With soaringly hot temperatures even in Winter, Oman isn’t a country with any natural ski resorts. But if you feel the urge to unpack your skis and take to the slopes all is not lost.
While no enterprising spirit has yet built a artificial slope in Muscat, you’re only a short flight away from other artificial ski slopes. The easiest ski slope to get to from Oman is in Dubai. Daily flights leave from Muscat’s airport and the distance between the two gulf nations is short, meaning that it’s more than possible to take a few days out of a longer holiday to go skiing.
The artificial ski centre in Dubai offers 22,500 square metres of internal skiing and includes everything you’d expect from a ski resort from chair lifts to a large variety of runs. It’s one of the best artificial indoor ski resorts in the world and you might even forget that you’re indoors. The highlight of the resort is the 85 metre mountain which features five slopes, one of which is 400 metres long. Not content to rely on the five runs to bring in skiers, they’ve also included other highlights such as penguins and toboggan runs.
Those who prefer natural ski resorts to artificial snow will find the nearest resorts located in Iran, across the Persian gulf. The nearest is Sepidan Ski Resort in Fars which can be reached from either Iman or Shiraz airports. The elevation is is between 2605 to 2655 metres and the typical season runs from late December to the end of March when you’ll find snow covered peaks combined with the great sunshine this part of the world receives.
So while skiing in Oman may not be possible, it doesn’t mean those on holiday here have to go without as ski destinations are just a short flight away.
