Arabian Oryx Wildlife Sanctuary (Al Wusta)

Spanning the vast limestone and gravel desert plateau of Jiddat Al Harasis in Al Wusta governorate, the Arabian Oryx Sanctuary is a historic conservation landmark of global significance. It was here in the late 20th century that the Sultanate of Oman pioneered 'Operation Oryx', an internationally acclaimed captive breeding and reintroduction program that saved the iconic Arabian Oryx (Oryx leucoryx)—known locally as Al Maha—from global extinction in the wild. Today, several hundred majestic pure-white oryx with their long straight horns roam freely across the expansive desert plains alongside Arabian gazelles, sand gazelles, Nubian ibex, and desert hares. Sustained by morning coastal fogs rolling inland from the Arabian Sea, the sanctuary's acacia trees and hardy desert shrubs create a fragile yet resilient ecosystem. The sanctuary’s conservation and breeding center offers travelers an extraordinary encounter with one of Arabia’s most mythical sovereign animals.