Best Adventure Experience in Doha, Qatar:
Desert Dune Bashing
Lovely Doha.
She’s a perfectly manicured, oasis city just waiting to be explored. Whether you’re vacationing, passing through on a long layover or visiting for work…If there’s only one thing you do during your time in Doha, go experience the desert. It will be a dune bashing, camel riding, sand surfing experience of a lifetime.
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Let's Adventure!
We were a little apprehensive at first. As a family from the land of lush green (too short) summers and snowy (too long) winters, a desert setting seemed the equivalent of an alien planet. Our hesitation dissolved when we were able to book our desert excursion directly through the spectacular hotel staff at The Sheraton Doha – Resort and Convention Hotel instead of taking a chance and “guessing” which guide service looked the most reputable. The hotel offered up an excursion through Qatar International Tours and we could not have been happier with the results.
Our lovely guide “Taj” showed up right on time in our hotel lobby. He was dressed professionally and driving a well maintained white Toyota Land Cruiser. It was a quick 45 minute drive through the city. At our first stop, a fit of giggles erupted from my kids when they took in the sight of a large train of camels. When Taj asked us if we wanted to head out for a short camel ride (for a small extra fee, of course), you can guess what the answer was
We’re happy we did because some pretty epic family photos were produced during this escapade (Insert additional giggle fits when my husband discovered that he was assigned the sassy camel who liked to sniff the other camels butts.)
We loved our camel visit, but when we returned to the Land Rover and discovered Taj letting a significant amount of air out of the vehicles tires, we knew the real fun was about to begin.
Dune Bash!
Our guide started small, unsure of how the kids would react. When he clearly perceived that that my kids wanted the vehicle to do a literal back flip he turned the driving on full blast. So, off we went:
Sliding sideways, music blasting down a forty five-degree angled, one hundred-foot sand dune…
…hitting 70 mph on the flat dunes, watching the sands steak by…
…another planet indeed.
We laughed so hard. I can’t use any audio from the videos I took because everyone sounds so ridiculous. Part of what made this enjoyment possible was that we quietly noted the safety measures taken by driver to keep us safe. For example, we traveled in a group with two vehicles. If one became stuck, the other could assist. Taj was obviously trained specifically to navigate the dunes. The driver in the second vehicle we found out later was Taj’s driving mentor. Despite the seemingly impossible attempts Taj made to conquer those dunes, we never felt unsafe.
The result….
The Inland Sea
We blissfully continued bashing our way through the desert to our next location, the beach of Khawr al Udayd (In English: The Inland Sea). The area is a UNESCO-recognized natural reserve, unique due to its sandy dunes descending directly into the salty blue sea. After the excitement of the afternoon it was very nice taking some quiet moments to look out across the water and take in the the mountains of Saudi Arabia in the distance.
Sand Surfing
Our last stop of the day was at the Qatar International Tours Desert Camp. The crew there was waiting with cold drinks for us. They offered up the chance to partake in some sand surfing. While this certainly was a unique experience, as a family of avid skiers we found the lack of downhill speed to be a bit lacking. Could this have something to do with sandy friction? We were not too disappointed though. We still consider this experience “bucket list” worthy material.
In conclusion...
We absolutely recommend a guided trip into the desert. Qatar International Tours (QIT) did a spectacular job of hosting our family. With Doha being a major gateway between the East and West, long layovers seem to be a common occurrence. If you find yourself with a few hours to spare while in Doha, make sure to take full advantage of this opportunity. The tour company even offers airport pickup and drop off! We hope you enjoy this experience as much as we did.
Care to bash some dunes yourself?
Check out these recommended resources to book an amazing desert excursion for yourself:
- Qatar International Tours: Reviews on Trip Advisor
- Book Qatar International Half-Day Tour: Get Your Guide Desert Tour (Half)
- Book Qatar International Full-Day Tour: Get Your Guide Desert Tour (Full)
Here are some additional items I recommend having while visiting the desert:
Insulated Water Bottle
Did you know that Americans are obsessed with cold drinks? (I was blissfully unaware until I started traveling outside the United States where ice in your drink is not an assumed addition.) To stay cool, take along an insulated water bottle filled to the brim with ice from your hotel and just add water throughout the day. This will help keep you cool in the desert heat!
Yoga Sandals
The sand is HOT and it gets in your shoes as you're getting in and out of the vehicle. These yoga sandals were a great solution! They will keep your feet cool and happy so you can concentrate on the landscape.
Lightweight Scarf
In Doha, it is customary for women to keep their shoulders and knees covered while in public. Our hotel told us it is acceptable for everyone to wear shorts into the desert but I recommend bringing a light, simple scarf like this one incase you quickly need to cover up. It will also keep the sun off you!
Thank you for visiting!
Please know that some of the links on this site are affiliate links.
When you click on the link and make a purchase, I earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
You can click here for our full Privacy Policy & Affiliate Disclosures.