Bir Zekreet

Bir Zekreet (also known as

Brouq Peninsula) is a strip of land on the West Coast of

Qatar

. The peninsula is, by and large, uninhabited, with the exception of a small village, a Coast Guard Post, an ostrich farm, and a fort called “Film City,” purposely built for movie production. Of a more transient nature, camel and goat herders can also be encountered in the area.

The most prominent feature of Bir Zekreet’s landscape is the presence of large escarpments, with pillars and mushroom-like limestone formations. This unusual geology is the result of strong winds blowing away softer sedimentary rock, leaving behind just the harder limestone skeleton exposed.

The region is also a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, with a special interest in oryx and gazelles. Research in the reserve includes the use of saline water for irrigation, the creation of grazing grounds, camel farming, and low-impact tourism.

North of Film City, and part of the locations created for production, is a particularly photogenic escarpment with a handful of stone huts, one of which is built on top of a stand-alone natural pillar. Although they look like it, none of these little buildings are ancient. But they do make for good, quirky photo opportunities.