Zekreet West Coast Tour: Richard Serra Sculpture & Fort

Zekreet Fort, a steel sculpture the size of a landscape, and camels running at full speed

A guided tour of Doha's west coast takes you to Zekreet Fort, a 200-year-old ruin built perhaps by a pirate leader and now reduced to its stone outline by desert weather, and to Richard Serra's four steel plates towering over fourteen metres each across the Brouq Nature Reserve. The tour runs three to four hours with an English-speaking guide, air-conditioned transport and hotel pickup; you choose between a shared group tour or a private one at checkout.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore West Coast and Zekreet Fort

• Watch robot camel jockeys race
• Visit the ruins of Zekreet Fort
• See Richard Serra sculpture in desert

The Experience

Zekreet Fort sits among the dunes where the desert has done most of the work. Built around 200 years ago—possibly by Raḥmah ibn Jābir al-Jalāhimah, a pirate leader—the fortification was occupied for only a decade or two before the sun, sand and wind began their slow dismantling. What remains is the fort's square footprint: three circular corner towers and one square tower, all weathered to the colour of the ground around them. You walk the perimeter and see how a structure meant to last has become a sketch of itself.

Richard Serra's sculpture dominates the Brouq Nature Reserve—four steel plates, each over fourteen metres tall, arranged across more than a kilometre of open desert. Serra studied the land's topography before positioning each plate so they align perfectly, turning the vast empty space into something monumental without looking imposed. The sculpture is modern but reads as timeless, a geometry the desert seems to have always held.

The tour includes stops at the camel racing track, where remote-controlled robot jockeys in racing silks ride across the sand. The camels can sprint at up to 40 mph or hold 30 mph for an hour straight. You'll travel in an air-conditioned vehicle with bottled water, coffee and tea provided. An English-speaking guide leads the day, and hotel pickup is included—book the group tour to share the cost or the private tour for your own schedule and pace.

What’s included

• Air-conditioned vehicle.
• bottled water.
• coffee and tea.
• English-speaking guide.
• hotel pickup from Doha.

Good to know

Easy physical levelInfant seats availableNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditionsNot for back problems

Operated by Arabian Tourism

Is this one for you?Book the private tour if you want to set your own pace and timing across the three stops; the group tour works better if you're comfortable sharing the vehicle and prefer a fixed schedule that keeps the cost lower.

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Top questions

What is Zekreet Fort and why does it look so weathered?

Zekreet Fort was built roughly 200 years ago, possibly by the pirate leader Raḥmah ibn Jābir al-Jalāhimah, and occupied for only a decade or two. The desert has since reduced it to its basic stone outline—a square footprint with three circular corner towers and one square tower—as sun, sand and wind have worn away the structure over time.

How big is the Richard Serra sculpture and what does it look like?

The sculpture spans over a kilometre across the Brouq Nature Reserve and consists of four steel plates, each over fourteen metres in height. Serra positioned each plate by studying the land's topography to ensure perfect alignment, creating a monumental geometry that enhances the vast desert space without appearing imposed on it.

What happens at the camel racing track?

At the camel racing track, remote-controlled robot jockeys dressed in colourful racing silks ride across the sand on camels. The camels can sprint at speeds up to 40 mph or maintain 30 mph for an hour, and the operator controls the jockey via antenna and a built-in speaker to direct the animal.

How long does the tour take and what's included?

The tour runs three to four hours and includes an air-conditioned vehicle, bottled water, coffee and tea, an English-speaking guide, and hotel pickup from Doha.

Can I book this as a private tour or do I have to join a group?

You can choose between a group tour or a private tour at checkout—both follow the same route and include the same guide, vehicle and refreshments, so the choice depends on whether you prefer to share the cost or have your own schedule.