Sunday 17 / November / 2024
Muscat: Two Omanis have been documenting their experiences of visiting Omani landmarks on their blog, Oman Tripper, giving advice and insight for tourists and residents to follow.
Ali Mohammadi and Riyadh Al Balushi had launched their website, Oman Tripper in 2012, in order to highlight the country, as well as give much-needed advice on planning trips and hiking routes around the country.
Mohammadi spoke to the Times of Oman about his experiences with travelling and writing for Oman Tripper.
“We started this blog in order to share some of the fantastic places worth visiting in Oman, both for locals and potential tourists. I try to go on a trip every other weekend, and at least once a month, and I can never quite catch up on writing about the places I’ve been to,” he said.
Oman Tripper’s posts offer advice regarding travel routes, describing treks and swims through Oman landmarks, complete with scenic photographs of the areas. The duo may also include a checklist of necessary items to bring, the difficulty level of the certain hikes and areas, and interesting facts regarding the location.
This year, Oman Tripper has featured trips to locations, such as Wadi Tiwi and Mibam Village, Wadi Tool, and the new Sultan Qaboos Mosque in Sohar. Last year, the blog featured Al Hazm Castle, Jabal Shams, and others, complete with trekking and camping information for places that included those experiences.
“If time permits, I always attempt the hiking trails at the locations I go to. Sometimes that’s difficult because you often need a group to hike, and not just two people.”
“Hikes are also some of the more challenges things we’ve embarked on, especially if it’s like a 10-hour hike in the summer. The ultimate goal is to document all the hiking trails in Oman, both the official and the unofficial ones,” Mohammadi added.
Mohammadi also explained that enthusiasm for the website over the years had led to requests for tours and itineraries.
“I recently started organising tours for people, and it only happened because I would get so many inquires through the website. People would often mistake the website for a business, and they’d email to ask if I could arrange something for them. I eventually decided I could organise tours and go as a tour guide.”
“I’m a licensed tour guide in Oman, so I can give customised tours, and prepare itineraries for others as well. The ultimate goal is to get it to an organic hiking tour company in time,” he said.
Mohammadi expressed his hope that more people will start appreciating the beauty of Oman, while also maintaining its cleanliness.
“Oman is a treasure that we have, that a lot of people from overseas really appreciate. So the better we maintain it, the better it is for us, since it can be a great source of income,” he said.
Oman Tripper can be accessed at Omantripper.com, and Mohammadi invites individuals, who want more information on any of the destinations covered, or need help with arranging travels in Oman to reach out through [email protected]
