The Sultanate of Oman might not be somewhere that you had considered visiting as a bikepacker, but with perfect winter weather, incredibly hospitable people and a vast network of gravel roads, it has a lot going for it. Antoine Collet headed there recently to try his luck on Jebel Shams, at 3028m the highest peak in the country. Would five days be enough for his planned adventure? 

Oman, officially known as the Sultanate of Oman, is a captivating country located on the southeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula. Renowned for its rich history, diverse landscapes and vibrant culture, Oman offers a unique blend of ancient traditions and modern development. 

Oman is characterised by its stunning natural beauty, featuring expansive deserts, rugged mountains and pristine coastline along the Arabian Sea. Oman has a reputation for warm hospitality and its people take pride in their cultural identity. A trip to this country guarantees a complete change of scenery. But is bike packing good to do in Oman?

DAY 1:

Nine hours later, coming from Paris, I finally set foot in Oman. The first thing that strikes me is the temperature – it's significantly hotter compared to the winter weather in France. I can smell the local incense everywhere and hear the Arabic language around me. This feeling is so good! The adventure has begun.

My friends, Tara and Joe, picked us up at the airport. It's a luxury to have some contacts here. We spent the first day at their house preparing the bikes, checking the bags and doing some essential shopping for the next few days - coffee, sweet food… During the day, we discussed the project to reach the summit of Jebel Shams. They explained that the first part of our proposed route to Nizwa is a dangerous road with a lot of construction everywhere, so might be best avoided.

We decided to start the next day by car to reach Nizwa, where the real adventure would begin. I don't want everything to stop after just two hours because of an accident. In Oman, there aren't many roads and we don't have much time to reach the summit and come back - only 5 days. Skipping this first part seems like a good decision. To finish the day, we took a short ride with Joe. Without bags, the bikes are so light and fun. This also allows us to realise how demanding the terrain is for cycling. It's very dry and rugged. Both the machines and the riders are going to be put to the test in the coming days. I go to bed dreaming about the next days. It’s hard to fall asleep; I’m too excited. Good night.

DAY 2:

“6am, I enjoy a final coffee. The bikes are ready and I am too. The excitement is at its peak. Soon my tyres will touch the Oman earth!”

6am, I enjoy a final coffee. The bikes are ready and I am too. The excitement is at its peak. Soon my tyres will touch the Oman earth. Nizwa is the former capital, it’s not a big city but it is still very authentic. It is home to the most iconic fort in the country, which we visit. We are allowed to take the bikes with us, providing me with the opportunity to take some nice pictures. 

Riding in this village is a pleasant experience. We don't have a proper plan and we just go where we want. We meet Khaled, who owns a coffee shop and invites us to enjoy a cup. We talk about the project here. He gives us some advice about the road, suggesting that the best place to stay tonight is in Ghul, 70 km from Nizwa.

The first challenge of the day arrives pretty fast. After 10 km, we cross a canyon where the sand is not hard enough to ride with bikes. We push for 2 hours and when we can ride again, the road is severely damaged. It's too much for my rear wheel, resulting in the first flat tyre of the trip after 15 km. In the middle of nowhere, we find a camel farm, a perfect place for a break. We drink and eat a bit. The temperature is around 38°C. I feel like I didn't give my body enough food and water. I’m going to pay the price soon!

In Oman, it's easy to find water or food everywhere. All the shops are the same, small and in old buildings. It's amusing to try their local sweets. Every time we have the opportunity to fill the water bottle, we do it. With the hot temperature, even with the insulated water bottle, the water warms up quickly. On the bike, I have more or less 4 litres. It's not too much with these riding conditions. The last 20 km are really challenging. We ride on an asphalt road. Due to dehydration and insufficient food, I have no energy left! However, when we finally reach Ghul, we find a beautiful place to sleep in the middle of a palm tree filled garden.

Here we meet Walid. He is surprised to see two French boys in this place with bikes, tents and all their bags. After some discussion, he invites us to have tea and a shower after dinner. What a great way to start the trip! I wasn't expecting a shower after the first day! We spend two hours with him and his friends, having some tea, coffee and dates. It's truly special to be here, wearing bike clothes, in the middle of their living room. Walid speaks a little bit of English, which helps us talk about life. Back at the camp, I have a surprise. My sleeping mat is losing air! The night is going to be tough! It's time to close my eyes! Good night.

DAY 3:

The first night was a bad sleep. My sleeping mat needed fixing. We woke up at 8 am and people were working around us in the garden. They were curious about what we were doing there. We shared a coffee together, trying to explain the project. I especially like the camping life in the morning. The coffee-making is my favourite moment.

We packed the stuff to go to a grocery store. On the road, Walid called us to join him for breakfast. How could we say no? Coffee, bread with local honey. It’s more than we need. I also fixed my sleeping mat at his place. Some soap and water helped to find the really small hole. 

The programme for today is 35 km, for more or less 2000 m up. According to Walid, we need a maximum of 2 hours to reach the summit. I'm pretty sure it’s so much more. Walid is a mountain guide and today he goes to the summit with people… in a car… It’s time for us to start riding. 

The first part is not so hard. It’s an asphalt road. When suddenly I saw a really steep part far away!! It’s not a joke. Maybe between 15% and 20% gradient. No tree, no shade to have a break. We need 1h30 to pass that part. We don’t have water anymore and the only shop on the road is closed. Luckily, we meet some Omani guys and they explain to us that there is a restaurant in 5 km. When finally we arrived at the place, I’m thirsty and exhausted. 

We have a big break to eat and drink. It’s not easy to start riding again after that. The second part is a gravel road. It’s harder. We push a lot when suddenly it starts raining. Really curious when it was 35°C five minutes before. At the exact moment we meet Walid on the road to the summit, we ask “Will it rain for a long time?” “6 km, you’re close my friend!!” came his answer. English talking is not always easy, but it makes the trip more magical and a lot of good laughing.

When finally we arrive at the top, it’s around 5 pm. We needed 6 hours on the bike to arrive at the top. Unfortunately, there is nothing to buy for food. A farmer offers us to cook something. One more time, we share a nice moment with local people. Tonight we sleep at 2000 m. The view is incredible.

We start a bonfire and set up the camp. Later in the evening, because of the light, Mathew joins us. He’s from Canada and travels around the country with a 4x4. It’s time to close our eyes and try to recover a bit. With the stars as a TV show, the night promises to be good.

DAY 4:

I woke up at 5:30 this morning. I didn’t want to miss the sunrise. Here, it’s really beautiful. What a great, fulfilling moment. Later, it’s my favourite moment - preparing the coffee. After a nice breakfast close to the bonfire (it was chilly in the morning), it’s time to prepare the bags. We fix everything really strong because today we go downhill the entire road from yesterday.

How to describe the feeling? Even with the bags, the bikes are really fun to ride. We go really fast. We drift, jump… It’s like being a kid. After 1 hour downhill, the plan is to go to Wadi Gaul. A wadi is like a canyon with a gravel road in the middle. We stop on the road to buy food. This time we know that there is nothing at the end of the road. What a surprise when we start riding on the road – it’s really rough and sometimes too loose to pedal on the bike. We push more than we were thinking. Some sections have lots of water and we spent the end of the day with wet feet.

When we finally arrive at our destination for the night, it’s the middle of the afternoon. There is a small lake, and we enjoy it to have a small shower and clean our clothes a bit. We build the camp and start a bonfire. Tonight we eat potatoes cooked in aluminum foil, some hummus and vegetables. That's a great meal for bikepackers. It was a really easy day, but it’s time to close my eyes. We did 60 km and 810 m elevation gain. Now it’s time to sleep. Tomorrow will be a big day. Good night.

DAY 5:

What a day! The longest distance I've ever covered on a bike... We woke up in the morning, same ritual. First, a coffee. When we started riding the bikes, it was 9 am. The plan is to go to Izki, a distance of 125 km from here. First, we rode back into the canyon. There is only one road to get out of this one. Similar to yesterday, we pushed a bit for about 2 hours. When we finally emerged from the canyon, it was time to do some essential shopping: food, water and "C POWER" the local energy drink. The beginning of the day was pretty easy, more or less an asphalt road. But after 3 hours of riding, we started pedalling on a gravel road.

At the beginning, it's pretty flat and easy to ride. I take a lot of pleasure. I push the speed a bit on the bike and I feel good. I have one eye on the map and another on the road. The desert looks more challenging than I was thinking. Quickly, we run out of water. I lost a water bottle somewhere on the road. Now it's 40-45°C and we don’t have water. Here in the middle of nowhere, there is no chance to find something. Luckily, after 1 hour and 30 minutes, we find a farm. People kindly offer us some water and food. But the nightmare is not finished. We still ride for 3 hours in those conditions.

*(Reminder for everyone: Don't wear black shoes in a really hot country)

After that challenging moment, what a pleasure to ride on a flat and asphalt road again. Soon, night arrives and we start using lights. Riding at night here doesn't feel safe, but we arrive without any problems in Izki. Time for a big meal at a restaurant! Our sleeping spot is 15 km away and we go on again. On the road, we stop at a coffee shop. I had an idea… A big idea!!! 

Muscat is only 90 km from here, and I'm pretty sure we can ride to the final destination tonight. It’s 22h30 when we decide to go to Muscat. The feeling of riding at night, sometimes on the highway, here in Oman is impossible to describe. There are lots of downhill parts and the adrenaline is really high! My mind is not here anymore. I’m tired, thirsty, but I feel nothing. I have the feeling of dreaming.

It’s 3 am when the “click-clack” of our shoes unclipping from our pedals signals the end of the trip. We did 240 km today with big bikes and bags. Tonight I’m sure about one thing - this adventure is just the beginning of something. The feeling I had tonight was incredible! It’s time now to try to fall asleep, dreaming about the last days.

Thanks Oman. Thanks everyone on the road.

My final words:

This adventure was a challenge for many reasons! Oman is a country made for bikepacking. There are so many things to see! It would be possible to ride for a month without stopping. Adventure is a luxury that everyone can afford. Just going outside and enjoying nature is the beginning of something. But never forget, there is a special rule! Always bring something to prepare a good coffee.

Thanks to everyone who made this adventure possible. And do not hesitate to get in touch if you need information about the country.

See you soon on the road.

Antoine