Waymark

Qatar travel guide

Best time to visit from the UK, weather, festivals, flights from London and FCDO travel advice.

Museum of Islamic Art, Doha
Museum of Islamic Art, Doha. Photo: Ralf Steinberger from Milan, Berlin + Munich, Italy + Germany, CC-BY-2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
7hflight from London
Qatari riyalcurrency
No visafor UK passports
Type D, Gplugs

Striking museums, souqs and desert sea dunes

Don't miss

  1. Museum of Islamic Art
  2. Souq Waqif
  3. Inland Sea
Good forCity breaksDeserts

Best time to visit Qatar from the UK

Best value: Apr, Oct. Nov–Mar. Busiest and priciest: Nov–Mar.

17.5 C18°J18.6 C19°F22.2 C22°M26.9 C27°A32.1 C32°M34.4 C34°J36.1 C36°J36.3 C36°A34.1 C34°S30.4 C30°O25 C25°N19.9 C20°D
Best valueBusy and pricierQuietAverage temperature in Doha, °C, 2001–2025 (NASA POWER).

Each bar is the average temperature in Doha for that month, and its colour shows the season for visitors: best value (good weather, fewer crowds and lower prices), busiest and priciest, or quiet (off-peak, sometimes because the weather is poorer).

  • Our pick: April and OctoberThe warmest of the best-value months (27–30°C), with fewer crowds than peak season.
  • Peak season: Nov–MarUsually 18–25°C. The busiest time, so book flights and rooms early and expect higher prices.
  • Quiet season: May–SepAround 32–36°C. The cheapest and least crowded time, though often because of rain or heat.
  • Warmest: August (36°C) · coolest: January (18°C)A 18°C swing between the warmest and coolest months.
Temperatures as a table
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
17.518.622.226.932.134.436.136.334.130.42519.9

Festivals and events

  • Qatar National Day Dec · Doha
  • Doha Jewellery and Watches Exhibition Feb · Doha

Festival dates move from year to year: check before you book.

Getting there from the UK

Flight time
About 7h
Distance
5,234 km
Main airport
DOH

Flight times are straight-line estimates for a direct flight from Heathrow; journeys with a change take longer.

Add Qatar to your bucket list Search flights to DOH

Practical info and travel guidance

Qatari riyalCapital: Doha
Type D, G · 240VUK plugs fit
Drive on the rightOpposite to the UK
999
EmergencyPolice, fire, ambulance
Safe in citiesBottled elsewhere
  • VisaNo visa neededFree entry on arrival
  • HealthcareNo free healthcareYou pay for treatment, so travel insurance with medical cover is essential.
  • LGBT+ travellersSame-sex relations are illegal or prosecutedRead the FCDO LGBT+ advice before you go.
  • Women travellersFCDO warns of sexual assault or harassmentTake extra care at night and with drinks.

For British passport holders, summarised from the FCDO's advice for Qatar, checked October 2026. FCDO page last updated 19 August 2026. Rules change: read the official FCDO travel advice for Qatar before you book and again before you go.

Open Qatar on the map Log it as visited, drop pins for the places you went, or plan it as your next trip.