The activity is the second biggest tourist draw in Qatar after dune
bashing and can be done all year long, writes Aney Mathew
Envision yourself taking a short desert drive to a relatively unknown island, receiving a small lesson on paddling, followed by a kayaking tour of the mangroves. As you paddle through the nature reserve, you watch in fascination as you observe several small fish jumping out of the water and back. On the banks are small crabs scurrying around in a hurry to get back to their little holes, while some sea gulls fly overhead as if establishing their territory. Meanwhile on a tiny, little island nearby, you spot a heron lazily watching you strain at your paddle — with curiosity for a while, before finally losing interest and flying away.
Would you prefer a different scenario? How about watching the sun set while paddling quietly through the mangroves, gazing at the sky? You could watch the moon and stars come out, as the water turns glassy and conclude the evening with a barbecue. Or would you rather go moonlight kayaking, followed by a campfire, a barbecue and African drumming?
Appealing choices eh? What if I told you, kayaking could be done right here in Qatar, even during the summer months?
Think ‘desert’ summer and the idea of alfresco activities go out the window? You’d think outdoor activities during the hot months would receive nothing but bad press. Fact is Qatar has more to offer beyond the grandeur of big buildings, grand mosques and sprawling shopping malls — one outdoor activity that is gaining popularity in Qatar is kayaking.
“It surprises most people to learn that nature can be enjoyed in Qatar and it can be fun outdoors even in this weather. People normally hesitate to go out in the summer, but if you go kayaking in the evenings, especially to the mangroves, there is a breeze off the water and it’s cool and you don’t need to be miserable; you can enjoy being outdoors,” says Steve Rhodes, Managing Director of Entalek, the first eco-adventure company in Qatar.
Steve, who worked as a science teacher in Qatar for 7 years prior to starting Entalek, believes in getting both adults and children outside — to get them to learn about the environment and to appreciate the great outdoors.
“When I first came to Qatar, it was too hot for any outdoor activity. But I would take my family kayaking in the nights — including my three-year-old son. We would see fish jumping, observe phosphorescent bacteria, catch the beauty of the sunset behind the beautiful wooden dhows and share some great experiences. I wanted to share these moments with other people too – to get them to see for themselves how beautiful Qatar is and what it has to offer,” adds Steve.
Abdulla al-Khater, the CEO of Entalek, had a similar vision: To develop programmes that enabled people, especially children to experience unique environments and to reconnect Qatar’s youth with their environment and cultural heritage. Out of this shared passion was born Entalek.
“Our desire is to get people outside and enjoy learning about the natural world through first-hand experiences and eco-adventures. We provide outdoor educational programmes for schools that are based on kayaking, camping, snorkelling trips, hiking and other outdoor adventure activities that promote experiential learning. We also conduct team-building programmes for companies, which includes kayaking.”
“Our ultimate goal is to develop educational programmes that are based on the local culture and customs, so people can have a greater appreciation of where they live and what Qatar has to offer,” explains Steve.
Think kayaks and we normally associate it with TV footage of people pursuing a seemingly dangerous sport on great, whitewater rivers. But that’s not the case in Qatar, according to Steve. He guarantees it can be enjoyed by the whole family.
“Qatar is one of the safest places in the world for kayaking; most of the time - especially in the mangroves - we are in shallow water which only comes up to the knees; because it is tidal. So even if people do get out of their kayaks, they could stand up. We even take little children as young as three on our trips. Of course everyone including children are required to wear life jackets to ensure safety. Moreover we have guides and we always maintain a safe ratio of guides to the number of people taking the trips,” he points out.
Apparently kayaking is one of the two major attractions for tourists who visit Qatar, sharing its elated status only with dune-bashing; so much so that Steve receives calls from potential visitors to Qatar, from countries like the UK and Mauritius, enquiring about the company’s tours.
Entalek offers several kinds of tours. City night tours comprise night kayaking from different areas of the Pearl the Grand Hyatt and the dhow harbour – a great way to enjoy the city lights in the evening.
While kayaking by the Doha harbour located just off the Corniche, near the Museum of Islamic arts, patrons get to paddle through the dhows and appreciate a closer view of the old vessels. Stand up paddle boarding lessons are also offered at the Grand Hyatt.
For those looking for some calm, away from the hustle and bustle of the city, sunset paddling through the Al Thakira mangroves is offered. This often includes desert drives, swimming and barbecue. Moonlight kayaking is offered on full moon nights, followed by swimming, barbecue, African drumming and sometimes even African dancing.
During migration season, visitors are taken kayaking to “Flamingo Island,” which lies in the flight path of migratory birds. Situated near Al Dhakira, a kayaking trip to this island offers a close-up view of the numerous feathered international visitors that stop over for a break.
While most tours are suitable for all, including beginners, some trips like the “city night tours” do call for some familiarity and experience with kayaking, since the kayakers will have to deal with heavier boat traffic, jet skis and the obvious fact that it is dark.
Referring to the challenges faced in operating the company, Steve says, “Qatar can get very windy and that makes it unsuitable for kayaking. Similarly we can only go into the mangroves when the tide is right. Then of course we have to deal with the perception people have that summer is too hot and the winter too cold for kayaking; the fact is that kayaking can be pleasant even during this weather. So part of our challenge is to educate people that it can be quite comfortable kayaking even when they think it is too hot.”
With over 40 different kayaks located in different places in Qatar, running various kinds of trips, Entalek seems to be dealing well with its challenges. It is stirring people’s curiosity and drawing individuals, families and groups to step more boldly into the world of eco-adventures.
Well the test of anything is what happens “when the rubber hits the road,” or, in this case, when the paddle hits the water…. So how do people who have actually taken the trip feel about it? “We loved it” is the common verdict. Would they go back for another trip? The answer is a resounding “YES”.
Back to Nature
Beyond kayaking, Entalek has several other activities to offer. Summing up the inspiration behind the company, Steve says: “The heart behind Entalek is not business; it’s about providing people, especially children with experiential education, rather than learning from a book. I’m passionate about kids loving nature and learning about it by being outside — with nature. People often talk about caring for the environment, but how can you care about something you don’t have a relationship with?
“Our school trips are quite popular; often we even take the children camping and hiking to an island as part of our trips. It bewilders even the local Qatari children, as it is new to many of them. It’s not the kind of experience they normally have here. We learn about edible plants, go looking for crabs, wade in the salt ponds, hike and enjoy the views at Purple Island.
“It’s heartening that regardless of nationality, the feedback from the children – both Qatari and expatriate — has always been, that our trips had provided them with the most fun they’ve ever had, in their school lives. My biggest joy comes from teaching children about the outdoors and having fun with them in the open.
“Nature is what inspires us; beyond the grandeur of big buildings, people are interested in the story of Qatar - the story of the birds migrating through the land, the turtles swimming in the sea, the clear, blue turquoise waters lapping the sand and the secrets of the mangrove forests.
“At Entalek we seek to discover the story of the people who know the secrets of the desert, a people who are kind and generous and adventurers who travelled the oceans of the world and the desert sands. Entalek is dedicated to learning and sharing the story of Qatar with visitors, residents and school children.
“Qatar’s environment and culture is like Qatar’s natural gas; it lies hidden but once you find it, you are blessed with real wealth.”
