Dahl Al Misfir cave is located around 40km from Doha.
Doha: Dahl Al Misfir Cave has emerged as one of the most popular eco-tourism destinations in the country during Eid Al Fitr holidays.
The country has an abundance of natural attractions which have been drawing a large number of visitors during the holidays.
Families and individuals alike travelled to the charming Misfir sinkhole to get away from the busy city life and instead take in the splendour of nature.
Some people who visited the cave shared their experience with The Peninsula.
“I took my family to Misfir sinkhole a couple days ago. It is a very unique tourist spot enabling visitors to enjoy the nature,” said Abdullah Rashidi. He said it is a little far from Doha but worth the visit because it is quite different from other touris areas. “It was first time for me to visit such a cave site. I wish to visit it again when I get time,” said Rashidi.
The 40 metres deep Dahl Al Misfir Cave is located in Rawdat Rashid, 40km from Doha. The sinkhole is open to general public during daytime and is closed at night for the safety and security of visitors.
Authorities said visitors must use proper protective gear and clothing, including a helmet, shoes, a torch, and a rope, when travelling long distances when descending to the cave.
Also, they should not enter the cave during rainy season for possibility of landslides and falling rocks, and at least three individuals are required to enter Dahl, with one person staying outside.
The actual age of the cave is unknown, but based on the sediments within, researchers assume that it is less than the age of the surrounding rocks, which are thought to have been formed between 40 and 50 million years ago.
One of the most prominent environmental tourism destinations in Qatar, Dahl Al Misfir Cave was reopened in October last year by the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change. This was achieved after thorough geological research — the first of its type for the cave — was completed in collaboration with Qatar Museums and ExxonMobil Research.
An in-depth study of the cave was conducted in order to develop and install three-dimensional drawings that visitors may access via the QR Code as well as an educational sign that shows a map of the cave.
Qatar Museums, in cooperation with the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, rehabilitated the site to facilitate the entry of visitors to Dahl, as they have built safe paths, barriers and umbrellas.
