Up in the air: paratriking in Qatar -

In the dappled sunrise light of day, the view from the sky was of sand, sea and people as the birds knew them, imbued with an orange glow as the sun rose.

With the Fifa World Cup swiftly approaching, Qatar is strategically positioning itself as a destination worth more than just a layover when flying with Qatar Airways. Offering up a host of experiences for the traveller who wants to truly experience the Gulf Arab culture (referred to as Khaleeji in Arabic), winter in Qatar is the perfect time to sample some of these outdoor experiences. Now while everyone and their grandfather has done dune bashing in the desert, paratriking in the desert is definitely something new! A group of friends and I headed deep into Mesaieed in order to celebrate a birthday and try out this unique experience.

How do I organise paratriking in Qatar?

Skymasters Qatar is a well established company offering paratrike experiences to residents and visitors. Reach out to them via their website. They have a booking platform where you can easily pay for and finalise a booking for your paratrike experience.

What will paratriking in Qatar cost me?

Yes! It costs 650QAR per person for a 20 minute ride. There’s no minimum number of people required so you can go on your own.

We also opted to also get video footage bringing our total upto 800QAR each. If you’re wondering if the video is worth it, it really is. It was nice not to have to worry about dropping my phone or capturing content, knowing it was being done for me. That way I could really relax and enjoy my experience.

We booked and paid for everything prior to our arrival.

What is paratriking in Qatar like?

While offering some thrills here and there, this is overall a very relaxing experience. You’re strapped into the paratrike, sitting comfortably as though you’re in a car. Then the motor starts up and off you go, gently lifting into the air.

For 20 minutes you soar in the sky in an open, device made of a titanium frame, equipped with a propeller motor. It was amazing to watch the sunrise over the sea as we passed over the golden sands of the desert. There is a point in the journey where- in tandem with your instructor- you have full control over the manoeuvrability of the paratrike. They do also ask if you’d be interested in some acrobatics to experience some thrills (but you can opt out if you don’t feel comfortable).

Personally I would recommend booking for the sunrise ride as its a breathtaking view from the sky!

The coastline welcomed sea and sky, the bluest of brothers, together an image of breathtaking beauty. Lit by the rising sun, the landscape resembled a painting rather than a view.

HOW DO I GET THERE?

Google Maps is fairly accurate if you type in Skymasters but as you get closer, you should start to rely on the road signage and not the GPS.

When you arrive at the last roundabout keep right which will have a road that looks like this:

Google Maps insists that you keep left but that will only lead you into soft sand. If it’s dark, you will not be able to see the terrain clearly. Exercise caution and drive slowly.

Park a little before the entrance unless you have a vehicle with 4WD ability.

What to wear:

My suggestion is to wear closed shoes, trousers/jeans/leggings and something with long sleeves to protect your arms from the sun and wind. If you have long hair, tie it up so it doesn’t fly everywhere. Consider sunglasses if you’re going when the sun is up. The company seems to have a modest dress policy as evidenced by the sign on their door so keep your shoulders and knees covered.

WHAT ARE THE RATINGS ON PANDA’S RATING SCALE?

LAST Notes:

While I enjoyed this experience, I do wish the company had been more forthcoming with directions since we were arriving while it was dark. The last 15 minutes of our journey almost got us stuck in the sand. We were asked to arrive at 5am for a 5:30am ride but staff only arrived at 5:15am which left us confused. Other than that, once we got going, the pilots were friendly , knowledgeable and so accommodating.
I would also recommend taking your phone on a lanyard or with a strap for extra stability when up in the air trying to shoot photos.
There is a maximum weight limit of 100kgs.
Children over 10 years can enjoy this experience.
This was not a sponsored post and I was not asked to review this experience.