Al Salam Desert Camp Bidiya

Fantastic value for money, food was very good and included local Omani dishes. Staff were great and attentive. You don’t need a 4x4 to get there - we had a two wheel drive which was fine

Nothing really for the money, no complaints

The location is not too deep into the desert, so there's no need to endure a long drive on bumpy roads. The dinner included roasted camel meat, which was exceptionally delicious. We tried quad biking with Niam as our guide and instructor, who was very professional and kind, and we witnessed an incredible sunset. The Sunrise Camel Tour was also fantastic, allowing us to behold a beautiful sunrise.

The hot water switch should be turned on approximately half an hour in advance. If there are many people taking showers, it is advisable to allow longer intervals between uses; otherwise, the water may not remain hot for subsequent users. The room we stayed in didn't have a closet, which made organizing our luggage a bit of a headache.

Our visit to Oman culminated in two overnight stays in the desert. We chose Al Salam camp for two reasons: -This camp is reachable with two-wheel drive car without any issue whatsoever. Don't drive fast on the unpaved road, that's all. No need to rent an expensive 4WD or arrange (perhaps) expensive pick-up. -The facilities. We wanted a desert camping experience but because we were travelling with a young child, we needed a certain level of amenities. And boy, we got those. We stayed in a double-tent and were greeted by a minibar (fridge for child food), an air conditioning unit which was absolutely indispensable, and a bathroom/shower attached to the tent. What we didn't expect was that the whole camp is very romantic. The entire area is lit up by cosy ambience lights in the evening. The shared area was large and suitable for gathering with fellow travellers. But what really impressed us was the food. An enormous buffet for both breakfast and dinner. We've stayed in quite a few hotels / restaurants during our two weeks in Oman, and this was easily the best food we've had. I also appreciate that all the desert activities (dune bashing, tours, etc.) come with well described and clearly fixed prices. No hassle to negotiate. You get exactly what you book. And our tour of the nearby dunes by 4WD car was absolutely breathtaking. So, if you're looking for a desert camping experience that gives you the charms of the sands but with the rough edges taken off, try Al Salam camp. Many people stay here as part of some tour and only end up being there for a night. We really enjoyed spending the extra night without a busy programme, to really wind down to the pace of nature.

Overall we were very happy and there is not much that the helpful staff could have done to make our experience better. I have some tips that may help you choose between the many camps nearby: If you're choosing a camp in this area, you can essentially choose luxury versus authenticity. The daytime temperatures and sun intensity are uncomfortably high, even in February. They say that in summer its 50 degrees. When switching off our AC, our tent warmed up to uncomfortable levels within minutes. So if you're in for the adventure, you may find this camp too luxurious (and perhaps expensive?). But I could not have coped with a one-year old under more authentic desert conditions. Secondly, the showers were open-air. I found this to be an amazing experience and I really enjoyed taking a shower in full Sun and under the stars. However, wasps visit the showers too because they get thirsty. If you don't want to shower with the wasps, take a shower in the early morning (before ~9am) or at night when they are not there.

We really loved our guide zaher, from the safari.

A well organised camp. The tent is big, clean, comfortable and there's everything you need inside. Dinner was really delicious and the breakfast was good enough. You don't need a 4x4 to reach the camp. Dune bashing was great. Special thanks to Zahar. High quality with a fair price!

All the tents are so close to each other. It wasn't a problem for us. Because our neighbors were really respectfull. But it may be a problem if your neighbors are noisy! Wi-Fi was weak!

Location accessible by car

Food - not traditional Oman food but Bangladeshi food. In fact all workers are from Bangladesh. The prices for activities are exorbitant. Camel ride can cost you up to USD70.

Many many things to note for Al Salam camp, all of which positive. The camp is situated a bit in the beginning of Wahiba Sands, yet we still asked for a transfer/pick-up. Instead of scamming us and taking our money, they told us that its only 1-2km of bad road and any car can do it, and so we did and saved us some OMR. Then we arrived and instantly got a room upgrade, no reason given, but we couldn't deny it and so we ended up having the luxury tent with all the facilities needed, which was amazing. Dinner and breakfast and the other refreshments available were also outstanding But what made this stay special are two people - Naim and Zaher. With Naim we did a sunset quad tour. He was very patient and helpful despite seeing how hard it was for us to drive in the sand :D He helped us get unstuck and showed us a very beautiful desert location for the sunset. Despite the tour being listed for 45minutes, I think in total we spent 90minutes with all the issues and we still paid the same price! Then the next morning it was a sunrise dune bashing tour with Zaher, a local Omani from Bidiyah. This was the cherry on top - as a local he explained a lot about the desert, the animals, the people, the live in there and everything. He made us coffee in the sand, campfire, got us a nice carpet to relax and watch the sunrise. Then we played arab songs, danced, dune bashed and everything. It was amazing. So Naim and Zaher thank you !!!

The tent was spacious and clean. Both, dinner and breakfast were delicious and nicely served (we really appreciated the variety of dishes)! The sunset dune bashing was great - we had a lot of time to enjoy magnificent views. The camp is well organized (coffee, tea and dates available in shared/ relaxing area; also we really enjoyed evenings with musicians with local instruments.

We experienced an issue with hot water. As it was observed late at night and we stayed only for one night, there was no time for fixing. Still, we were offered with an extra (refreshment) hour the next day. Also, just a heads up: It wasn't completely dark at night - the other camps are unfortunately using too much light which is disturbing a bit while admiring amazing Arabic night skies. Still, we managed to observe millions of stars :)

If you want to stay in the desert and you are not sure how to drive on the dunes, this resort is a great option - it is only 2 km from the paved road and you don’t go over the dunes. The resort is big, but we were there only few so it was great. They have family tents where 4 people can sleep in spacious beds and the dinner was delicious (you have to try the camel from the grill:)). The personnel is super nice and helpful. We really enjoyed the desert activities and we have to recommend the dune bashing in combination with sandboarding during the sunset. This was an unforgettable experience for all of us.