Educational Tours

Drawing travellers to Oman for millennia people like Pliny, Mas'udi...and now you

Discover Oman

 

The home of one of the most ancient civilizations on Earth. Oman's rich heritage and the wealth of her culture fascinate and beguile the modern visitor.

 

With a history that begins in 3,000 BC, when it was known as Magan,the main ancient source of copper that gave the Bronze Age it's name, Oman is the unspoilt land that was the original home of the Phoenicians; the birthplace of the Queen of Sheba; the last resting place of the Prophet job and the home port of Sinbad the Sailor. Visited by King Solomon, Cyrus the Great, Pliny the Elder, the indefatigable Mas'udi and Vasco Da Gama, Oman's strategic position has for thousands of years made her a meeting place and entrepot for cultures from India to Africa and far beyond.

 

Rich Heritage of Oman

 

Oman enjoy a culture that is unique in the Arab world. Traders and fishermen have sailed to Africa, India, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Indonesia and even China for thousands of years and the traditions of the country reflect this varied heritage. The traditional souks in every major town are still a reflection of that heritage, with antiques as varied as porcelain from Holland and Germany to Bedouin bridal necklaces featuring Maria Theresa silver dollars and modern goods including exquisite cashmere from India and glass from Iran.

 

 

Panoramic Oman

 

Oman's diverse geography and varied climate sets it apart from other countries in the Arabian Peninsula. From pristine white beaches and spectacular cliffs in Dhofar to the rugged grandeur of the 'Jebel' or mountains; from the date and banana plantations of the Batinah region to the sculpted dunes of the Wahiba Sands. Oman challenges every pre-conceived notion of the region.

 

 

Festivals of Oman

 

Oman's southern province of Dhofar revels in the cooling rains of the Monsoon or Khareef whilst temperatures in the rest of the Gulf rise.The month long Khareef Festival (July) is the premier event in the Omani calendar, and displays Omani culture and heritage in the most spectacular manner for locals and tourists from all over the world alike. The Muscat Festival, which showcases the best of Oman as well as the best of the world in a lively mix of entertainment, games, rides and stalls, including nightly fireworks displays, is the counterpoint of the year (January - February).

 

 

See Oman with Zahara

 

Zahara Tours is Oman's leading Destination and Leisure Management Company. Enjoying an extremely high reputation for professionally efficient service, Zahara employs multilingual tour guides and a fleet of modern, deluxe air-conditioned luxury coaches, four wheel drives and other vehicles.

 

Over its 35 years in operation, the company has acquired a reputation for professionalism and personalised service. A winner in the Oman Awards for Excellence, Zahara Tours is customer focussed and delivers on its promises.

 

We measure our age in millennia

3,000 BC - The ancient city of Magan provides copper to the ancient world, linking the Indus and Sumerian civilizations, and "Ships of Magan" appear in ancient Sumerian art.

945 BC - The Queen of Sheba rules the rich country of Saba, trading in frankincense, gold, silver, ivory and apes.

563 BC - Cyrus the Great of Persia conquers Oman.

50 AD - The Roman author Pliny describes the coastline of Oman and her ports. notably "Muza", used by the merchants who trade in frankincense and other Arabian perfumes.

130 AD - The anonymous author of the "Periplus of the Erythraean Sea" describes the Dimanyat Islands and the difficulties of navigating the Omani coast.

224 AD - The al-Azd tribe - still the dominant group today - enter northern Oman from their original base in Dhofar and Yemen and free it from the Persian yoke.

226 AD - The Sassanian emperors introduce the "Qanat" system of underground water channels to Oman.

625 AD - Oman accepts Islam from the Prophet Mohammed.

950 AD - The Arab historian, geographer and philosopher. Abd al-Hasan Ali ibn al-Husayn al-Mas'udi, known as The Herodotus of Arabia, travels to and writes of the court of the Sultan of Oman.

1450 AD - Vasco Da Gama arrives in Sohar and persuades a famous Omani pilot, Ahmed ibn Majid of julfar, to pilot him to Calicut.

1506 AD - Alphonso de Albequerque sacks Muscat for resisting him, and the Portuguese construct the jelali and Malyani forts that still stand today.

1697 AD - The Portuguese are ousted by Imam Sultan bin Saif.

1820 AD – First treaty between Oman and the British to ensure a "cessation of plunder and piracy by land and sea" is signed.

1970 AD – His majesty sultan Qaboos bin said takes the throne of Oman.