Doha : West Coast Tour on Zekreet Peninsula

Professional camel racing began in Qatar in 1972, and the sport centers around the Al Shahaniya. Here, domestic and international tournaments take place every Friday, from October to February, with major events such as HH the Emir’s Main Race held in March and April. Remote-controlled, toddler-sized robot jockeys, clothed in colourful racing silks delight locals and tourists, as they ride the lanky mammals across the sandy track. Racing camels can run at speeds of up to 40 mph in short sprints and may continue at 30 mph for as long as an hour. The operator applies the whip antenna, commands the jockey to pull on the reins, and shouts encouragement to the camel via a built-in speaker. A visit to Al Shahaniya offers a unique opportunity to admire the best groomed and some of the most expensive camels in the world.

Discover the natural beauty of the desert and the arid wilderness at Zekreet. Dominated by unique mushroom-like limestone rock formations, the area has an otherworldly feel. One of Qatar’s most popular locations, the limestone formations appear as an umbrella of white chalk and offer a mountain of Instagram-friendly snaps. Strong winds blowing away softer sedimentary rock exposing harder limestone cliffs have created the jaw-dropping formations.

Nestled between limestone rock formations outside Zekreet, just north of Doha, lies Richard Serra’s East-West/West-East installation.  Comprising of four steel plates, each of which is over 14m in height, the installation spans over 1km. It stands in stark contrast to the soft brown hues of the desert surrounding it, and offers a comment on isolation and the passage of time.