Muscat on Foot: Corniche, Souq and Old Muscat

October 20, 2026

Travel advisory: Walkers should note that Oman has been pulled into the 2026 US-Iran conflict. The British government does not currently advise against travel to Oman, but it reports Iranian strikes and retaliation across the region since 8 July, with Oman named among the places affected, and it says terrorism cannot be ruled out. In the US, the State Department gives Oman a Level 3 “Reconsider Travel” rating, and its Yemen border area “Do Not Travel”. Muscat, its airport and its main sights are operating and no strike on the city is reported. If you are told to shelter, pick a room with few outside walls or windows, and leave any drone or missile debris alone. Read gov.uk advice on Oman and the travel.state.gov Oman page before booking and again before departure.

Muscat stretches along the coast for more than 60 km, and it is a car-and-taxi city. Walking is realistic only in a few small, self-contained areas, and there is no pedestrian link between them. Guided walking tours are limited, so the routes below are mostly self-guided. The Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque, Muttrah and Old Muscat are separate stops, and the mosque is 20 km or more from the other two by road. Costs are given in Omani rials (OMR), where one rial is roughly US$2.60.

Route 1: Muttrah harbour, souq and fort

Begin on the Corniche, the harbour promenade, which is at its best in late afternoon and evening.
Walk into the souq for frankincense, silver and textiles. Shops keep a morning session and an evening session with a gap at midday, and many close on Friday morning, so ask locally.
Look in at the Muttrah Fish Market, a modern waterfront building. Mornings are the time for it.
Climb to Muttrah Fort, open every day from 8 am to 11 pm. Non-resident tickets are OMR 3 for adults and OMR 2 for children. Its three round towers date from the Portuguese era and later Al Ya’rubi rebuilding. See the fort page .

Route 2: Old Muscat

This is a flat, compact area. Bait Al Zubair stands on Al Saidiya Street, close to the National Museum and the gates of Al Alam Palace.
The palace lets you look at the gates and forecourt only.
From the harbour edge you can see Al Mirani and Al Jalali forts. Al Mirani takes ticketed visitors every day, while Al Jalali’s interior is shut to the public.

Route 3: the C38 trail

The C38 links Riyam Park with Muttrah along rocky ground marked with yellow, orange and red stripes, passing an abandoned village. Quoted lengths range from 1.7 to 4 km, with a walking time of 1.5 to 2 hours. The path is steep and open to the sun, with nothing to shelter under and little chance of quick help if you fall. Go on a cool morning, tell someone where you are, and book your return, since the trail runs one way. Riyam Park has the large incense burner monument. See Hiking Project .

Route 4: Qurum promenade

The beach boardwalk at Shatti Al Qurum has cafes and is a gentle option at dusk. Qurum Beach and Qurum Natural Park charge no entry fee.

Staying safe on foot

Summer daytime highs are commonly over 40 degrees C, and extreme heat has caused deaths in Oman, so keep walks to dawn or dusk between May and September. Cover shoulders and knees, and ask people before you photograph them. Photographing some government buildings and military sites is illegal. During Ramadan, eating, drinking and smoking in public are off limits in daylight hours.

If you would rather have a guide, search Muscat walking tours .