My friend and I are active 60-plus-year-old women who enjoy traveling and immersing ourselves into the countries that we visit. We don’t want to just see a UNESCO site but want to meet the locals and see how they live…which is what we get when we use Wendy’s specialists.

On March 9, 2023 we flew to Muscat, Oman and traveled around Oman for about two weeks. We used Daniel Waters, who was EXCELLENT. He listened to what we wanted to see and experience and he or his office was with us via email, phone and/or text every day of our visit to Oman. These are the hotels we stayed at: Crowne Plaza Muscat Hotel, Sur Plaza Hotel, Sur, Desert Nights Camp, All Jabal Akhdar, The View, Al Bustan Palace and The W in Muscat. Highlights of our trip to Oman were: our guide Fahad, who we were with every day and again aimed to please. He heard I was a potter and took us to a pottery factory. He took us to his brother’s home for a typical Omani lunch and to see how they live. At this house we met his newborn niece and received the traditional gift of Frankincense. Fahad also took us to his friend’s home who was getting married that evening. We spent a few hours with the women in their traditional garb and experienced their welcome foods…dates, coffee, apples, oranges, chickpeas and other delicacies. We also went to a local family’s home for another typical Omani meal on the floor and got to speak with their children, a 4-year-old boy, and an 8-year-old girl, Jenna, who gave me one of her beautiful paintings, and her sister who was 11. The father worked in the Ministry and the wife worked in the travel business setting up trips for Omanis. Quite stimulating conversations! Fahad was actually off that night but surprised us to drive us to this home and have dinner with us. During our time with Fahad he not only explained the history of the forts and sites, but the Muslim faith practice and rituals. The role of the women, the reasoning behind the dressing of men and women, rituals of washing and praying, the preparation for Ramadan.

During our trip we visited souqs, fish markets, experienced the dhow-making process, lunched at the Chedi Hotel (a must!), visited mosques, learned about the Frankincense tree, swam in Hawiyat Najm Sink Hole (a must!), drove thru the wadis, learned about the date trees, photographed wild donkeys, had our feet ‘cleaned’ in the Sink Hole by the little fish, road camels in the desert, met and dressed like a bedouin woman, dune-bashed in Wahiba Sands, experienced a sand storm, saw how Kumas were made and purchased a few, played soccer with an eight-year-old local, saw goats climb trees, hiked, enjoyed a warm herbal compress massage at the Alila Hotel (our favorite hotel!), had an impromptu donkey ride, went grocery shopping at the Hyper Mart, and snorkeled with the sea turtles in Daymaniyat Islands (a must!). We felt so welcomed in Oman and felt that the Omani people were kind, interesting and curious about us. It was another WONDERFUL adventure using Wendy’s travel specialists!

Trip planners are so important in these kind of trips. We do a lot of research prior to our trips, so when we plan with the specialist we are the most efficient with our time. Oman is relatively new to tourism…first hotels were only built in 1970…but the properties we stayed at were lovely. Key factors for an AMAZING TRIP — a good travel planner, experienced guide with a passion for their country (as you are with them daily), always spend time with the locals…cause, hey, after a while the scenery looks the same but the connection to a local is priceless! And lastly be open for new experiences…as they could be the highlight of your adventure!

We booked a 9 day (8 night) trip to Jordan with Daniel. Daniel was a pleasure to deal with. He responded quickly to emails and provided a professional booking experience. The local guides Daniel arranged were excellent, except they were smokers, which is unavoidable in this part of the world.

Overall we enjoyed our trip to Jordan. We tried to experience more than just the main sights, however, the results were mixed. The main sights are spectacular and should not be missed, including Petra, Jerash, Wadi Rum and the Dead Sea. I won’t write about these, as there is plenty of information out there about them. Some of the other places we visited with comments about them are:

Homestay in Rasoun — Set up for group tours. Father ate with us but limited interaction with rest of the family. No opportunity to explore town or farm. Would skip.

Amman — spent 1 day and 1 night in Amman. It has more to offer than that. Would recommend 2 days to see less touristy aspects of the city. Would have loved to do a graffiti tour — there were some amazing murals we passed by. Also, this is the only place where non-touristy food options are widely available.

Dana Nature Reserve — Very dramatic landscape. Not much animal wildlife. The 18km hike is challenging. The distance is fine but it is over 1,000 meters descent, with most of the descent over the first couple of kilometers. My wife (who runs marathons) was fine, but my legs seized up the next day and I had to skip a few planned activities in Petra.

The food was good but repetitive. There was not much variety and at the tourist locations there were not many options other than those aimed at tourists. Amman was the exception.

Oman is on a number of lists of top 10 places to visit in 2022/2023, which initially attracted our interest. We’ve never been to the Middle East, let alone the Arabian Peninsula. Oman seemed more authentic than Dubai or Doha (and it was!!), so we decided to work with Daniel Waters and spend a week there in January 2023.

It is a beautiful country with welcoming people. The geography reminds us of the Southwestern U.S., especially parts of Arizona and Utah. The desert and stony mountains are beautiful, particularly with the wadis (oases) filled with date palms, and the coastline is spectacular. The mosques ae striking, with architecture befitting their desert location.

The biggest downside is the cost—Oman is not cheap. You can expect to spend $20 for lunch at simple roadside stops. We initially wondered whether a week would be enough time. It was perfect. This was a good trip, but it is not clear to us what makes it a top 10 destination. The country is a great introduction to Arabic countries and a deeply Muslim society.

We were told that self-driving might be difficult, so we worked with Dan, who hired a car and driver/guide and put together an itinerary with the help of their local partner company. There are countries where self-drive makes no sense because there are no street signs, the driving culture is alien, etc. Oman is not one of them. The roads are fantastic, English is on all the signs, and the driving (both in terms of side of the road and norms) is similar to what you would find in the U.S.

Having said that, you will miss a lot about the culture without a guide. We learned as much from our guide, Fahad, driving from site to site as we did at the sites. While you can absolutely do this on your own, you should have a guide if you want to do more than see the sights with a guidebook. Our guide was excellent, and he loved sharing his knowledge about the religion, the culture and sights. He even took us to meet his 75-year-old mother who lives with one of his brothers. We shared the ubiquitous dates and Omani coffee with some other family members as well. It was fascinating to see their home and way of life in a small town.

We spent 2 days sightseeing in Muscat. The Grand Mosque, the Souk, the Palace and the fish market were all worthwhile. Our plans to go snorkeling at the Dimaniyat Islands on day two were thwarted by heavy winds.

A highlight of our trip was the dinner that Dan arranged at the home of a local family in Muscat, and we are so glad that he did. It was a great opportunity to meet ordinary folks, which can be hard while traveling. The food was great, and the conversation was better. We learned a lot about how Omanis live and organize their lives. If this is an option, take it.

After leaving Muscat, we spent our first two days going to wadis and touring the coastline. The wadis are fascinating because you get to see how people carved a living out of an unforgivingly hot and arid climate. Wadi Shaib gets a lot of press, but we found it little more than a nice walk up a canyon. The weather was too cold to swim as one usually does there, but it didn’t look like much water in which to swim; it is being pumped out for agriculture (dates and bananas). In contrast, we drove a long way up into Wadi Tiwi and were able to see the villages and agriculture that grew up around the scarce water source. The following day as we drove inland to Sharqiyah Sands, we stopped at Wadi Bani Khalid, which was our favorite. It has a great pool for swimming and a nice hike along the waterway that supplies it. One of the fun parts was seeing all the Omani families camping and picnicking along the shoreline.

We did the obligatory trip to the dunes and are unsure whether it was worth it. We spent one night at 1000 Nights in the Sharqiyah Sands and visited a Bedouin winter home. We did not go to the Empty Quarter. Seeing the dunes is interesting, but you might want to pass if you’ve seen dunes before. Better yet, go see the sands and then spend the night elsewhere so you’ve got a head start on the next day. The best thing about 1000 Nights is that they’ve got a herd of oryx next to camp. The cabins are fine. They also offer activities, like ATV rentals and camel rides, but the prices are ridiculous/prohibitive. The food was meh.

One of the trip’s highlights was our stay at the Alila Jabal Akhdar, which may have one of the most beautiful settings of hotels we’ve ever seen. It is perched on the edge of a cliff overlooking a deep ravine. Like much of Oman, it is reminiscent of the U.S. Southwest, with beautiful rock formations and mountains. The altitude offers a great escape from the heat (though we were there in winter, and it was quite cold—it even rained on us). The restaurant is excellent. This is not a cheap adventure, but if you’re looking to pamper yourself, this fits the bill.

Dan arranged a hike to the Lost Villages, 500-year-old villages that were abandoned, one as recently as 1996. The houses are constructed of rock and mud and provide real insight into what life must have been like in medieval Oman. Or even just before 1970 when the late Sultan Qaboos came to power. The views on the hike are amazing, but it is not for the weak of heart. It is about 15,000 steps and 110 “floors” over terrain with lots of loose rocks and, in some places, not much of a trail. It took about 4.5 hours. Going down can be tough on the knees and going up involves gaining 600 meters of altitude via a rock scramble. Indeed, you have to watch where you put your feet so much that you need to remember to stop and enjoy the view. We loved it, but you need to be in good shape.

We spent another day in the Nizwa area, seeing the souq, visiting al Hamra (a village with rock and mud houses) set amidst a beautiful date grove, and Jabreen Castle. This was a great day.

Note to those who enjoy a nightcap: Alcohol can only be found at the fancier hotels, and it is VERY expensive. Typically, we forego duty-free because the prices aren’t that good, and beer or wine is available, even in Muslim countries. Oman is different. If you really would like to end the day with a drink, then you should seriously consider bringing your own. Or decide to have a dry trip. Either way, you’ll have a great time.

Our trip to Oman was a great experience—a place that we would like to go back to. The first week of our trip was on our own and the rest was with Dan.

The trip itinerary that Dan created for us based on our interests gave us a full and varied experience of Oman. We arrived just at the beginning of the tourist season (our trip was Sept 8th to 16th), which allowed us to fully enjoy the country without bumping into hordes of tourist.

From kitesurfing on the island of Masirah to watching the sunset in the desert at Wahiba Sands, a morning camel ride to hiking in the canyon of Jebel Shams, and wrapping up our trip with dolphin watching and snorkeling: These are just a few of the major highlights on this trip.

Oman is a beautiful and historic country, and we were able to experience this with the itinerary that Dan put together for us. I would definitely recommend Dan.

PANDEMIC TRAVEL  Just returned from a 3-week trip to Jordan and Israel planned by Jonny Bealby and Dan Waters. We have been using Wendy Perrin’s recommendations for many years and Jonny and Dan did not disappoint. Our initial consultation was with both of them, after which Dan handled our entire trip. We started planning the trip in 2019 and due to the pandemic did not travel until this May. Dan and his team hung in with us for almost three years until we were able to go. At last count we had over 400 emails fine tuning, changing, adjusting the trip. It was well worth the wait! We had some challenges due to the covid protocols, especially in Israel. I won’t go into detail because the covid restrictions were lifted the day after we arrived and hopefully no one will have to deal with them again. The trip exceeded our expectations. The sights were incredible, the guides knowledgable, food delicious. One of the joys of small-group travel is being able to change and adjust as needed. The guides that Dan selected were outstanding. Ready to make changes if the drives were too long or we wanted to stay longer in one place. The accommodations were excellent. The only issue we had was with the American Colony Hotel in Jerusalem. We were travelling with one couple who, since we booked in 2019, has mobility issues. The comfort rooms at the American Colony are very small and the bathrooms have the old-time tubs that made it impossible for him to shower. Dan’s team was on it and we were upgraded to one of the larger and more spacious rooms. I don’t recommend the comfort rooms to anyone, mobility issues or not. One of the best experiences that Dan put together for us was a stay at the Bedu Discovery Camp in Wadi Rum. Unfortunately, Wadi Rum is getting very crowded with camps. But Discovery has only 6 tents so you really get the feel for the desert. Even better, we were the only 2 couples in the camp that night. The staff set up a fire in front of the dining tent and we were able to have our evening drinks overlooking the amazing desert landscape. Both dinner and breakfast were excellent. Dan picked the Kempinski Hotel for our night in the Dead Sea area. Beautiful hotel and setting. After going into the Dead Sea from the hotel’s private beach, you are treated to mud being spread over your entire body, after 10 minutes you go back into the water to get the mud off, then salt scrub is spread over your body followed by a rinse. Fun and relaxing. I would have stayed a second night there before the frenetic pace of Israel. We had major hassles crossing the border, nothing that Dan could have prevented. After the very positive experiences in Jordan we found Israel to overall be much less welcoming. The sights were interesting although a bit overwhelming some days. It was important for us that we had a local guide that made adjustments as needed. He was always aware of any potential marches or disturbances and we changed our visits when necessary. I think this is very important in Israel given the potential for unrest. In Israel we also liked the Scots Hotel in Tiberius. Beautiful, historic hotel overlooking the Sea of Galilee. Stayed there 2 nights and would have liked to stay another. The days in Israel are very full and there wasn’t a lot of down time by the time you got back to the hotel. The town is very appealing and would have liked more time to explore on our own. Once again, another great trip from one of Wendy’s recommendations. I would highly recommend Dan Waters for Middle East travel.

PANDEMIC TRAVEL Oman is a total gem that was a fun and different adventure!
Nov 25-Dec 7, 2021
We reached out to Dan Waters back in August 2020, and honestly, I found him a joy to work with. Very responsive, personal, suggestive – just a relatable, super nice person! Oman is not on everyone’s radar, and it isn’t easy to research all the options of what to see and do, and he put together an absolutely perfect trip for myself and husband. He made sure we had all the latest intel on Covid requirements and answered all my endless questions (bathroom situation, souvenirs to buy, respectful clothing to wear, where to get booze, etc). We LOVED Oman and cannot recommend it enough. It’s like a young Morocco in terms of not being very touristy…yet. Of course, like everyone else, our trip was touch-and-go as to whether it would happen, but nothing cancelled on us, and we tested negative, so off we went. We had 1 driver the entire trip and basically did Muscat, the desert, the ocean/island scene, the mountains and back to Muscat. Every vignette was very different from the last. People are extremely nice. It is a bit of driving, BUT compared to horrible Uganda roads, Oman roads/infrastructure are very good, and driving the desert “highway” is super cool and even the one-way dirt mountain road is interesting and fun. Our favorite parts actually were the drives. It really is a beautiful country – the wadis, the desert, the mountains, the ocean, the beach – it really does have it all. In regards to Covid, it’s our 2nd big trip during these times, so I’m not sure what really stood out. Oman has done fairly well, follows all the same protocols (sanitize, masks, etc) we felt safe. The only hiccup that is on us completely, is on day 1 our driver said he was fine if we all wanted to not wear our masks in the car. Honestly, rookie mistake that we are just all so tired of wearing masks that we jumped at the chance and told ourselves, yeah, we are in a bubble with our driver. BUT we should have not let our guard down and held firm to wear masks in the car because towards the end of our trip he started sniffling and had gotten a cold (we tested negative 3 times after for Covid, so it was just a cold) but then I got a cold (confirmed from testing) BUT the stress is not what you want to deal with when travelling. The bottom line – do not let your guard down during these Covid times. He was totally fine to wear a mask in the car once we said we wanted us all to. Another bottom line – we would not have been able to organize this trip on our own and it was a relief knowing you have someone watching your back and is there should you need them. We also LOVED the Chedi hotel in Muscat so much that we are looking for future opportunities in our travel schedule to just “pop” in!

Our trip to Jordan was planned with Daniel Waters who is on Jonny’s team. He was available immediately during the entire planning stage and was responsive to all my concerns and requests. He knew I was a bit concerned about the issues in the Middle East and right before the trip suggested we have the same guide during the entire trip. This was a perfect solution and ended up being really important when my husband got sick while we were beginning our hike at Dana.

Our guide, Tehar and driver, George were phenomenal and we consider them our friends and hope to visit them again.

They were both so knowledgeable and answered all our questions about the country, the people etc. We found Jordan and the people to be warm., welcoming and every part of the trip was spectacular.

I had used Dan Waters of Jonny’s team quite successfully for two previous trips (Jordan and Oman) so when we were planning for Israel it was a no-brainer to return. Dan did not disappoint. We again spoke on the phone, discussed our interests and what we wanted to do. He put together an itinerary which, after some minor adjustments, we committed to. The itinerary was excellent. We arrived in Tel Aviv, met our driver (Hani) who took us to our first hotel. The next morning, at the agreed upon 8:00 am departure, we met our guide (Medhat Aburemaileh). Both the driver and guide were on top of their game. Having taken 6 previous WOW trips, I know how important it is to have a good relationship with both the driver and the guide. As you spend so much of your day with them, they become almost like family. Hani was an excellent, professionally cautious driver; Medhat was knowledgeable, informative, and provided all appropriate insight when needed. The itinerary was packed full but these two gentleman made it work. When, during the trip we had to make adjustments, Dan Waters was always available – even on weekends – to make recommendations. We had some contact with Dan’s local agent, Dalia; she helped coordinate some of the adjustments we made. The accommodations recommended were all top notch and very much to our liking. The pacing was as depicted but as we are getting older, we find that we will need to build in a little more down time. We covered all the highlights of Israel: from Tel Aviv in the west to the Dead Sea and Masada in the east; from the Sea of Galilee in the north to Jerusalem in the south. All with extensive narration from Medhat which kept us apprised of history, culture and the politics of Israel. An itinerary of any level of complexity has lots of moving parts; it requires many layers of coordination, timing, expertise and an extensive knowledge of all available options. Our journey back in time was extremely well coordinated, meticulously organized, and professionally executed.

Jonny, who has to be one of the most responsive individuals I’ve ever worked with in travel, and his team were great to work with. They put together a good itinerary on fairly short notice that reflected our interests.

Our guide and driver were fabulous, and they led us to see the great scenery and experience the wonderful hospitality of Pakistan. The local partner, however, was pretty adamant about sticking to the itinerary, so making sudden changes that may have been more in line with our interests wasn’t encouraged.

Great strides have been made in the security situation and we never thought twice about safety issues.

To be sure, Pakistan is still in the early stages of developing tourist infrastructure for foreign visitors, so certain comforts and conveniences aren’t always available. But for the more adventurous traveler desiring to experience an exciting place that is still off the tourist map (it’s not going to stay this way) and who won’t get rattled when things don’t always go as planned, Jonny and his team are the right ones to take you there.

We were so delighted with our Jordan trip last year, arranged by Dan on Jonny’s team, that we solicited Dan’s assistance again with our February trip to Oman. As usual, we conversed, told Dan what we were looking for, our physical limitations and our desired level of accommodations.

He assembled a varied list of things to see and do subject to our approval. Over several detailed collaborations we solidified an itinerary that both met our financial pocketbook as well as offering a cultural diversity we needed having seen many of Oman’s highlights on a previous trip.

The itinerary was well paced, efficient and varied; it met all our expectations. The local guide, Adil, the accommodations and transportation were all just right.

Dan was always available and responsive in order to resolve any bumps in the road, offer alternative suggestions where appropriate and answer any pressing questions we had. Truly a pleasurable and enriching experience.

Jonny and his team organized and managed approximately two weeks in the middle of an around-the-world trip. This project was unconventional and complex, and we were very impressed –  they were a 5 out of 5.

The first phase of working with them was to determine where to go, given our start and end dates, time of year (summer in the northern hemisphere), etc.  In this respect Jonny and Nathan were thoughtful in proposing options, patient and thorough in answering our questions, and helpful, patient partners as our travels were bespoke and did not follow a normal pattern.

Once we decided on a general itinerary–in India, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Thailand–Jonny and Nathan talked us through the pros/cons and considerations of various side trips and such.  For example, one goal was to minimize packing and unpacking and use more of a hub-and-spoke approach.  This was all handled with thoughtful care.

Once our travel started, the logistics were flawless.  We traveled through four countries, a dozen cities, with countless connection points along the way and not one missed connection.  The only glitch I can recall was arriving in Vietnam without extra passport photos.  I’m sure that was buried somewhere in the documents, and the handler they organized for us solved the problem for $4 USD.

My impression of our handling was so positive and precise that I wonder if we were labeled as VIPs at every stop and if that type of execution is repeatable?  It was that good!

We especially enjoyed the more unusual aspects of our trip.  These included a bike tour of the Hidden Temple, a seaplane route out to Ha Long Bay, a cooking lesson in Jaipur, and a hike through the countryside outside of the Amber and another in Agra.  These excursions made the trip particularly special and engaging for us.

Our guides at each location were exceptionally helpful, diligent and accommodating.  Most were informative but in several cases, their English was good but not great.  I did ask Jonny and Nathan about upgrading guide quality prior to departure and not sure the request could be accommodated. In each case, our guide was an excellent guide, but in some cases could have been better historicists. As you know, there is a very wide range in guide quality and it makes a big difference when a guide speaks perfect English, can pick up on the nuances in your questions, and tells detailed and interesting historical stories as opposed to just standard facts.  As I mentioned, in each case, they were incredibly kind, accommodating, and helpful – just perhaps missing that wow factor.

The other unusual request we made was access to local experts or academics.  Our emphasis was on history, economics, business, politics, geopolitics, etc.  Jonny and his team made every effort to connect us with relevant parties.

Bottom line, based on our experience I would be very comfortable recommending Jonny and his team and would certainly utilize them again.

About nine months ago, based on our request for information for a round-the-world trip, you referred us to Jonny Bealby for the Jordan and India portions of our trip. At that time, you said you were considering adding Jonny to your WOW list. We just completed both those portions and wanted to update you on our experience.

Jonny, Nigel, and everyone else on their team were fantastic. They listened to everything we had to say and then set up an itinerary for both countries that met our likes, requirements, and budget. The guides and drivers they provided were outstanding. All were very knowledgeable, friendly, and courteous. As far as we were concerned we had the best guides and drivers that were available. Everyone made us feel very welcome. They all treated us like royalty.

The hotels were excellent. All were upscale, well maintained, and in central locations. The hotel staff everywhere were incredible. Well trained, efficient, and very friendly.

We would definitely use Jonny and his staff for future travel. In fact, they would be our first choice. We can’t thank you enough for recommending them. They deserve to be included on your next WOW list.

Our trip to Jordan was excellent. Planning began with an initial phone call. Putting everything on the table enabled us collectively to arrive at a very compatible itinerary. No itinerary goes off without a hitch. Mine had three but, in each one, Jonny’s colleague Dan was immediately available with a viable solution. Communication throughout was excellent and immediate. The pacing of the itinerary was perfect for us, enabling us to see everything we needed to see in a most comfortable fashion.

We were escorted through the arrival and departure process, visas were acquired for us on the spot upon our arrival, hotels recommended were all high quality, and the guide was always with us through check-in, the next day’s itinerary was always reviewed the night before and summarized the morning of. Water and WiFi was always available in the car. We were daily exposed to the local culture, customs, and culinary delights.

Driver and guide were free to be serendipitous, adjusting for weather issues to maximize our experience. The guide, Mohammed, was knowledgeable, engaging, informative and helpful with any request, eg., we needed a watch battery and within minutes he had the watch repaired.

This was not our first use of a Wendy Perrin recommended travel agent and thus I am able to say that, without hesitation, this experience is right up there with all the others at the top of the charts.

Dan on Jonny’s team was a joy to work with. I felt he was, along with his Jordanian partners, monitoring our every move to make sure all was going as planned.