Travel guide
Private driver or self-drive in Oman?
Both work well. Oman’s roads are modern and signposted in English and Arabic, so self-drive suits confident drivers on a flexible trip. A private driver makes more sense for airport arrivals, for mountain and desert routes that need a 4x4, for long days on the road and business travel — and whenever you would rather watch the view than the road.
- Road signs in English and Arabic
- Traffic drives on the right
- Long distances between sights
- Some routes are 4x4 only
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Self-drive: what to know
- Traffic drives on the right, and the main roads are modern dual carriageways with signs in English and Arabic.
- Distances are long: Muscat to Nizwa is about 160 km, and Muscat to Salalah about 1,000 km.
- Speed cameras are common and speed limits are strictly enforced.
- Check whether your licence is accepted in Oman or whether you need an International Driving Permit.
- Jabal Akhdar needs a 4x4, and many rental contracts don’t cover driving off paved roads.
- On rural roads, watch for camels and goats — especially after dark.
When a private driver makes more sense
- Arriving at the airport: your driver meets you in arrivals, whatever the time and however late the flight.
- Mountains and desert: Jabal Akhdar, the Wahiba Sands, Bilad Sayt and Wakan need a 4x4 and someone who knows the way.
- Long days: a return trip to Jabal Shams or the Wahiba Sands can mean five hours or more behind the wheel.
- Business travel and events: the car waits outside meetings, and one driver follows the whole day’s plan.
- Families and groups: vans, minibuses and coaches carry everyone and the luggage together.
- Evenings out: no parking to find, and nobody has to drive.
A mix of both
Many visitors do both: they drive themselves around Muscat and along the coast, and book a driver for the airport, the mountains and the desert.
How hiring a driver works with us
Book a chauffeur by the hour (from 3 hours), for a half or full day or for several days, or book a private tour. The car and driver stay with you for the whole booking, wait at each stop and follow your plan. Send us your plan on WhatsApp or through the quick quote and we reply with a quote — there is nothing to pay until you confirm.
About this guide
Routxplore is a private chauffeur and tour company based in Muscat. Times are approximate and depend on traffic, the weather and your stops; ask us on WhatsApp for advice on your own plan.
Last updated: 29 September 2026
For confident drivers, yes: the main roads are modern and signposted in English and Arabic, and traffic drives on the right. Take care with speed limits, which are strictly enforced, and with animals on rural roads.
Only in a 4x4. A checkpoint on the mountain road turns other vehicles back.
It depends on the vehicle, the hours and the route. Compare it with a rental car, fuel, a 4x4 for the mountains and your time at the wheel. Ask us for a free quote on WhatsApp — there is nothing to pay until you confirm.
Yes. Multi-day bookings with the same chauffeur are available anywhere in Oman.
Three hours. Half days (4 hours), 6, 8, 10 and 12-hour days, and multi-day bookings are also available.