Almost as iconic as a picture from At the Top Burj Khalifa, visitors come to Dubai looking to experience a camel ride and take THAT iconic photo!
But where can you ride a camel during your stay in Dubai?
There are plenty of ways to integrate this exciting experience into your Dubai itinerary.
Camel Rides in Dubai City
The best places to catch a Dubai camel ride in the city is at The Beach, JBR (Jumeirah Beach Residences).
Here on the beachfront with the Ain Dubai Observation Wheel and Palm Jumeirah lining the skyline you can catch a camel ride for 50 AED per person, plus AED 25 to have your photo taken.
There are certainly cheaper ways, but this is the most accessible for tourists on a tight timeframe. No pre-booking simply speak to the staff on the beach, you won’t miss the brightly decorated and very well kept ships of the desert.
Camel Rides on a Dubai desert safari
One of the easiest and most scenic ways to enjoy a camel ride is to take a desert safari with many of the city’s reputable tour providers.
There are a lot of desert safari tour company’s to choose from and don’t be surprised if the camel ride only lasts all of 5 minutes but it will be enough to take your photo and tick this experience off the list.
Your typical Dubai desert safari experience will involve being picked up from your city hotel by 4×4, followed by an adrenaline-pumping dune bashing ride through the desert dunes to your “camp”.
Here, a variety of desert sports will be offered from sand biking to quad bikes and dune buggies (depending on the tour) then an iconic sunset camel ride, followed by traditional tented dinner and entertainment. Most will return you to your Dubai hotel that night, or there are overnight options.
Some of the reputable Dubai tour companies you could try:
Dubai desert tours with longer camel rides
One of the best around is the Camel Desert Safari with Platinum Heritage. Operating from the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve, you will trek through the dunes for approximately 45 minutes before being treated to a sundown falconry show and enjoy an evening Bedouin meal and entertainment.
Not just the camel ride, this experience will give you some in-depth commentary around the desert flora and fauna and unforgettable Bedouin hospitality.
You can learn more about overnight desert camping in Dubai here.
Morning Desert Tours with Camel Ride
If you are an early riser and would love to also enjoy the sunrise, we can also recommend you to try these morning desert tours in Dubai:
- Morning Camel Trek in the Dubai Conservation Reserve
- Dubai Sunrise Camel Trek with Breakfast
- Quad Bike, Sandboarding & Camels
Dubai Resorts offering camel rides
Many of the UAE’s luxury hotels offer camel rides as part of their outdoor recreation programs. Our favourites within easy reach of Dubai city include:
- Al Maha – A Luxury Collection Desert Resort & Spa
- Bab al Shams Desert Resort & Spa
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(Note that Al Sahra Desert Resort which included the Equestrian Centre and Camel Encounter Programme has now closed, we are awaiting news of a re-opening or alternative offering).
You can read more about desert resorts and their more extensive desert wildlife experiences here.
The Camel Farm
Another truly unique and fairly new camel experience now open to the public is The Camel Farm. Located in the Al Qudra Lakes/Al Marmoom area of Dubai just outside of the city on the E77, here you can have many hands-on camel experiences for a small fee. General Admission is 40 AED, whilst you can add 15 AED for a short camel ride or a longer desert trek for 100AED.
Those not wanting to take on all the other elements usually involved in a desert safari (such as dune bashing and quad biking), this is the much more sedate and camel-focused activity for you to choose. You can even receive camel hug therapy or feed baby goats!
Watching camels race in Dubai
If you prefer to see your four-legged friends in action from afar, then you can enjoy seeing them either in racing action or being put through their training strides at Al Marmoom Racetrack.
Located next to the Al Marmoom Heritage Village in the Al Lisaili area, this will get you into the heart of the action and enjoying a traditional Emirati pastime side-by-side with the locals.
Bring some binoculars and an open mind as you watch electronically controlled jockeys pound their way around the track, followed by a thundering stampeded of 4×4’s cheering their charges on.
An early start is needed, most action kicks of around 7:00 am and finishes by 9:00 am. If you come early, you may also get the opportunity to pet the camels and take some photos before they compete, curious tourists are made welcome!
Camel Beauty Pageant in the UAE
For something truly unique, try the Al Dhafra Festival. This is the absolute trip of a lifetime and an amazing cultural experience. As well as many traditional Bedouin events from Saluki racing to falconry – even sheep milking and date packing – the centrepiece event is the Camel Mazayna – a beauty contest for camels. Prize money is big and it’s taken very seriously.
Held in the Western Region of Abu Dhabi every December, you can learn more here.
Judging time at the Al Dhafra Festival (Image credit: Family Travel in the Middle East)
Al Ain Camel Market
Last but not least, if you’re prepared for a bit of a road trip, one of the most colourful and unique experiences to get on your UAE itinerary is a day trip to Al Ain, including the Al Ain Camel markets.
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This is a live-action market so nothing is put on for the tourists here, just be prepared for the sights, sounds and smells of this fabulously vibrant place, and no doubt some very willing self-appointed guides, happy to show you around (for a fee!).
You can learn about how to day trip to the Oasis City of Al Ain here
Camel rides are only recommended for children at least 5 years old and above. The way the camel needs to get up and down on its forelegs can be quite terrifying for small children (and big ones!). Longer rides are generally only recommended for kids 10-years+.
If you are placing a small child on a camel with an adult, they may prefer to be passed down to another grown up before the camel bends down to make it a slightly less terrifying experience for everyone!
We hope you’ve found the right camel experience in Dubai to suit you!
