The Perfect 2-Day Kuwait Itinerary, Middle East

Have a trip planned for Kuwait? Wondering what to do? Then read on for all you need to know! Including a short Kuwait itinerary, where to stay, how to rent a car, and more 

 

From ancient archaeological wonders to towering skyscrapers….

From the Iraqi invasion that scarred the country just 30 years ago to its wealthy, modern-day cities and lucrative oil reserves…

Kuwait is a fascinating country of contrasts. 

If you have a trip planned to this small Gulf State and are wondering what to do, then today’s article should help. 

But before we get to your Kuwait itinerary… 

 

 

What and where is Kuwait? 

Kuwait is a small but affluent country (in fact, it’s one of the wealthiest countries in the world per capita!) located in the northeastern corner of the Arabian Peninsula in the Middle East. 

The country is bordered by Iraq to the north (with Basra, Iraq coming in at just 110 kilometers, or 68 miles, from Kuwait City), Saudi Arabia to the south (with Saudi capital, Riyadh, coming in at 450 kilometers, or 280 miles, away), and the Persian Gulf to the east. 

Due to its strategic location, abundant oil reserves, and modern infrastructure, Kuwait plays a significant role in the region and global geopolitics/economics at large. 

 

How does Kuwait compare to other Gulf states in the area like Bahrain, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, etc.? 

Kuwait shares many similarities with its neighboring Gulf states like Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, particularly in terms of its wealth, rich deposits of oil, and abundance of expats/foreign workers. (In fact, Kuwaiti citizens make up less than 50% of the overall population!) 

While not quite as conservative as Saudi Arabia, Kuwait is still pretty traditional and religious. It’s not, for example, known for its nightlife or “liberalness” or ability to buy alcohol like Bahrain is! 

However, one of the biggest differentiators of Kuwait from its neighbors is that it suffered the Iraqi Invasion, led by Sadaam Hussein, in the 90s. 

This initial invasion spiraled into The Gulf War, which was an armed conflict between Iraq and a U.S.-led coalition made up of dozens of other allies from around the world that took place on Iraqi and Kuwaiti soil. 

Although Kuwait has recovered and “come out on top” as one of the richest countries per capita in the world today, the marks of this vicious war can still be seen in the country today. 

 

 

What language do they speak in Kuwait? 

Similar to other Gulf States, Arabic is the official language of Kuwait. 

However, given the substantial population of foreign workers and expats (which make up more than 50% of the entire population), English is very widely spoken. 

 

Where to stay in Kuwait? 

Given Kuwait’s small size, I suggest basing yourself in the capital city, Kuwait City. If you choose to follow the itinerary below, it will be easiest if you’re staying in Kuwait City. 

 

What’s the best way to get around in Kuwait? 

Since Kuwait is so compact, renting a car is one good option to go around (see the section below for more about this). 

Otherwise, local buses are a plentiful, reliable, easy-to-navigate way to get you to where you want to go. Alternatively, many of the attractions within Kuwait City are within walking distance of one another if you want to go on foot. 

For the itinerary below, I walked and took local buses on day #1 while exploring Kuwait City, and then rented a car on day #2 when I ventured beyond the city. 

 

 

What’s it like to rent a car in Kuwait? (And how to rent a car in Kuwait) 

Renting a car is fairly easy in Kuwait, though drivers can be a bit on the aggressive side. 

It’s also worth mentioning that, beyond the price of a rental car, by law you will be required to purchase a Kuwait Driving License Insurance Policy through your rental car company. 

There are no workarounds to this (i.e. you can’t use the insurance included with your credit card like you can in most other countries). So make sure you factor this extra charge into your budget! 

For a 1-month insurance policy (the shortest period you can buy, even if you just need it for 1 day), you’ll pay USD $43 per renter. 

For a 2-month and 3-month policy, you’ll pay USD $55 and USD $60, respectively. 

If you’re interested in renting a car, you can take a look at my article here for the best websites to rent a car in Kuwait. 

 

Is Kuwait safe? 

Yes! Kuwait is generally considered to be a safe country for travelers. 

Compared to many other countries, Kuwait has a low crime rate and significant political stability. 

However, as with a trip of any kind, do make sure you take your usual safety precautions (including getting yourself a solid travel insurance policy for Kuwait!).  

 

How to spend 2 days in Kuwait

As I mentioned above, I followed the first day of the itinerary below by public transportation and on foot. For the second day, I rented a car. 

However, you could easily do both days by rental car or both days by public transportation and local buses. 

However, if you’re going by bus on both days, just make sure you set aside a bit of extra time to fit everything in as it may take you a little longer to get between stops. (And it may also be worth getting an eSIM before your trip so you can have data access, and thus access to bus schedules on the go, immediately upon landing in the country!) 

All that said, let’s get to the itinerary! 

 

KUWAIT ITINERARY DAY #1: SITES OF KUWAIT CITY 

First things first, here’s the map for your Kuwait itinerary (day #1 stops are marked in orange and you click to zoom in!): 

 

Stop #1: Mubarakiya Old Market & Safat Square 

The start of your first day in Kuwait City will begin in the “old town,” where you’ll find the bustling, century-old Mubarakiya Souq. 

After taking a stroll through the souq’s winding streets and checking out its wide variety of goods, you can walk from this “old” souq to the “new” Safat Square, one of the city’s most important commercial and financial hubs.  

 

Stop #2: Kuwait National Museum 

From Safat Square, take a 15-minute walk to the Kuwait National Museum for a fascinating deep dive into the history, culture, and art of Kuwait. 

Note that the opening hours of the museum are a little unusual, so make sure to double-check them before you go! 

 

Stop #3: Grand Mosque of Kuwait 

Located another 15 minutes by foot from the National Museum, you’ll find The Grand Mosque of Kuwait – one of the largest and most iconic mosques in Kuwait. 

And best of all? You can get a guided tour for free! 

The free tours usually start at 2 or 3 PM. However, this schedule sometimes varies so make sure you ask around before you go.  

 

 

Stop #4: Souk Sharq

From the mosque, you can either head out on foot (about 40 minutes walking) or take a short bus ride to Souk Sharq, a popular shopping complex located right on the water. 

Truthfully, this wasn’t my favorite stop in Kuwait City. But if you have some extra time, it may be worth a quick stop if you’re passing by anyway. 

 

Stop #5: Kuwait Towers

These three blue towers were heavily damaged during the Gulf War and have since undergone significant restoration to make them the iconic landmark that they are today. 

Truly, no visit to Kuwait is complete without a visit to the Kuwait Towers…which is why you’ll end your first day in Kuwait here! 

From the top of this can’t-miss spot, you’ll have an incredible panoramic view of the city and the Arabian Gulf.

The entrance fee for the rotating viewing deck is a little under $10 USD. However, if you choose to eat at the all-you-can-eat buffet restaurant in the tower, the entrance fee is waived. 

 

KUWAIT ITINERARY DAY #2: SURROUNDINGS OF KUWAIT CITY 

Here’s the map for day #2 of your Kuwait itinerary (stops for day #2 are marked in yellow):  

 

 

To visit the stops below, I chose to rent a car (which I talked about how to do near the beginning of the article). However, with a bit of planning, you could likely get everywhere by bus.

You can easily spend quite a bit of time at each of today’s stops, so there are just 3 listed for the day. 

 

Stop #1: Al-Qurain Martyrs Museum 

Your first stop of the day will take you to the Al-Qurain Martyrs Museum. 

This museum, also known as the Kuwait Martyrs Museum, covers the tragic events of the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait in the 90s and commemorates the Kuwaiti resistance fighters who lost their lives. 

The museum itself sits near a site where a special group of Kuwaiti resistance fighters, known as the “Lions of Qurain,” made their last stand against Iraqi forces in 1991. 

Though some parts of the museum can be tough to see, it’s certainly worth a visit to understand more about this recent historical event that has shaped Kuwait (and much of the Middle East at large). 

 

Stop #2: KOC Ahmed Al Jaber Oil & Gas Exhibition 

From the Kuwait Martyrs Museum, you’ll head south to a fascinating, well-organized, and 100% free exhibition (which even includes a free English-speaking guide to show you around) hosted by Kuwait’s largest state-owned oil company, KOC. 

For me, one of the most interesting parts of the exhibition was the video sharing how, at the end of the Gulf War, the Iraqi troops set a bunch of Kuwait’s oil wells on fire…which essentially set the whole country on fire. 

As the video explains, a huge international crew from all over the world (including Americans, Chinese, even Hungarians) came to Kuwait to pitch in and extinguish the oil well fires. Truly an amazing story! 

 

 

Stop #3: Arabian Gulf Street & The Scientific Center 

Your final stop today will take you to Arabian Gulf Street (also known as Gulf Road), which is a picturesque coastal road and corniche that runs along Kuwait City’s shoreline. 

You’ll have nice skyline views just about anywhere you walk in this area. However, I recommend you head to The Scientific Center and begin your walk there for as long as you can handle the heat 🙂

In the area, you’ll find The Science Center, numerous waterfront parks and promenades, and Dhow Harbor (an outdoor exhibit area showcasing traditional Kuwaiti dhows/sailing vessels). 

 

BONUS: IF YOU HAVE ANOTHER DAY IN KUWAIT…THEN CONSIDER ADDING FAILAKA ISLAND TO YOUR ITINERARY! 

Failaka Island is an archaeological and historical treasure located in the Arabic Gulf just 20 kilometers off the coast of Kuwait City. 

The island has been inhabited by multiple civilizations dating back to ancient times, including the Mesopotamians, the Greeks, and the Persians. 

More recently, Failaka Island was occupied by Iraqi Forces during the Gulf War in the 90s. 

Today, you find a bit of everything on Failaka – from ancient archaeological sites (some of which were damaged during the Gulf War) to modern war relics (like a tank graveyard). 

Unfortunately, I couldn’t quite figure out how to get to Failaka Island during my trip as it was surprisingly hard to find information. 

There are a few companies that run tours to Failaka (take a look here and here to see if you find any). 

As far as I can tell, it’s technically possible to get there independently as there’s one company that has a ferry running that route. Apparently, there’s also a public ferry that departs from near The Scientific Center. However, it seems to have a very odd schedule. 

Anyway, it was all a mystery to me. So if you manage to figure out how to get to Failaka Island yourself, please do leave me a comment below so I can update the article! 

 

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And that’s all from me for today! 

As you can see above, Kuwait has quite a bit on offer – from learning about its recent history during the Gulf War to getting lost in traditional souks to admiring the city’s skyline & coastal views.  

If you have any more questions or doubts about visiting Kuwait, let me know in the comments area below and I’ll get back to you!