Wahiba Sands (Sharqiya Sands) — Open Dune Desert Camping

Wahiba Sands, also called Sharqiya Sands, is a roughly 180 by 80 km sea of orange-red dunes in eastern Oman. Overlanders typically enter from Bidiyah in the north or Al Wasil in the south. Once you’re out in the dunes, wild camping is a common practice, and you’ll find plenty of flat bowls between the crests. There are no facilities in the open desert. Bring all your water, food, and fuel, plus recovery gear. Camps and tourist operations exist on the edges if you want company, but the deeper sand is empty and quiet. Nights are cool and the stars are brilliant.

This is soft-sand driving, so air down, carry a compressor, and bring traction boards, a shovel, and a tow strap. Don’t go alone. Summer is brutally hot, so aim for roughly October through April. Sand conditions and dune routes shift constantly, and rules around desert camping and vehicle access can change, so verify locally before you go. Have a dirty day.

Red dunes and endless sky in the Omani desert.