah Island made our top campsites list from its sheer number of incredible beach camping locations. At 95 kilometres long, much of the coast is beautiful white sand; this provides a huge number of scenic spots to choose from. The water, especially on the west, is shallow, turquoise, and transparent; you can see the ghost crabs scuttling along the seabed.
A running theme in this wild camping in Oman post is how few people are around, and this idyllic island is no exception. Throughout the three days spent on Masirah Island, we saw nobody outside of the main town (apart from some fishermen offshore).
Camp Locations – Masirah Island
There are too many to choose from, however a couple of amazing wild campsite locations stand out. The best option is to drive around and choose your favourite for yourself though – it’s a dream setting for Omani beach camping! Have an explore of the areas surrounding the GPS points below. At the second coordinate, we camped up on the hill behind the beach and could watch both sunrise and sunset from our camp.
GPS coordinates | 20.166740, 58.641390; 20.359356, 58.649381
Car access | two- or four-wheel drive depending on how adventurous you want to be. The entire of Masirah Island is serviced by a great condition paved roads.
12. The Sugar Dunes
The Sugar Dunes are a fantastic option for an independently-accessed sand dunes campsite in Oman that is easy(ish) to reach, with stunning views and no people. With powdery white sand right on the edge of the ocean, an Omani wild camping experience here doesn’t really get much better.
Campsite Location – The Sugar Dunes
Getting to the Sugar Dunes is all part of the fun. Once you arrive, there are obvious, easy places to camp by the beach if you are uncomfortable driving into the actual dunes. Check out our detailed guide to camping in the Sugar Dunes for more information.
Tip | the Sugar Dunes are a great choice to pair with a trip to Masirah Island, which is just a little bit northeast.
GPS coordinate | 20.391582, 57.944746
Car access | four-wheel drive
13. Ras Madrakah Beach
This is a special place to camp in Oman. It’s very remote, situated on a peninsula about halfway down the coast, with only a small town in the nearby vicinity. The wide, flat beach is made of flawless white powder and has minimal trash issues. It was a spectacular, windswept, almost feral-feeling wild camp location and is a great stop either on the way up or down the long coastal drive between Muscat and Salalah.
Campsite Location – Ras Madrakah Beach
There are several wild camp options on Ras Madrakah. You can camp anywhere along the wide main beach, as far as you are willing to drive in the sand east or west. Alternatively, there is a small bay to the east of the town which is magnificent and more sheltered with beautiful dark rocks.
GPS Coordinates | 18.981258, 57.810897; 18.989958, 57.785811
Car access | Four-wheel drive due to the beaches
GOT EVEN MORE TIME IN OMAN?
Go camping:
Plan your trip with our Oman camping guide
Camp atop Oman’s highest mountain
or camp in the palest of Oman’s deserts at the Sugar Dunes
or have a totally unique adventure:
Spot the most remote beehive tombs in Oman
Wander around Oman’s most photogenic fort
Learn about livestock at the Nizwa goat market
Take a look around Oman’s most unique fortification
Take a chill day on one of Muscat’s beaches
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Best Camp Spots in Dhofar
14. Miji
This is the most inaccessible spot that we wild camped at over our two month trip, and was also one of our favourites.
It offers complete solitude, an entire stretch of white sandy beach in a craggy cove all to yourself and a campsite right alongside. As the most remote place we have suggested on this list, Miji is many hours from the nearest large town in southern or central Oman, so plan well ahead for this one. Having said that, it is worth the effort.
Campsite Location – Miji
This beach is down a seriously rough track – I honestly had a few doubts that we’d actually make it in our chunky four-wheel drive. There are a few options for where to camp, the coordinates below provide two choices. The drive is a dead-end road, so be aware that whatever horrendous track you drive across, you must drive back out! It’s a great little place to camp on the empty south-eastern coast of Oman and breaks a long drive up well.
GPS coordinates | 17.926942, 56.117244; 17.927290, 56.113732
Car access | four-wheel drive
15. Wadi Al Nakheel
This site, a little north of Hasik in southern Oman, is a stunning wadi with clear blue waters right off the main 42 route towards Salalah. It looks more like a river than other traditional wadi pools and is surrounded by glowing orange cliffs and date palms. There are perfect spaces to camp right along the wadi pool edge. This region is a great for a break on the way to or from Salalah along the lengthy coastal route.
Campsite Location – Wadi Al Nakheel
There are options to camp on either side of the wadi, so have a look on both the left and right sides to find your perfect spot. We camped twice in the date palms on the southern edge of the water (GPS point below).
Tip | we were woken up by a nonchalant, dead-eyed donkey. Be aware.
GPS coordinates | 17.598453, 55.251093
Car access | four-wheel drive. If you do not have a four-wheel drive, you could camp out in the open near the beginning of the wadi without any issues.
16. Wadi Darbat
Not really appreciating the vastness of Wadi Darbat, we arrived with the idea of having a quick look around and then moving on. Immediately being blown away by the scenery, camping here swiftly became an enticing prospect. There are various suitable spots all over the wide upper wadi plateau and hanging out by the crazy azure-green waters was one of our favourite Omani days.
Campsite Location – Wadi Darbat
You could set up camp pretty much anywhere, but our favourite was a spot right near the edge of the Travertine Curtain, near the top of the main waterfall. A night spent surrounded by the blue-green waters and the roaring waterfall was epic!
Tip | be aware, this campsite is only suitable in the dry season; during the Khareef (rainy season) it would be underwater and dangerous to even visit.
GPS coordinates | 17.078169, 54.436312
Car access | four-wheel drive (two-wheel drive for more accessible sites).
17. Fazayah Beaches
Our favourite beach camp!
We are not the most beachy of people, however the scenery at Fazayah won us over immediately. A little west of Salalah on the southern coast of Oman, these three beaches with lovely white curved stretches of sand and the impressive backdrop of the massive Dhofar mountains are epic. The area normally has other campers around the three beaches, however the area is substantial and with so many options, you never have to camp within eyesight of somebody else.
Campsite Location – Fazayah Beaches
We love our solitude, so chose a campsite right at the end, well past Fazayah Beach 3 (GPS point below). We had the most amazing views of a fourth beach, loads of hills to climb and possibly the best sunrise view we have ever witnessed.
If you want to camp closer to the actual sand, there are loads of obvious spots to choose on any of the three beaches in the area. Check them out on Google Satellite. Our second camp in Fazayah was on the north end of Fazayah Beach 2 which was a little more open, but still stunning.
Take a look at our post about beaches in Salalah for more beach camp ideas in southern Oman.
GPS coordinates | 16.816096, 53.690780
Car access | four-wheel drive
Wild Camp Spots in Oman Google Map
Below is a savable Google Map showing all the GPS coordinates for the wild campsite locations listed above.
Green | Western Hajar Mountains
Orange | Eastern Hajar Mountains
Blue | Oman central coast
Purple | Dhofar/Salalah
To save the map, select the star next to the title.
RESPONSIBLE CAMPING – LEAVE NO TRACE
Oman has a trash problem.
This is especially prevalent along the coastline and beaches, but also in popular camping spots like Jebel Shams. It’s not trash that has washed up from other sources, but rather left there by previous campers, residents and visitors.
We can’t police how Omani people choose to treat their lands, but we can ensure not to add to the issue.
Bring a bag or two and pick up some trash – always leave your campsite cleaner than when you arrived.
Follow leave no trace principles, always.
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Final Thoughts: Best Wild Camp Spots in Oman
We’ve struggled enormously to narrow down our favourite Omani wild camp spots.
Wild camping in Oman felt like a voyage from an 80s adventure film into some uncharted wilderness (although this is obviously not the case in reality) and every location we list here was some of the most exciting camping we have ever done.
The map provided could also serve as a type of Oman camping itinerary, too, as these sites effectively link Muscat and northern Oman to Salalah in the south.
We hope our suggestions help you plan a fantastic wild camping trip to Oman, happy travels!
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Thank you, Claire + Nick
Hi! Love your blog and is so helpful during our roadtrip through Oman!
Just wanted to inform you on an update about the camping spots between Yitti and Yenkit, as we had to drive around for a while due to the closings of some roads, so that the next one doesn’t have to 🙂
Yitti beach is no longer accessible due to a Trump resort having taken full access of the entry as well as the beach. Moreover, the offroad entries to the cliffs on the way to Yenkit are all (or – the ones that we tries at least, the ones leading to the coordinates on this blog) closed due to the construction and new ownership of resorts.
Sad to see that this beauty is ruined by big internationals, but ofcourse there’s still enough beauty in the rest of Oman!
Hope this helps a next one!