Beyond Doha: a day out, not just a drive
Five main highways link Doha to its neighbouring cities (Visit Qatar). Beyond Lusail, the road opens up to the north and the west: a day outside the city is prepared like a booking by the hour, with a programme, stops and a time of return.
The car, a saloon or an SUV depending on access and the number of passengers, is provided by a member of the Federation, according to your request and its availability. The service is carried out by the chosen member operator, under its own responsibility.
- Departure
- Your hotel or residence, at the agreed time
- Stops
- Set with you, included in the quote
- Breaks
- The chauffeur’s, and yours
- Return
- To the address in your confirmation voucher
To the north: Al Khor and Al Zubarah
Two destinations come up often:
- the Al Thakira mangroves, 17 km north-east of the town of Al Khor: they are explored by kayak or stand-up paddleboard, with a local operator. Visit Qatar recommends an off-road vehicle for access, which counts when choosing the car;
- Al Zubarah, some hundred kilometres north-west of Doha: a former trading and pearl-fishing town, burned in 1811, inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2013, and its fort, built in 1938 and now a museum. On site, a shuttle links the fort and the town site (Qatar Museums).
On the way back, a stop in Lusail can round off the day.
To the west and the south: how far the car goes
On the west coast, in the Brouq nature reserve, stands Richard Serra’s East-West/West-East: four steel plates, each over fourteen metres high, aligned across more than a kilometre (Qatar Museums). Access to the site is checked before the day, to choose the car.
In the south-east, on the Saudi border, Khor Al Adaid, the Inland Sea, lies some 80 km from Doha. No road leads there: it can only be reached by 4x4, with an experienced desert driver. Visit Qatar recommends the period from November to April.
Your chauffeur stays on the road. For the Inland Sea, the chauffeur takes you to the starting point agreed with the specialist operator chosen for your request, and picks you up there on your return. The crossing of the dunes is carried out by that operator, under its own responsibility.
Preparing the day
For an accurate quote, please tell us:
- the date, the departure time and the time you would like to be back;
- where the day starts and where it ends;
- the stops, in order, and the visits planned;
- the number of passengers, the ages of any children and the luggage;
- anything to arrange on site: a guide, a kayak outing, a desert crossing.
We do not quote journey times: they depend on the hour, the traffic and the stops. Outside the November to April period that Visit Qatar recommends for the desert, the programme includes breaks in the shade. If your stay continues in Dubai, see also FFGR Dubai.