Desert safaris from Doha

Make the most of your visit to Qatar on a desert safari from Doha, enjoying fun activities like camel riding, sandboarding and dune bashing.

Famous for its sunny skies and arid climate all year round, Doha is the perfect place for your desert vacation. For the complete Qatar experience, you can also combine your desert safari with a city tour of the ultramodern Doha itself.

Go on thrilling drives along Qatar’s coast and off-road trails into the desert in an air-conditioned 4x4. Visit unique places like Khor Al-Adaid (Inland Sea), a UNESCO-listed nature reserve on the Qatar-Saudi Arabia border.

Traverse the undulating desert dunes where, in the old days, Bedouin tribes also moved to set up camp to engage in trade. Marvel at the breathtaking sunrises and sunsets, feel the special desert ambiance, and discover another world.

Here's all you need to know about desert safari, one of the most exhilarating outdoor activities in Doha.

What are the best desert safaris from Doha?

Most desert safaris from Doha involve camel riding, sandboarding or sand surfing, and dune bashing. Some offer other outdoor activities to make the most of your desert adventure.  

Sunrise desert safari

This desert safari from Doha offers you a glorious desert sunrise, camel riding, fun on the sand dunes and some of Qatar’s spectacular natural attractions.

Your journey starts with a hotel pickup before leaving for the huge desert dunes for a dune-bashing stint with a private guide.

You will pass by the industrial city of Mesaieed, 36 kilometers south of Doha, on the way to the Inland Sea. It's a UNESCO nature reserve that forms the natural border with Saudi Arabia.

Here, you can enjoy lovely views, which is the ideal stopover for taking photographs. You will stop at Sealine Beach to watch the beautiful sunrise before the 4X4 vehicle takes you into the desert on a dune-bashing trip.

You will plow through the huge desert dunes and then stop at the camel farm for photographs and a leisurely camel ride. After your memorable desert sunset safari, you will be transported back to Doha and dropped off at your hotel.

Sunset desert safari plus Inland Sea

This popular desert safari around Doha offers you an exciting variety of activities during your trip and ends watching a magnificent Qatar sunset.

You will be picked up from your hotel in Doha and driven directly to the desert in an air-conditioned 4X4 vehicle. Your desert tour will start off with an adrenaline-pumping session of dune bashing.

With the dune surface continually shifting, your driver will skillfully take you sliding over the dunes in a thrilling ride.

You can then test your skill in sandboarding, as you strap your feet onto a board and surf down the sand dunes for more thrills and spills.

Then get onto a colorfully decorated camel’s back at the camel desert camp for a leisurely ride, while taking in the breathtaking desert environment.

Your desert safari finally ends with a visit to the Inland Sea on the Qatar-Saudi Arabia border, where you can marvel at the glorious sunset, highlighting this unique landscape where the sea and desert meet.

It offers a great opportunity to capture some striking photographs before your guide takes you back to your hotel in Doha.

Half-day desert safari with falconry

Swap the city scenery for the enchanting landscapes of the desert on this eventful private safari from Doha, enjoying various desert activities. The tour is limited to six people for a more personalized experience.

You will travel by 4-wheel drive, skirting the coast, then into the desert for some dune bashing, one of the famous jeep tours in Doha, with your driver maneuvering sideways down the dunes.

For more dune fun, you can test your sandboarding skills, or go on an easy-paced camel ride for an extra fee.

Your next stop is the Inland Sea, where you can have a break at the desert camp, which is one of a few sites in the world where ocean and desert meet. Located about 60 kilometers from Doha, it is inaccessible by road and can only be reached by crossing the desert dunes.

The reserve accommodates several species of rare and endangered fauna, such as turtles and migrant waterfowl. You can also see the graceful Arabian gazelles, as well as the ospreys of the islets hovering over the water hunting for fish.

Your desert safari finishes at the Persian Gulf inlet and settlement of Khor Al Udaid Beach on the Saudi Arabian border.  At the end of your fascinating tour, you will be transported back to your hotel in Doha.

Desert safari with quad bike

Enjoy hours of fun and beautiful scenery on this delightful desert safari from Doha. Your package includes a quad tour, dune bashing, sandboarding and camel riding. You will be driven from your hotel in Doha to the desert, where you will be met by grand scenery.

You will kick off your desert adventure with a thrilling quad bike trip across the dunes. Then buckle up for a dune-bashing session in a 4-wheel drive vehicle. Feel the adrenaline rush as your driver speeds over and slides sideways down the dunes.

Your next session of fun is your sandboarding experience, strapped to the sandboard and skidding down from the high desert dunes. At the camel camp, you will get a final taste of the feeling of the Qatar desert.

Get on the back of one of these iconic “ships of the desert” and ride around in the unique desert scenery. Your tour will finish after your camel ride, and you will be driven back to your place of accommodation in Doha

Private night desert safari

On this private desert safari from Doha, you will experience the Qatar desert at night – a tour with a difference, avoiding daytime heat and crowds.

You will be picked up at your hotel or the airport and, with darkness approaching, be driven past Mesaieed, known for its oil refineries. On reaching Sealine Beach, you will visit the camel camp and enjoy a leisurely camel ride.

You will then be entertained on a riveting night-time dune bashing trip, followed by a stint of sandboarding down the dunes.

Your last stop is at the Inland Sea, where you will enjoy the magnificence of the star-lit Qatar sky and the peace and tranquility of the surrounding desert. After this memorable night-time desert safari, you will be transported back to your selected hotel in Doha.

Private half-day desert safari plus Inland Sea

This private safari from Doha exploring the enchanting Qatar desert will open an exciting world of adventure for you, away from the crowds. You can choose different departure times for easier scheduling of the safari into your holiday.

You will be picked up in Doha before your tour starts with the unique experience of camel riding and enjoying tea at the Sealine Beach camel camp. From the back of these "ships of the desert," you will have a grand view of the surrounding Qatar desert.

Next, your desert safari driver will take you on an off-road trip in a 4x4 vehicle for the thrill of dune bashing. You will have a pause to enjoy a stint of sandboarding from the dune heights.  

Your safari experience peaks with a visit to the Inland Sea which offers beautiful views and is the perfect location for great panoramic photographs. At the end of the safari, you will enjoy light refreshments at the desert camp before returning to Doha.

How much do desert safaris from Doha cost?

The sunrise desert safari with dune bashing, camel ride and sand boarding costs US$650 per person. The sunset desert safari with camel ride and sandboarding costs about US$80 per person.

The desert safari with falconry, camel riding and sand surfing costs US$125 per person. The half-day desert safari, including a camel ride, sand boarding and Inland Sea visit, costs about US$260 per person.

The desert safari with a quad bike, sandboarding and camel ride costs US$140 per person. The night desert safari with camel ride and dune bashing costs US$500 per person.

The private half-day desert safari from Doha costs about US$125 per person.

What is included?

The desert safaris from Doha include private transportation in a 4X4 air-conditioned vehicle by a professional desert driver, and insurance cover while in the vehicle. They also provide hotel pickup and drop-off services in Doha or the airport and ship cruise port, bottled water and coffee or tea.

Where does it start?

Desert safaris from Doha start at pickup points which are mostly at the participants’ hotels and strategic sites in Doha, such as Al Wakra Metro Station.

Pickup is also offered at Doha Airport and Doha Cruise Port for the city tour and desert safari combination. When booking, cruise ship passengers must provide their ship’s name and time of docking, disembarkation and re-boarding.

How long does it last?

The typical duration of the desert safaris from Doha is 4 to 6 hours, while the Doha city tours and desert safari combination lasts 6 to 9 hours.

When is the best time for a desert safari from Doha?

The best time to visit Doha for desert safaris is during the winter months from November to March. Qatar is known for its severe heat and very low rainfall, with July the hottest month in Doha, averaging 37 degrees Celsius.

Are there any combos available with desert safaris from Doha?

Doha city tour and desert safari

Experience the most of Qatar on this popular Doha city tour and desert safari, all offered in a single package. Once picked up from your hotel in Doha, your first stop is the National Museum of Qatar, depicting the fascinating story of Qatar’s rich heritage.

Then explore the Corniche waterfront promenade along Doha Bay, offering views of both the Persian Gulf and Doha CBD.

You will marvel at the glamorous Pearl-Qatar man-made island of 400 hectares and immerse yourself in the multi-dimensional cultural world of Katara Cultural Village.

Take a walk down the busy alleys of Souq Waqif and discover all kinds of Middle Eastern products, from spices to jewelry and other handicrafts.

Leave the city behind in a 4X4 vehicle for your desert safari, with Sealine Beach as your first stop, where you will ride a camel on your way to the Inland Sea and have some sandboarding fun.

Finally, you will enjoy outstanding views to end your desert safari, and return to your hotel in Doha.

The Doha private combo city tour and desert safari costs about US$215 per person.

Is it safe?

Desert safaris from Doha are quite safe, but some activities may potentially be dangerous. For general desert travel and dune bashing, the 4X4 vehicles are reinforced with solid roll bars for your protection.

People with back problems or other serious medical conditions, however, should avoid this activity.

Are children allowed?

Children aged 3 are allowed on the private half-day desert safari (including camel ride, sandboarding and Inland Sea visit) and the sunrise and sunset safaris.

The minimum age of 12 is required for the private half-day desert safari and for the night safari with dune bash and camel ride.

For the Doha city tour and desert safari, the minimum age is 9. Infant seats are available for these tours. Children have to be accompanied by an adult for camel rides.

The minimum age for participants on the quad bike ride for this tour is 16 years, and they must have basic driving experience. Before the commencement of the tour, participants have to sign an indemnity agreement.

What happens in case of bad weather?

The desert safaris from Doha are dependent on good weather. If your safari is canceled because of bad weather, the operator will offer you a different date, or you can request a refund.

Travel tips

• Make sure to book your desert tour in Doha in advance.
• Wear loose, comfortable clothes, a sun hat and sports shoes.
• Cover your arms and legs against sunburn.
• Bring sunglasses and wear sunscreen.
• Don’t eat 2-3 hours before the dune bashing to avoid sickness.
• Carry cash for tipping (10-15% is standard).