Happidaze Kuwait Tours: Discovering the Real Kuwait 

After living in Kuwait for a few years, I thought I knew the Mubarkiya Market pretty well. We’d wandered through the souq countless times, picking up spices and dates, browsing gold shops, and grabbing quick bites at the various food stalls. But it turns out, walking through a place and actually understanding it are two completely different experiences. That’s exactly what we discovered when we joined Abdullah’s Happidaze tour. And honestly, it completely changed how we see Kuwait.

Meeting Abdullah: More Than Just a Tour Guide

Let me tell you about Abdullah, the local Kuwaiti behind Happidaze. This isn’t some corporate tour operation with scripted speeches and rushed timelines. Abdullah started Happidaze because he has a genuine passion for sharing Kuwait with people. He shares not only the rich history that shaped this country and the vibrant culture that defines it today. And that passion? You feel it from the moment you meet him.

What makes Abdullah unique is that he doesn’t just recite facts about Kuwait like he’s reading from a history book. He shows you his Kuwait: the personal stories, the hidden corners, the little details that bring this place to life. He’s not trying to sell you a sanitized, tourist-friendly version of the country. He’s inviting you into his home country and showing you what makes Kuwait special to him and his family.

Within the first fifteen minutes of our tour, we felt less like customers and more like friends catching up. That’s Abdullah’s gift. He has this natural way of making everyone feel welcome and comfortable, like you’ve known each other for years instead of minutes.

The Signature Mubarakiya Market Tour: Seeing with New Eyes

We decided to join Abdullah’s signature Mubarakiya Market tour, even though we’d been through this souq many times before. I’ll be honest. I was a little skeptical at first. How much could we really learn about a place we’d already explored?

Turns out, the answer is: SO much.

The Mubarakiya Market, for those who haven’t been, is one of the oldest souqs in Kuwait. It’s this sprawling maze of narrow alleyways lined with shops selling everything from traditional spices and perfumes to modern electronics and clothing. The sounds, smells, and energy of the place are incredible, but when you’re just wandering through on your own, you miss so many layers of history and meaning embedded in every corner.

Abdullah changed all that for us. He didn’t just walk us through the market, he peeled back the layers and showed us Kuwait’s story.

The Details That Make All the Difference

Here’s what hit me during the tour: I’d walked past so many significant places without having any idea what I was looking at. Things that seemed like just another old building or random corner of the souq turned out to have incredible stories behind them.

For example, Abdullah pointed out the first well that was dug in the area to provide water for the people. I’d walked past this spot dozens of times and never noticed it or understood its significance. But when Abdullah explained how crucial this well was to the community, how people would gather here, how it represented survival and community in the harsh desert environment, suddenly that unassuming spot became a window into Kuwait’s past.

Then there’s the 100 fils falafel story, which might be my favorite discovery from the tour. One of Kuwait’s Sheikhs put a law in place years ago requiring a falafel sandwich to be sold at 100 fils (~ $0.33) to keep this essential food affordable and accessible to everyone. And here’s the amazing part, that law is still in place today! You can still buy a falafel sandwich for 100 fils in certain places in Kuwait, a living connection to that historical decision. It’s these kinds of stories, where history directly touches the present, that Abdullah shares with his tours.

We learned about the merchant families who built their fortunes through the souq, the architectural details that reveal Kuwait’s trading connections with India and Persia, the evolution of different sections of the market, and how modern Kuwait grew from this commercial hub. Each alleyway seemed to have another story, another hidden detail, another connection to Kuwait’s fascinating journey from small pearling and trading port to the modern nation it is today.

The Food Experience: Tasting Kuwait’s Culture

One of the absolute highlights of the tour was the food. And I don’t just mean Abdullah pointed us toward good restaurants, he provided all the fun street food for us to try as part of the experience. This wasn’t an afterthought or an add-on; it was an integral part of understanding Kuwaiti culture.

We sampled traditional Kuwaiti breads, tried fresh fruits and dates from different vendors (and learned the subtle differences between varieties), tasted fresh samboosa from a local vendor, and yes, enjoyed some of that famous affordable falafel. Each food stop came with stories and context. Abdullah explained the cultural significance of certain dishes, when and why people eat them, and the traditions surrounding Kuwaiti hospitality and food sharing.

What we loved most was how natural it all felt. We weren’t being herded from one tasting station to another on a tight schedule. Instead, Abdullah would see a vendor he knew, we’d stop and chat, someone would offer us tea or a sample of their product. It felt less like a tour and more like being welcomed into the community.

The generosity and warmth we encountered at every stop reflected Abdullah’s own approach, this wasn’t transactional, it was relational. He clearly has genuine relationships with many of the shop owners and vendors, and they were excited to meet the people he was showing around their souq.

Why This Tour Works for Everyone

The tour groups he takes can be incredibly diverse. There can be expats who’d been living in Kuwait for years (like us), brand new arrivals trying to get oriented, and actual tourists visiting Kuwait for just a few days. And somehow, Abdullah can manage to make the experience valuable and engaging for everyone.

For those of us who’d been in Kuwait for a while, the tour can provide context and depth that transforms places we thought we knew. We’d been looking at Kuwait through a surface-level lens, and Abdullah gave us the framework to really see what we’d been missing.

For newcomers and visitors, the tour can be an incredible introduction not just to the Mubarakiya Market but to Kuwait as a whole. Abdullah won’t just show you a historic souq, he will give you keys to understanding Kuwaiti culture, values, and daily life. 

Beyond the Facts: Feeling Like Family

I keep coming back to this point because it’s so central to what makes Happidaze special: within minutes of starting the tour, we felt like we were exploring the souq with a friend, not following a tour guide.

Abdullah’s warmth and enthusiasm are completely genuine. He laughs easily, tells stories with real emotion, and clearly loves what he’s doing. He takes care of you in that distinctly Kuwaiti way: making sure you’re comfortable, that you’ve tried everything, that you’re not too hot or tired, that you understand what you’re seeing. It’s the same hospitality we’ve experienced from Kuwaiti friends who invite us into their homes and immediately make us feel like family.

The conversation flowed so naturally throughout the tour. We talked about everything from Kuwait’s history to current events, from family traditions to the challenges of modern life in the Gulf. 

What You’ll Walk Away With

After our Happidaze tour, I found myself looking at Kuwait differently. We’d go to other parts of the city and I’d start noticing details I would’ve overlooked before like architectural elements, the way neighborhoods are organized, the mixture of old and new. Abdullah has given us a lens for seeing Kuwait, not just a list of facts about the Mubarakiya Market.

For visitors to Kuwait, this tour is honestly essential. It will fundamentally shape your understanding of the country and give you appreciation for things you might otherwise miss. Kuwait can seem like just a modern, oil-rich city if you only see the surface, but there’s so much depth and history here. 

For those of us living in Kuwait, whether you’ve been here for six months or six years, this tour will change your relationship with your adopted home. It certainly did for us. We came away with a deeper respect for Kuwaiti culture, a better understanding of the history that shaped modern Kuwait, and honestly, a renewed excitement about living here. It’s easy to get caught up in daily routines and forget to really see the place you’re living in. This tour snaps you out of that complacency.

Practical Details: How to Experience This Yourself

If you’re in Kuwait, whether you’re visiting or living here, I can’t recommend Happidaze tours strongly enough. Abdullah offers several different tour options beyond the Mubarakiya Market tour, each showcasing different aspects of Kuwait’s history and culture.

The best part? Booking is incredibly easy. You can visit the Happidaze website to see the current tour offerings, schedule, and pricing. The website has all the details you need to plan your experience.

You can also follow and reach out through their Instagram @happidazekw where Abdullah regularly posts photos from tours, shares interesting Kuwait content, and responds to questions. It’s a great way to get a sense of what the tours are like before you book.

I’d recommend booking in advance, especially during the cooler months (October through April) when tours are most popular. The tours do fill up because word-of-mouth recommendations (like this one!) keep Abdullah busy. Trust me, you want to secure your spot rather than hoping for last-minute availability.

The Bottom Line

In a world where so many tours feel impersonal and cookie-cutter, where you’re just another ticket number being shuffled through predetermined stops, Happidaze stands out as something completely different. This is personal, authentic, and genuinely enriching.

Abdullah isn’t just showing you Kuwait, he’s sharing it with you. There’s a huge difference, and you feel it in every moment of the tour.

Whether you’re trying to understand your new home as an expat, looking to deepen your knowledge of the country you’ve lived in for years, or visiting Kuwait and wanting to really experience the culture beyond hotels and shopping malls, Happidaze tours deliver something truly special.

If you’re in Kuwait, do yourself a favor: book a tour with Happidaze. You won’t just learn about Kuwait, you’ll feel connected to it in a way you didn’t expect. And you might just make a friend in the process.