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As i have now visited Oman for the second year in a row, i wanted to start this topic with describing the wadis and places i visited, and my experiences. There are lots of other wadis and things to see and do, but i will just mention the ones i visited and give a brief explanation on what they are about. Once you google the specific areas you will find hundreds of photos and more information. https://www.omantripper.com/ Above mentioned site has really nice information on the topic. The best season to visit Oman is between Mid-October to March as the temperatures become enjoyable. Visting the Musandam protectorate is also nice and I will post a topic on this one later. Trip to Oman preparation * Arrange your visas online in advance. https://evisa.rop.gov.om/. Visa on arrival is not allowed anymore from what i've heard. * Make sure your car insurance has Oman coverage. If not ,you will need to purchase one at the border itself (bit of a hassle). * Do not carry alcohol or other items which you would not be able to travel into UAE/Oman. Drones are not allowed. * Make sure the car is registered under your name and that the driver is part of the travel group. * Make sure your car is in proper technical condition. Pass by your mechanic to have all fluids checked before leaving. Check your tyre pressure, and verify if the spare wheel is OK. * Top up the fuel regularly to avoid running empty. There are nowadays more and more petrol stations, but some remote areas will require a long drive to find one. Wadi preparation Visiting a wadi is a fantastic thing to do with family and friends, but you have to come prepared if you want to experience it fully. You will need the following: Cap or hat to protect you from the sun as well as sunscreen Food, snacks and plenty of drinking water. Swimming clothes and towel.. Sturdy footwear with good grips: something that can get wet and you may need to swim with (old sneakers or water shoes from Decathlon will do). Life jackets for the children. Camera and water proof bag: In many places you will need to swim in the pools to go from one place to another. We used the Decathlon waterproof special zip lock bag that you can put around your neck, that holds your phone and car keys. Other items that can get wet can be put in a rucksack. It is recommended to arrive in the early morning (7-8am). The more touristical wadis can get very busy after 10am. Dress respectfully: bikinis and cleavage are not really well accepted. When you enter a wadi and see the first water pool, do not think that this is the end of your destination. A wadi is a stream that can sometimes be kilometres long and involve hiking or driving till the end. Ask around and the locals will gladly show you the sweet spots. Camping preparation If you're planning on camping, be aware of the following: * You can freely camp on the beaches, but many of them have pebbles, so take an air mattress. * Be careful when roaming around the bushes at night. There are snakes and scorpions around. Long pants and closed shoes are recommended. I had a very very close encounter with a viper recently. * Do not camp in the wadis. There is risk of flooding and you will never make it out in time once a storm hits you. * Do not camp near river beds or stagnant water: mosquitos will be having the time of their lives devouring you or attacking you. These are the places we visited on our 2018 and 2019 trip: Wadi Shab Wadi Shab parking area: 22.839733, 59.247116 You can easily park underneath the bridge, and a small boat will carry you across the river where the adventure starts. You can choose between following the walking path, or using the wadi pools to swim from one side to the other. The reward is at the very end where you can swim in a cave. This is a perfect wadi to start with. Its family friendly, not too crazy adventurous, and you can decide for yourself how far you want to go. You do not need a 4x4. Wadi Tiwi and Mibam Village My personal favorite wadi that makes you truly feel you are in another world. You will need a 4x4 to navigate through the very steep and narrow village road. You will be greeted by the local youth that will offer to give you a hand carrying your bags, assist your children, and show you the most beautiful places. We had 3 local boys that really helped us out and were the perfect guides. Once you reach the village, you have to descend along the terraces where you will see banana trees, mango trees, and many others. The biggest reward is at the bottom where you can swim in a huge caved area with lush greeneries and waterfalls. Reaching the bottom is not possible with children. Its a tricky descend and climb where the locals will give you a hand, but in theory this is the kind of thing where you would need some climbing gear and safety ropes. Picture below shows idiot me doing without climbing gear but with help from a guide. Starting point: 22.822144, 59.258530 Bimma Sinkhole 23.036267, 59.071988 This is a sinkhole near the coast, and nearby Wadi Tiwi and Wadi Shab. It's a small circular lake with turquoise waters, approx. 20m deep. If you stick your feet in the water, the little fishies will give you a free foot scrub There is a play park next to it, so the kids can enjoy while you have some snacks. Wadi Al Arbeieen Starting Point: 23.078278, 59.045630 This wadi involves a very nice winding road, where you will need a 4x4 to venture through the water passings and river beds. They are not very deep so a regular SUV or 4x4 will manage. It's about a 20mins drive to the actual parking. The wadi is consisting out of nice water pools where you can take a dip, or you can go for a walk around the area. Wadi Bani Khalid This wadi is very popular among the tourists, so it is recommended to arrive early. It has many beautiful water pools, and the more adventurous people can go a bit further into a bat cave (Muqil Cave). Other things to see and do in Oman: Muscat: Capital of Oman. Visit the souqs or some of the historical buildings or just stay overnight to catch up on some sleep. The beach is also nice. Nizwa: was originally part of the trip, but we left it out because of lack of time. Apparently it is an old historical town, nice to to for a stroll or eat at the local restaurants. Sur: As we visited the Ras Al Jinz Turtle reserve, we stayed into a nearby hotel in Sur. The Sur Plaza Hotel was a welcoming place and the comfort of a real bed and shower is a bliss after the camping activities. Sur is a calm town with some nice forts and watch towers. Ras Al Jinz Turtle Reserve: Ras al Jinz Turtle Reserve محمية راس الجنز Ras al Jinz، Sur, Oman +968 9655 0606 https://goo.gl/maps/asetNTxmVGeDE9FH8 Definitely worth a visit to see the turtles hatching in the sand and going back into the ocean. Beautiful building with hotel and facilities. Nice restaurant with buffet. We went for the evening visit that started at 8:30pm. The most beautiful thing I saw that night was the night sky. The moon was not out and it was pitch black in that area. Reply with your feedback, questions, or information! Let’s share the best spots for this winter season !

Some more scenery pics:

Beautiful trip report and idea to document all good places to visit in Oman in one place. WELL DONE. I would also love to hear the drive time, total number of days and approx cost. Looking forward to see you leading this Oman trip next, so we can join. Here are few place that I have explored earlier in Oman: Jabal Shams Ras al Jinz Wadi near sur Sink hole Salalah

Jeez why does the old one look like it was being cooked in an oven? And since its new, it can be clogged and causing pressure build up. Most likely that jolt with a combination of being old is the cause of why your car has started to leak like a sieve. P.S : Nice Crocs!

Finally I found the car steering cover that I have been looking for leather steering wheel cover after lot of research and patience. Custom upholstery guys told me 350 dhs and leave car for 1 day, both things were no-no for me. It's a DIY cover that took almost 3 hours for me to sew it together. Driving feel is priceless now to hold this with a smile.

There’s also an issue that different coolants will gel rather than mixing which can create hotspots in the engine and cause things to warp or weaken.

Below a starter list for everyone who wants to explore the joy of camping: * A tent: when buying one, always buy one size bigger as what you need, as a tent that is labeled as 3 person tent will be very very tight and cramped for three adults. Look for a tent with adequate ventilation that can be kept open with a mosquito net during the warmer periods, and closed off during the cold nights. If you only plan to stay one night, then the Decathlon (Quechua) and Coleman Pop-up tents are great. Quick to set up, not too expensive, and will last forever. The Coleman Instant tents with the outer poles (see pic) are very popular and have really good ventilation. https://thedesertdiva.com/2016/01/24/review-coleman-instant-tents/ The poles are telescopic and have a bit of a tendency to get stuck once sand gets into them. Just a thing to look after. You will need to pay specific attention to the tent spikes. Most tents just give you those 8inch tiny metal spikes that only work in soil, not in sand or rocks. It took me some trial and error to found out that i needed: These ones for 80% of the locations i went. They can be hammered in hard sandy areas and work also in some medium softer areas. These ones for very soft areas: They are called beach umbrella anchors, meant to fix your umbrella in the sand. They make very good tent stakes if you want to camp in the dunes. If you want to travel light with a family, you could also get 2 small pop-up tents instead of choosing 1 big family tent. * BBQ: Not an essential item, but makes the camping more fun of course. A small table-top BBQ will do. * Electronics: Headlights, torches, powerbanks, two way radios, table lights, etc... etc... etc... Most people have enough laying around the house. * Gas Stove: One of my favorite things to have handy: A small gas stove where you can boil an egg on, or make yourself a coffee in the early hours. Most work on the small gas cartridge cylinders that you can order via Amazon. (Decathlon did not have them last time, as they need a license to sell gas). * Sleeping bags: The desert can get very very cold in the winters, so some sleeping bags will be needed during those periods. * Air mattress: Many types are available, from the classic air mattresses that require a foot pump or air bed compressor, to the very thin sleeping pads which hardly require any inflation. Depends on your own comfort and experience. I like the classic air beds but I'm a bit fed up with the small punctures and leaks that appears out of nowhere. The sleeping pads look like a better option, but they cost a bit more. You could also buy a bit of HVAC insulation foam, fold it double, and voila, you have a foam mat that you can sleep on ! Utensils: I am not fond of the disposable plates and cups, so we have plastic ones that we can wash and re-use. Folding Chairs and Tables: My first pair of gas-station chairs did not last very long, and later I got better ones at the Park and Shop DIP for 100AED (Director Studio Chair model) You can go all the way to the OZTRAIL 350AED models if your butt requires royal softness. @Rahimdad his reclining chair is probably the pinnacle of camping chairs Recovery gear: As with every person that ventures off-road, you should have a compressor, pressure gauge, deflator, and recovery rope with soft shackles with you, and also a wooden board, floor jack or bottle jack in case you need to replace a tyre. Don’t forget that a recovery rope is NOT a gas station tow rope. Medical Kit: Truly essential, as a small or big accident is never far away. Water: Absolutely ESSENTIAL. Always carry water with you, camping and offroading drains your energy and you will need to top-up your internal fluids regularly. Cooler: You have the 12V powered coolers, but i am not impressed with them. Just go for a slightly bigger one, and pass by the petrol station to chuck it full of ice. Cheap and works great. Clothing: Venturing offroad is fun wearing shorts and slippers, but better go for light breathing hiking pants, and closed shoes, for your own safety. Wear a cap and protect yourself from the harsh elements. Trash bags: make sense.. Duffle bags: Not essential, but i bought a few and i highly recommend them to put your stuff in. They are strong yet light. Compass and Maps: Most people now go for a Smartphone with an Offroad GPS maps. Mobile coverage is weak in some areas so it makes sense to download the area where you camp on your phone. GaiaGPS, MotionX, Google Maps, and many others will work great. Toilet paper / Wet wipes: Extremely useful. No further details to add.... Firewood: Available from petrol stations. Axe: Always handy to cut your firewood if you are not in a protected area. Your Positive Attitude: Most important of all. Camping for multiple days is exhausting, and you will definitely need to recover after your trip. But i love it and it gets us closer to nature. The times that we have shared stories at the bonfire and watched the sky full of stars makes everything allright. WHERE TO BUY ALL THIS STUFF ????? This is like most hobbies something that eats a bit of your budget, so i would recommend buying the essentials and having a look a Dubizzle as there are many expats leaving and selling camping gear for bottom prices. Every now and then you can add something to your collection. Carrefour and Lulu have good basic stuff to start off with, they also sell Coleman which is a well known bang for the buck brand. Decathlon is a shop that specializes in Outdoor activities, so you will feel like being in Wonderland with all the stuff you will find there. Prices are a bit higher than Carrefour, but the quality is better. When you happen to travel to Europe, go to a Decathlon over there as i've seen much lower prices in EU compared with UAE. They have really good tents, clothing, and accessories, and if you take care of them they will last forever. The more high end shops like AdventureHQ and others have fantastic gear. The more frequent you camp, the more you will start to see differences in gear and equipment. Then it's up to you how far your budgets stretches and where your priorities are. One of my friends used a 50dhs tent that worked fine initially, but lacked any ventilation, and the assembly sticks broke after only one camping trip. It went to the garbage that same day.

Convoy driving is always a challenge. In car clubs there are agreements on keeping the pace, who is lead and second lead, etc.. On these drives you’ll encounter people who have never driven in convoy, and will either speed at 140 all the time without keeping an eye behind, or they will drive at 90, and stop at virtually every gas station. And when the camping part comes they will show up with no equipment, complain all night because it’s too cold or too hot, and be grumpy after a short sleep. I have also been in these situations and only take people along that I know and respect, as I won’t risk spoiling my well deserved holiday.

Not a wadi, but I would add to the must do list in Oman Al-Jabal al-Akhdar. Breathtaking views up there (access by a new and very clean road but only 4x4 are allowed due to the strong inclines)

Beautifully done.

Hey guys, I'd absolutely love to join but got couple of questions. I have an upcoming 10k obstacle challenge in Al Ain on Saturday. So I'd want to know is: - Can I leave early? Aiming to leave by 7. - Will it be easy for me to find my way out on my own? I wouldn't want to interept anyone's party time. Let me see if I can make it. Cheers, TJ

That's a big no no in the BMW world too not to mix it's blue coolant with any other because it will turn into a gel.

Change the Vacuum solenoids, It will appear again after 20-50 Kms

That's all we can do, F.SADLY. There should be a MF better way to deal with such situation for lame mechanic who boils car owner blood, waste time and money and in end just shrug the shoulders and off to next victim to suck there money.

Thanks for your support @shadow79; appreciate that brother.

It can happen that the various corrosion inhibitors in different brands of coolant react with each other to form an acid that attacks seals and/or mating surfaces under gaskets and seals. Other times, and depending on the mixture, coolant additives can cancel each other out, so you may think that your engine is protected, but meanwhile, the coolant mixture is destroying it from within in various ways, and the first time you notice something is wrong is when you start getting coolant leaks. So no, mixing coolants is never a good idea.

The various colours on the old radiator core is clear evidence of circulation issues through the core. However, I don't think the fan clutch imprint on the core is the real cause of the water pump failure- from what I can see here, the fan clutch barely touched the radiator. But I do agree with @Barry, a proper pressure test is the only way to find all the leaks. You also mentioned sometime back that you had found a gritty substance in the coolant- which is likely the result of having mixed various coolants, and the most likely cause of the damage to the water pump seals.

Final Update Vibration was due to 1 teeth missing , Last night we opened everything again and found out left side Belt was missed by 1 1/2 timing. It took me 6 Sparks Plug, 2 coil and cleaning of Injectors to find out this cause. in this course my Manifold was damaged due to wrong fitting. Finally the vibrations are gone, but will drive for a week to see if it returns

Have to say, its a nice job. This is one of those ebay DIY sew it yourself covers ?

I know mixing red and green color radiator coolant is totally unacceptable, but can we mix different brands of same color - green coolant while top up? I have filled originally with Mitsubishi coolant and then used ENOC green coolant occasionally to top up since last 1 year. Recently added Prestone green coolant to top up and now I had 3 leaks in 3 weeks. So doubting if coolant mixing could be the cause or is it a pure coincidence.

Thanks @Gauravgoing for another Oman trip the coming winter is definitely on my list. I am totally in for a Carnity group drive. As per my experience, the maximum convoy we did was three cars, and i think 4-5 cars would really be the maximum to stay in convoy. What also needs to be considered is that you need to have likeminded people in the convoy that are OK with driving this long stretch, and are interested in camping and have the tools and gear. This was our 2019 itinerary with costs involved: 1) Start at Sharjah Mosque Maliha Road Petrol station around 8AM. 2) Cross the Khatmat Maliha border. Online Visas are 5 Omani Riyal per person. 3) Drove the first 4 hours, had some lunch in Amrat, and picked up some firewood in this nice camping accessories shop: 23.492042, 58.498549 4) Drove to Dibab beach area (+/- 1 hour) and set up camp for the night: 23.081194, 59.049863. 5) The next morning, we proceeded our trip to Wadi Al Arbeein (35 mins). 6) After noon, we drove to Sur (90 mins) and checked into the Sur Plaza Hotel. We paid 350AED for a night. Kids enjoyed the pool, and later we drove to the town of Sur for a stroll. Then we drove to the Ras al Jinz Turtle Reserve where the evening visit only started at 8:30 PM (either 5AM or 8:30PM to spot the turtles). https://www.rasaljinz-turtlereserve.com/pages/34/turtle-viewing We paid 20 Omani Riyal for the tour. (8 per adult, 2 per child between 5-12y old). 7) The next morning we drove from Sur to Wadi Bani Khalid. (1 hour). That same afternoon we were planning to look for another camping spot and drive home the next day, but as our son was having a nasty cough from the sand and camping, we drove straight home that evening and arrived home around 10PM. As you can see, the only costs involved are the petrol (we managed to do 600km on a single tank with the Pajero), some snacks, and karak Chai on the way, and the entry fees for the turtle reserve. Hotel bookings can be found cheaper, but we wanted to let the kids enjoy the pool while the parents took some deserved rest. Oman in general is cheap to get aound.

Yes, totally right. I have a really decent drone laying around at the house that would have been perfect, but i did not take it with me as it takes up too much space. Have edited the post thank for the comment.

One small detail missing and which might lead to a major headache(personal experience) later if not checked. Apparently drones are not allowed. And the check happens after the complete visa process. So its either you go back to UAE or they will confiscate your drone which you will then have to release by paying a fine and going all the way to Muscat customs office to obtain it. If anyone of you was able to sneak in the drone please let me know the trick. For me this happened on the Khasab border. Not sure whether the same check happens on other borders.

10K, OMG somebody is showing off his fitness regime here 😝......impressed. Of course you can leave early with the google maps, as place we plan to chill is very much showing on all maps. Just when you reach to the road (5-7 kms), call us back to update.

Nope it's not the ebay - faux leather one for 40-50 dhs. For genuine leather there were only two options I found with legit review and product: Superskin - 100 - 200 dhs with shipping Wheelskins - 400 - 500 dhs with shipping Of course product wise wheelskins look and feel more premium but as it was DIY stuff and I was doubtful on my sewing skills, which I have never done it before so opted for superskin to give it a try. As now I know the basics and gone through the learning curve, next time i'll go with the wheelskins. Anyone wish to go this route, here are my learning that helped me a lot for great results: Prewax the thread to not to have fraying or entangling during the sewing process. Punch the holes with same needle once before installing, as factory holes are very tight. Keep adjusting the center seam during the installation, as I lost track on the thumb area twice. Supplied thread and leather was of very nice quality that it didn't tore the leather or thread broke while I was stretching on the previously leather padded area. My size was perfect for the wooden trim, but on the leather area it was few mm short, so stretching and pulling few times did the trick and gave the snugly fitting look. I should have done this long ago, as I was super tired with changing wheel cover every 3 months and then driving with shabby and torn wheel cover for next 3 months due to busy schedule - all the time. And we never find time for such a small thing and it will only strike back when we start driving again. Now Im driving and keep on rolling hand on leather and fingers on the stitches to have a big smile and satisfaction.

OMG! Finally my wife's perfect Pajero the diff light is on the blink and the lights showing the rear tires as green has gone blank. After stopping the car on road side and switching off the engine, letting the computer reset itself the system is back to normal. As per @shadow79 I am shifting the car every now and then from 2H to 4H and back. I am still facing the issue once in a while. Its seems the switch has an issue and will try to find out more over the coming days, however thank God I do not have any unwanted vibrations.

I wish i could 🥵 , Damage done lesson learned

Now i would assume you whipped that mechanic across the head with a size 32 spanner ? Who will bear all the costs here ?

Wow. It looks great. I would like to know where you got it from and details

That museum is Land Cruiser Porn! I'd take the H1 over this but I bet this one never breaks down.

Probably a good idea to stick a pressure tester on it and put in a few more psi than normal and see if anything else starts leaking

Its just getting old. Its like if one hose burst or belt breaks, its good practice to change all hoses or belts since all are of similar age and worn out equally.

Self-desert driving was amazing fun and much better than sitting and watching someone else drive. Being first time in the desert, it was really exciting. At first, it was a bit scary when driving in the desert, climbing and drifting down the hill...! It’s like swimming in the ocean of sand. Those are the opportunities to explore new things. Special thanks to team Carnity making this belated event happened in an organized way and the team members were very humble and cooperative. Thanks to Mr. Rahmimdad @Rahmimdad and Mr. Srikumar @Srikumar for instant response to clear a refusal couple of times, and for guiding important tips of self-recovery. Then we headed towards one of the region’s most striking areas of outstanding natural beauty known as “Fossil Rock”. Hiking to the top of Fossil Rock was amazing and truly a spectacular experience to watch the surrounding dunes. But the biggest challenge was to pass your SUV through the unforgivable Terrain, so some of us took the alternate way to reach the exit by leaving this challenge for some other level.. Great job by team carnity for bringing everyone safe and with a smile.

There is only whole assembly available in aftermarket and only mirror will only be available at genuine parts guys

Seriously bro?