Muscat: A septuagenarian is among the 40 French-based Grand Lyon Harley Davidson Club bikers, who roared into Oman on Wednesday evening to go on a 2000km journey — dubbed as ‘Incense Route Rally'.
"The bikers from the Grand Lyon Harley Davidson Club are excited about Oman," Jamal Reffat, General Manager of Muscat Desert Challenge, told media just after the French bikers made their first stop at the Left Bank lounge in Qurum district of Muscat.
Warm welcome
Jamal praised the Royal Oman Police (ROP) for extending a warm welcome to the bikers at the Hatta border and completing the visa formalities in quick time.
"The bikers arrived by Emirates to Dubai and their machines arrived by ship at the Jebel Ali Port," he revealed.
After zigzagging for five days across Oman's scenic topography, including Jebel Akdhar, the Lyon-based bikers will proceed to Fujairah for a journey through UAE that will go over 1000-kms.
According to Jamal, the charismatic founder of the Grand Lyon Harley Davidson Club, Jean-Marc Chapel, had toured Oman earlier to map out the route for the Incense Rally.
"We do have sponsors to back up this adventure but at the same time each biker would spend around 7000 Euros (3,505 Omani riyals) for this rally that coincides with the Muscat Festival."
Jamal said that Ministry of Tourism in Oman had extended support for this adventure.
"We would like to make this an annual event but it will all depend on how successful our first attempt is," he added.
Besides France, the biker-contingent includes members from other Francophone countries namely Switzerland, Canada and Belgium with 10 of the 40-member group being female, some of whom are accompanying their spouses.
First in the Middle East
The event — the first of its kind in the Middle East — is part of a wider Arabian rally that began in Dubai on February 11 and ends back there again on February 21, after leisurely halts in a number of delightful tourist locales across the border in Oman.
The entire 10-day-long rally is dubbed ‘The Incense Route' because of the rich Omani frankincense heritage associated with the destinations covered during the rally.
"The ROP have also provided us with escort car throughout out five-day stay here in Oman," Jamal said.
In Oman the voyage started from Sohar as the bikers enjoyed cruising through the Batinah region on their iconic two-wheelers. The riders first touched at the historic town of Rustaq via Nakhal with its imposing hilltop fort.
Picturesque
Thursday the bikers have headed eastward to enjoy the picturesque landscapes of Sharqiyah region, as they set out for the charming coastal village of Ajyah. En route, they will make brief stopovers at tourist hotspots, such as at Wadi Bani Khalid and in Sur, for a flavour of the country's varied holiday appeal.
After an overnight pit-stop in Sur, the two-wheeler motorcade will head back to Muscat Friday, riding along the new coastal road, allowing for panoramic views of the Arabian Sea. In the capital, the visitors will drive through the historic quarter of Muscat before proceeding to Jabal Sifah for the night stop.
On Saturday, the riders roar on towards Oman's tourist heartland of the interior region. Crisscrossing this enchanting landscape, they'll pause briefly at historical landmarks in Nizwa, Jabrin and Birkat al Mauz, Jabel Akdhar among other attractions.
The group bids goodbye to Oman on Sunday when they head to Fujairah for the final leg of their ‘Incense Route' odyssey. "The entire 2000-kms journey will be shown on French television channel ‘Liberty TV'," said Jamal, adding that cameras are fitted on some of the bikes for recording the journey as it happens.
