• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to footer

ZigZagonEarth

Plan unforgettable road trips!

  • FRANCE
    • CORSICA
    • NORMANDY
    • PARIS
  • EUROPE
    • ANDALUCIA
    • CANARY ISLANDS
    • CRETE
    • ICELAND
    • ICELAND WINTER
    • MADEIRA
    • MALLORCA
    • PORTUGAL
    • SANTORINI
    • SCOTLAND
    • SLOVENIA
  • REST OF WORLD
    • NEW ZEALAND
    • OMAN
  • TIPS
  • EBOOKS
  • SHOP
  • ABOUT

Renting a car + Driving in Oman (conseils + video)

Last updated on October 26, 2021 By Claire, the Travel Planning Geek

Planning on driving in Oman? Preparing for a self-drive road trip? 
This guide will tell you all about

  • car rental on Oman,
  • road conditions,
  • safety tips,
  • off road options,
  • traffic and road signs,
  • speed limits
  • ...

With a video to help you visualize. All you need to feel reassured to plan a road trip in Oman.

roads Driving in Oman Travel

Table of Contents
How difficult is driving in Oman? - Short answer
Car Rental in Oman
What car do you need in Oman - 4WD or 2WD?
Planning your Oman itinerary
Driving Rules, Road signs and speed limits in Oman (+ Royal Oman Police)
Self Drive Oman - Safety tips
Roads in Oman - examples
Off-road driving in Oman

This article contains affiliate links (Disclosure page). If you purchase using my link, I get a commission at no extra cost to you.


How difficult is driving in Oman? - Short answer

Generally speaking, driving in Oman is quite easy. There are recent roads in excellent conditions connecting all the major cities and touristic places.
And road signs are also in latin alphabet making it easy to navigate.

amazing roads in Oman

VIDEO - Driving in Oman

Let's start with a short video to show you what to expect in Oman when driving through towns or villages, on the main roads, in the mountains and off road. It also show you some of the dangers you should be aware of.

As you can see, self drive is a great option to discover Oman as driving is easy and generally safe.


Car Rental in Oman

Self drive: the best option

Public transportation options are limited.
Private guides are really expensive on long trip.

Considering the low price of petrol and the quality of the roads in Oman, I think self drive is definitively your best option. 

Don't worry, as you have seen in the video before, driving in Oman is very easy. The roads are modern and in good conditions. There are a few things to be aware of but generally it is really safe. Like everywhere you have some crazy drivers (especially with taxis) but mostly people are quiet and calm.

How to rent a car in Oman

All the classic car rental companies are available in Oman. Here are a few tips to keep in mind when booking:

  • Foreign driver’s license or international driving permit are accepted for up to three months
  • Get a GPS - there are many signs and not that many roads but some locations are not always indicated. Plus inside Muscat it would allow you to focus on the traffic instead of the map.
  • Compare car rental prices on Discovercars.com - one of the best customer-rated comparison sites!
  • Choose the car and company you prefer
  • Consider their full coverage option - I always take it for peace of mind! 
  • Book early to have a large choice of vehicles!
Sultanate of Oman Driving

Renting a car in the UAE and driving to Oman

You can also add Oman to a trip to the Emirates. You can travel from Dubai to Oman by road. It is an easy drive.

If you have rented your car in Dubai or Abu Dhabi and want to take a side trip to Oman, first make sure the rental agency allows it. Then take the extended insurance to cover your time in Oman. Proof of insurance will be requested at the Omani border.  

But apart from that, you can drive straight through the border showing your passport at both borders. Plan 5 hours to get to Muscat from Dubai.


What car do you need in Oman - 4WD or 2WD?

It depends on where you go. You need a 4WD if you want:

  • to go off road 
  • to get to the mountains of Al Jabal Al Akhdar (but you can arrange to park at the entrance and have someone from the hotel pick you up) - road is paved but steep so 4WD is mandatory (checkpoint)
  • and Jebel Shams (strongly recommended to have a 4WD but not mandatory)
  • To get inside the dunes of Wahiba Sands (but you can also ask the camp to send someone to pick you up at the desert entrance)

Otherwise a saloon car is sufficient. 
And always check what the insurance covers or not (in some countries, even if you rent a 4WD, you are not covered for off road).

Oman off road driving - 4WD required

Oman off road driving - 4WD required


Planning your Oman itinerary

Need help planning your Oman road trip itinerary? Check out my eBook to facilitate planning with my selection of the best places to see and practical maps:

Be overwhelmed by the beauty, not the planning!

Oman Travel Guide eBook
  • 8 exclusive easy-to-plan maps
  • 90+ amazing locations
  • Tips to make the most of your time
  • 100+ large photos to decide 
  • GPS coordinates direct to the carparks

LEARN MORE

Driving times around Oman

Driving Times Oman Road trip tips

Driving Times in Oman


Driving Rules, Road signs and speed limits in Oman (+ Royal Oman Police)

Driving rules and speed limits in Oman

  • Driving is on the right side of the road
  • Speed limits in Oman are enforced. There are many radars plus cars start beeping over 120 km/h. Speed limits are clearly indicated. However you will always have locals overtaking you at high speed. Just let them go and enjoy the scenery.
  • Be respectful in any case, to not make any gesture even if the other driver is behaving dangerously
  • Do not drink - Zero-tolerance policy for driving under the influence of alcohol
  • Do not use your cell phone while driving - on-the-spot fines apply (but like everywhere people still do it...)
  • In case of accident, leave your car where it is and call the Police on 999 (emergency number)

Road signs and Traffic signs in Oman

  • Roads are modern and in really good conditions between main cities
  • Streets are paved and in reasonably good conditions in cities
  • One difficulty is when you miss the exit, then it can sometimes be a pain and a long time until you can turn around. (I had a 30 min detour because of a missed exit...)

Points of interest and towns are clearly indicated on road signs. The Traffic signs use latin alphabet as well, so you can easily find your way!
Cities are on blue signs while points of interests are on brown signs.

Road sign Oman 2

Oman road sign - cities

Traffic sign Oman 2

Oman Traffic sign - point of interest

Traffic signs in Oman are typical, nothing drastically different.
Speed is measured in km/h, and signs are according to the ISO (European) system.
The numbers are in dual language with Arabic numbers at the top within the same sign.

traffic sign Oman - speed limit
traffic sign Oman - camel

Also note that there are speed reducers absolutely everywhere in towns and main roads, before crossing, turns, wadi river beds etc... They are bright yellow.
Don't forget to slow down, it gets uncomfortable otherwise.

speed reducers in Oman
speed reducers in Oman 2

Stopped by the Royal Oman Police

There are frequent checkpoints by the Royal Omani Police. Just present your passport, driver license and insurance documents. Be respectful and all is fine.
They may check what you have in the car as it is not allowed to carry alcohol without a specific license.

I encountered them twice during my trip. No issues.


Self Drive Oman - Safety tips

Self driving in Oman is generally safe. Just make sure you are aware of the following points.
The main dangers on the Omani roads you should be aware of are the following:

Animals

In small towns and on single lane roads (and even sometimes on bigger roads) you can have camels or goats crossing unexpectedly. So keep focus!
Most of the times, the roads are straight so you can see them ahead. But still pay attention and slow down as you approach them, because they can abruptly change their mind and run anywhere.

animals on road in Oman - camel
animals on road in Oman - goat

Straight lines

The main danger and cause for the high number of fatalities in Oman are the straight roads. Especially if your drive South to the desert. Make sure you plan plenty of stops and always have water and food in the car. 
The long straight lines can make you loose focus or make you sleep. Stop frequently and stretch your legs.

Straight had in Oman

Wadi crossing

You will often see those red signs on the Omani roads. 
This is were the road is over a wadi or dry river bed. Most of the time there is no problem, but in case of heavy rain, use the red pole (after the red sign) to evaluate the depth of water. Be reasonable.

road sign wadi crossing Oman
Red pole wadi crossing Oman
wadi crossing oman

Weather conditions

Finally make sure you check the weather conditions. Do not drive in a wadi if heavy rains are predicted and be careful also after those big storms as the roads may have been damaged.

Road damage Oman

In case of accident, leave your car where it is and call the Police on 999 (emergency number)


Roads in Oman - examples

You have seen some roads in the video at the top of this article, but below are some pictures and description for you to better grasp what driving in Oman is like.

Roads in Omani cities

Generally I found it quite easy.
The main difficulties are in the old neighborhood of Muscat, where the roads are not as large and where people come shop. I don't have any pictures during traffic jams. For example Muttrah, where the Souq and Fish market are, gets really busy and driving is very very very slow. Be patient!

Driving in Oman - towns
Driving in Oman - towns 2

Main roads in Oman

Driving on main roads in Oman is really easy.
They are paved and quite recent so still in good conditions. Most of the time you have really good visibility.
Lanes are large and traffic not heavy. 
You may cross path with some crazy drivers, just stay on the right and let them be.

Driving in Oman - main road
Driving in Oman - main road  2
Driving in Oman - main road 3

Side roads

Some side roads through wadis and small villages (for example wadi Tiwi) might not be in very good conditions. But it is generally not difficult because there is no traffic and you can drive in the middle. Just drive slowly.

Driving in Oman - wadi
Driving in Oman - wadi 2

Oman Mountain roads 

If you stay to classic destinations in the mountains, the roads are paved.

Mountain road in Oman

To Jebel Akdhar, you must have a 4WD. There is a checkpoint on the road leading there, so you can't cheat.
This is due to the steep ascent. On the way down there are many safety exit points.

Jebel Al Akhdar - 4WD only sign
Jebel Al Akhdar road - emergency exit

Jebel Akhdar road

To get to Jebel shams the 4WD is not mandatory but strongly recommended. The road is paved except for 7km. When I was there the dirt road was in great condition and not difficult. But rain can change it it in few hours!

Dirt road to Jeble Shams, Oman

Unpaved section on the road to Jebel Shams

The main danger while driving in the mountains is the scenery. You get distracted!

Mountain scenery

Where to stay in Oman?
My tips:

  • Muscat - capital city - see best rated accommodations
  • Nizwa - to explore the forts and hinterlands - see best rated accommodations
  • Sur - for the turtles, beaches, wadis... - see best rated accommodations
  • Wahiba Sands - for the experience of sleeping in the desert - see best rated accommodations
  • Salalah - the explore the Southern lands - see best rated accommodations
  • Khasab - to explore the Musandam Peninsula - see best rated accommodations

or check out my article on Where to stay in Oman


Off-road driving in Oman

You can drive off road in Oman either:

  • on mountain tracks (for example on the Salmah Plateau)
  • in the desert sand dunes (for example in Wahiba Sands)
  • in the wadi river bed (for example in Wadi Nakhr)

Classic rules of off road driving apply:

  • Don't go unless you know how to drive 4WD
  • Check your vehicle before going
  • Adapt the tyre pressure (at the desert entrance there are many shops where you can get help)
  • Always bring food and water with you
  • For wadis, do not go when heavy rains are expected
off road driving in Oman
off road driving in Oman 2

Off road driving in Oman

off road driving in Oman - Sand dunes

Desert driving in Oman

off road driving in Oman -  wadi

Wadi driving in Oman


Want to see more of Oman?

  • Best things to do in Oman - read article
  • Best of photos from Oman - Landscapes - read article
  • Best forts in Oman - read article
  • Best Oman days trips from Muscat - read article
  • Planning a road trip in Oman - read article
  • Best Things to do in Muscat - read article
  • The impressive Wadi Shab - read article
  • The Bimmah Sinkhole - read article
  • The desert of Wahiba Sands - read article
  • The Ras Al Jinz turtle reserves - read article

Planning a trip to Oman?

Check out my travel guide to help you plan:

Be overwhelmed by the beauty, not the planning!

Oman Travel Guide eBook
  • 8 exclusive easy-to-plan maps
  • 90+ amazing locations
  • Tips to make the most of your time
  • 100+ large photos to decide 
  • GPS coordinates direct to the carparks

LEARN MORE

And keep track of your own trip!

Oman road trip journal

Want to see more of Oman's beauty?

PREVIOUS: 

PLAN YOUR OMAN ITINERARY

NEXT: 

OMAN HOTELS AND ACCOMMODATIONS

Oman destination guide travel planning addict

Inspired? Share it on your favorite platform!

Roads in Oman Travel
Driving in Oman - car rental signs traffic off road

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Geely Oman says

    February 12, 2018 at 11:57 AM

    Oman is such a wonderful place for tourism, I am willing to go Oman twice a year by bus. but the matter of fact is I am living in South Asian country.

  2. Ling says

    August 18, 2018 at 2:00 PM

    Hey thanks for the TIPS!

  3. Jamie Hardward says

    July 17, 2019 at 5:41 PM

    Oman is a country I may make time to visit when I transit through Dubai this spring on my way to South Africa. Good to hear that it can be done on the cheap!

  4. Mewan says

    November 22, 2019 at 6:58 AM

    Very helpful article. Great work

Footer

CONTACT ME

Search

Follow ZigZag on Facebook

Follow ZigZag on Pinterest

Website in French: ZigZagvoyages.fr

Website in German: ZigZagreisen.de

Privacy / Terms of Use / Disclosure Policies / Refund policy

Become an affiliate for the ZigZag road trip guides

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. ZigZagOnEarth.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com, Amazon.uk and Amazon.ca

Copyright © 2022 ZigZag On Earth · Log in