Winter in Kuwait: outdoor plans for a new circle

Daniel arrived in Kuwait in the middle of August. For the first few weeks he saw the city almost entirely through a car windscreen, moving between air-conditioned places: flat, office, supermarket, flat. When a colleague told him that everything would change in November, he assumed she was being polite. Then one evening a few weeks into the cooler season he stepped out of his building at six, felt a soft breeze on his face for the first time since he landed, and realised he had been living in half a city. He walked until it got dark. Families were on the grass, joggers were doing laps, and a group of friends had unrolled a carpet on a patch of lawn with a flask and a bag of dates. He thought: I want to be part of that, and I do not know a single person to be part of it with.

If you are new to Kuwait, or have lived here a long time without exploring much, this is for you. The cool season, roughly from November to March, is when the country turns itself inside out. The heat that kept everyone indoors eases, evenings become long and gentle, and plans that were impossible for six months are suddenly the obvious thing to do. It is also the best time of the year to start a circle, because outdoor plans are the easiest kind to say yes to: nobody has to book a table, everyone can bring something, and there is always something to look at when conversation pauses.

Start with a walk

The simplest outdoor plan is a walk, and Kuwait has good places for it. Al Shaheed Park, in the heart of Kuwait City, is one of the largest green spaces in the country, with paths, gardens and open lawns, and a rhythm that changes through the day: early joggers, families in the late afternoon, and a pleasant crowd as the lights come on. It suits a group because there is room to walk side by side, to stop, to sit, and to split gently into pairs and rejoin. A loop of an hour at an easy pace is enough for people who have never met to talk about where they are from, what brought them here and what they hope to do in the winter.

Walking helps shy people. Talking side by side, looking at the path rather than at each other, takes the pressure off in a way a table does not. That is why walking groups tend to make friends faster than almost anything else. The walkers-and-runners circle is built around this idea: a regular day, a regular hour, a pace that suits the slowest person, and a coffee at the end.

Sunset on the Gulf Road

Every city has one stretch where it shows itself off, and in Kuwait it is the sea front. The Gulf Road runs along the water from the city towards Salmiya, and the Corniche walks beside it. Kuwait Towers, with their blue and silver spheres, are the most recognisable landmark in the country and look their best at the end of the day, when the light turns gold and the water goes quiet. A plan for a first outing could not be simpler: meet an hour before sunset, walk along the sea, take photographs, and stay while the sky changes colour.

This is also a natural plan for the photo-walks circle, since everyone has a phone and an excuse to stop. Photographing the same view together, and then comparing what each person noticed, is a surprisingly good way to learn how somebody sees the world. It is a lighter first conversation than any question about work.

Into the souq, and out to the islands

For a change of pace, spend an evening in Souq Al Mubarakiya, the old market in the centre of Kuwait City. In the cooler months it fills with people walking the narrow lanes, past spices, textiles, sweets and grilled meat, with traditional cafés where you can sit for a while with tea or Arabic coffee. A small group can wander without a plan, pause for a bite, and get lost a little on purpose. It is Kuwait at its most social, and a reminder that gathering in public is nothing new here.

Beyond the shore, the islands offer a different kind of day. Green Island, a short walk from the Gulf Road, is a small landscaped spot for an unhurried afternoon. Further out, Failaka Island and the beaches of Khiran are popular for weekend trips once the heat has dropped. These need more organisation than a walk in the park, so go with care: check how you will get there and back, confirm timings for any ferry or boat directly with the operator, bring water, sun protection and a layer for the evening wind, and agree on a time to meet again before everyone scatters. A day trip is better with four or five people than twelve, and much better with a plan for how everyone gets home.

The desert season

Ask anyone who grew up in Kuwait what winter means, and sooner or later you will hear the word kashta. It is the tradition of heading out to the desert in the cool months to set up a camp, light a fire, make tea and coffee, and spend the evening under the stars. For many families it is as much a part of the season as the weather itself. Spring is just as loved: after winter rain, the desert turns green and flowers appear, and people drive out to sit among them.

If you are new, a kashta can seem the most exciting plan and the one that needs the most care. Go with people who know the area and have done it before, rather than choosing a spot alone. Make sure the vehicle suits the ground, since soft sand catches out confident drivers. Check where you are allowed to camp. Take more water than you think you need, warm clothing, because desert nights are cold, and a fully charged phone with a power bank. And be respectful of the place: take everything back with you, and keep fires small and attended.

Safety basics for any outdoor plan

Whatever you choose, a few habits make every outing better. Go in a group, ideally three or more, and when meeting people for the first time, choose a public place with other people around. Tell someone where you are going and roughly when you expect to be back. Check the weather before you leave: Kuwait can have strong winds, dust and sudden rain, and roads and low ground can be difficult after a downpour. Keep to marked paths in parks and do not enter the sea if conditions are rough. Carry water, and make sure somebody in the group knows the way. None of this is complicated, and all of it is easy to forget when the evening is lovely.

Plans for every level of energy

Not everyone wants to hike or camp, and a good circle has room for different energy levels. Some members will happily run a loop before work, while others would rather sit on a bench with a coffee and watch the sea. Both are welcome. A useful rule is to plan around the person who is least sure, not the most enthusiastic: a short route, easy parking, somewhere to sit and a clear end time. People who have a pleasant first outing come back. People who are rushed or exhausted on the first one often do not.

Making it a habit

The mistake people make with the cool season is to treat it as a handful of one-off outings. A walk, a dinner, a trip, and then March arrives and the heat comes back and nobody has kept in touch. The better approach is to choose one regular plan, such as a Friday morning walk or a Wednesday sunset, and keep it going for the whole season. By the end of winter a group that meets every week will know one another well enough to continue indoors when the weather turns.

Daniel found his way into a Friday morning walking group in the second week of December. By January they had a favourite loop, a favourite bench and a standing argument about where to have breakfast afterwards. In February one of them suggested a kashta, and he went, with a borrowed jacket and far too little luggage. He has since bought the jacket.

Where TruFriend fits

TruFriend is an invite-only friendship platform, for friendship only, for grown-ups aged 18 and over, and it is now open in Kuwait City. Tru, our assistant, learns what you enjoy and when you are free, introduces you to a few compatible people nearby, and helps turn the introduction into a plan in a public place. Circles such as walkers and runners, outdoors and photo walks exist to give you the same people, week after week, around something you already enjoy. If the cool season sounds like your moment, request an invite and we will send you a personal invitation.

Don’t just read about it

Join a circle of people in Kuwait City who enjoy the same things. Members already on TruFriend can join from the app or suggest a plan in any chat.