Qatar Living's Top 3 Selection of Sand Dunes

It would be a shame if you came to Qatar and didn't go dune-bashing on some of the country's most beautiful, yet challenging sand dunes. Dune-bashing is a quintessential time pass for most locals and expatriates. Whether you're a tourist or a long-time resident in Qatar, here's our top three list of sand dunes that we think you should definitely visit OR conquer, if you're the one behind the wheel: 

• Inland sea (Khor Al Udaid) - One of Qatar's national treasures, the Inland Sea emphasises the breathtaking beauty of the country's southernmost point. Surrounded by giant rolling sand dunes, the Inland Sea, or Khor Al Udaid, is a huge inlet where the sea surges west in a narrow channel that divides Qatar from Saudi Arabia, then curves north creating a shallow tidal lake. This natural attraction can only be reached off-road by a powerful four wheel drive vehicle passing through the mysterious desert and impressive desert dunes. A good way to journey to the Inland Sea is in a group. If you have an expert who knows the terrain well enough, he can take you on an adventurous ride shooting up massive dunes, skirting edges of sheer drop-offs and sliding down vertical mountains of shifting sand. After your extreme desert safari, you will reach the vast Inland Sea, where the water is clear and rich in sea life, and you can see Saudi Arabia from a distance.

• ​​Dunes at Sealine beach/Mesaeed - One of the most popular dune bashing spots due to its proximity to one of Qatar's best beaches. The journey to Mesaeed dunes are relatively easy as the roads leading to it have been reconstructed. The area gets crowded with dune bashers during the weekends, making it a dangerous spot. You will also find plenty of outlets renting quad bikes for kids and adults in case you do not have a powerful 4x4. The availability of a tire shop, supermarket, mosque, restrooms and an ATM is what makes it a convenient and cherished spot for dune bashers. If you want to chill at a beach after an exhausting desire safari, this where you should probably

• Singing sand dunes: This is an interesting one for sand dune explorers and gets its name from a rare phenomenon where a murmur or a singing sound is produced when the dunes shift. While the ‘singing’ occurs naturally, it can be triggered by sliding down the face of the dune or running along its crest, whereupon each footstep creates a humming that cannot only be heard but also felt as a vibration through the feet. They are located 40 km southwest of Doha on the way to Mesaeed from Salwa Road. Getting there should not be hard if you have a navigation system. You can take Exit 24 on Salwa road that leads to Mesaeed.  After 15 km, go past two roundabouts until you find an intersection to Al Kharara. The Al Kharara road belongs to Qatar Petroleum for access to its transmission plant, so the signage should indicate that you're not lost. This single carriageway road will lead you to a pipe crossing where you will find a fork intersection. This will lead you to a road encircling the singing dunes.

Some things to keep in mind before you decide to bash a dune:

• Make sure you have the right vehicle - You definitely need a powerful 4x4. We recommend a Toyota Land Cruiser, Nissan Patrol or a Jeep Wrangler.
• Make sure you vehicle is in good condition - Make sure your 4-wheel-drive system works, get enough fuel, tires are in good shape, tire pressure, spare tire and so on.
• Make sure you're going in groups - Forming a convoy is always a good idea, you won't be stranded in the desert in case your vehicle starts digging.
• Make sure you have a reliable navigation system - If you decide to go deep into the desert, it is always a good idea to have a GPS. Google Maps seems reliable.
• Make sure you have enough supplies like water.

Have fun conquering that dune, but don't let it conquer you.

Image by Gary McGovern on QL Flickr Group

Cover Image on QL website: stewartl2010 and Gary McGovern on QL Flickr Group