Qatar is well known for its towering skyscrapers, luxury hotels, and impressive feats of engineering that have enabled the cosmopolitan city of Doha to spring up in the middle of the desert. Common preconceptions lead many visitors to believe that a large proportion of their time in Qatar is likely to be spent inside air-conditioned buildings to escape the powerful heat of the sun. However, it might surprise you to discover that there is actually a plethora of exciting outdoor adventures to take part in, unique landscapes to explore, and extraordinary experiences to pursue outside of the constraints of the urban environment.
While 92% of the Qatari population reside within the capital, it’s easy to see that their hearts lie elsewhere. During evenings, weekends, and holidays, expats and locals alike give in to the magnetic draw of the waters and deserts of the country, flocking out of the city. They are at their happiest when amongst ancient landscapes, partaking in the centuries-old traditions that give Qatar its fascinating culture and memorable identity.
Adrenaline-pumping Desert Adventures
The untouched, undulating dunes and diverse landscapes of Qatar’s desert are a spectacle to behold. This tranquil and barren environment has a unique kind of beauty, particularly at sunrise and sunset, when the famous Arabian sun reflects off the pale sand, creating scenes that have inspired many poets and artists over the years. Juxtapose this beautiful space and serenity with the addition of an adrenaline-pumping sport, and you have a recipe for a whole lot of fun.
Hire a 4WD with an experienced driver for the day to explore the desert to the southwest of the city. They will take you on a breathtaking white-knuckle ride known as dune bashing, driving up and down steep inclines at pace, with sand whipping at the windows of the vehicle. You’ll stop at the inland sea called Khor Al Adaid, a UNESCO-recognized natural reserve, which, with its towering golden sand dunes bordering pure white beaches and sparkling clear water, is a great vantage point for a photo. Here, you can also peer over the border at Saudi Arabia.
Longer tours often combine a morning and evening of dune bashing, with an afternoon experience at a traditional Bedouin camp, sand skiing, sandboarding, and camel riding. Qatar International Tours has an impressive range of desert safaris available.
If you would prefer a different experience, then Doha Bus has several alternative options for your hair-raising desert adventure. Go dune bashing aboard a monster bus or don helmets and become a passenger on a dune buggy, with a guided tour complete with headsets, followed by an adrenaline-fueled dune bashing experience just inches from the sand.
Water Sports in Unique Settings
There’s no better way to view Doha’s stunning skyline than from the water, and for an authentic experience, this just has to be done aboard a traditional dhow. These handmade wooden boats are an important part of Qatari heritage, traditionally used for fishing and pearl diving. They look equally majestic gliding over the sparkling sea during the day as they do when lit up with colorful neon lights at night.
Head to the Corniche, where a number of dhows are moored at regular intervals, offering short rides out onto the Gulf, lasting 45 minutes to an hour. Alternatively, you can opt for a half-day experience with Arabian Adventures, which includes refreshments, a BBQ, and a stop at Safliya Island.
For a more hands-on water sports experience, try stand-up paddleboarding around the impressive horseshoe-shaped, yacht-filled marina at Qatar’s manmade island, The Pearl with Club Blue Pearl. Alternatively, head north of the city to the mangroves of Al Thakira, where you can kayak around the intricate waterways that attract a variety of birdlife, including herons and flamingos, with Aquasports Qatar.
Animal Encounters
Animals are a huge part of the country’s culture, and this passion is visible in the Qataris’ devotion to various animal-based sports, particularly horse racing, camel racing, and falcon hunting. Visitors have the opportunity to witness and even take part in some of these sports if they desire.
Qatar Foundation’s Equestrian Centre, Al Shaqab, is a great place to start. The sprawling stables and training site focus on improving the quality of Arabian show horses and preserving the breed by continuing the lineage of Qatar’s finest. They offer tours of their facilities, enabling you to meet some of the stunning horses housed there and witness them in action as they train with world-class riders and handlers.
A little further outside the city, at Al Shahaniya Racetrack, you can drive alongside camels as they race with mini robots attached to their humps. Alternatively, head to the resting stables to see the camels up close and capture some great photo opportunities.
For immersive horse show and camel riding experiences, visit Doha Bus, where they have a range of interactive tours that allow you to get up close and personal with these majestic creatures.
Exploring Qatari Culture and Tradition
A little more than 50 years ago, Qatar looked very different from today’s landscape. The country’s heritage is founded on nomadic Bedouin tribes who lived off the land, caught fish from the sea, and dove for pearls. For a taste of what life was like before the bright lights of the city rose from the desert, a variety of tour operators, such as Falcon Tours, offer a magical night in the desert at a traditional Bedouin-style camp beneath the stars.
For a day visit, it’s worth making the trip to the untouched western edge of the country, where the unusual limestone rock formations of Ras Abrouk, sculpted slowly by the prevailing wind, jut out of the ground at captivating angles. Climbing atop this terrain offers an impressive view of the Qatar Peninsula; the very same vantage point that the country’s forebears used to scan the land for the perfect spot to pitch their tents decades ago. Today, in the same location, you can find Richard Serra’s East-West/West-East sculpture, commenting on isolation and the passage of time.
If you are willing to venture outside of Doha, often across rugged terrain and desert, a wealth of historical sites are waiting to be explored. Some notable examples include the Al Zubara Fort, a UNESCO World Heritage site, which is one of the best preserved and most extensive examples of an 18th-19th century settlement in the region; the Barzan Towers, built in the village of Umm Salal Mohammed between 1910 and 1916; Al Wajba Fort, the site of a famous battle built in the late 18th century; and the Al Jassasiya rock carvings (all 874 of them!), which date back to Neolithic times.
