Camel Trekking Experience
Highlights
- An hour's slow ride through the dunes the way people crossed them for centuries
- Hotel pickup and drop-off included
- Licensed Abu Dhabi operator — DCT compliant
- About 3 hours door to door
- Departure timed to the light, not the clock
- WhatsApp support before and during
- Free cancellation up to 24 hours before travel
An hour's slow ride through the dunes the way people crossed them for centuries. A small-group experience in Abu Dhabi, run to a standard we would put our own name on — because we do.
Allow about 3 hours door to door. Departures are kept small, kit is provided, and hotel pickup can be added at checkout.
The desert works on its own clock: light that turns from white to gold in twenty minutes, dunes that change shape with the wind, and a silence you can hear. We time every departure around the light, not the schedule — and your driver knows which crest to stop on.
Practicalities, handled: your driver's WhatsApp arrives the evening before with the exact pickup time; the vehicle carries chilled water and chargers; timings flex on the day if a flight, a nap or a whim demands it. Cancellation is free up to 24 hours before travel, and you can pay on the day.
The details
- Duration
- About 3 hours
- Basis
- Small group, shared vehicle
- Pricing
- Per person
- Pickup
- Your hotel lobby — pickup included
- Languages
- English · Arabic
- Cancellation
- Free up to 24h before travel
- Confirmation
- Instant
- Effort
- Easy — suitable for all
- Payment
- Pay on the day, or card in advance
- Support
- WhatsApp, before and during
- Operator
- DCT-licensed, Abu Dhabi
What it costs your group
AED 700 for 2 travelling
Your day, stop by stop
Pickup · Out past the city
Your driver-guide meets you at your hotel in our Kia Carnival for the drive to the camel camp, around 45 minutes to an hour depending on where you're staying. On the way you get the short version of a long history — camels carried this coastline's trade, water and families for centuries.
Meet your camel
The handlers introduce you to your camel while it sits couched on the sand. You'll learn its name, its temperament and the golden rule of mounting: hold the pommel and lean back.
Mounting · The famous lurch
A camel stands up in two big heaves, back legs first, and the first one always gets a laugh. Lean back as briefed and you'll be fine. Once you're up, the view from two metres is immediately worth it.
The ride out · Caravan pace
You ride in single file behind a handler, at the swaying walk camels have used to cross this desert for a thousand years. You typically spend around an hour in the saddle, and the rhythm becomes oddly meditative once your hips stop arguing with it.
The high dune pause
The caravan stops at a viewpoint where the handlers help with photos from the ground — the only angle that flatters a camel rider. Your guide fills in the stories: the old crossings to Liwa, and why a good camel was worth more than a car.
Dismount and drive back
The sit-down is the stand-up in reverse, so lean back again. After farewells to your camel, the Carnival takes you back to your hotel, typically around three hours after pickup.
Insider tips
- Wear long trousers. This is the single most important sentence on this page.
- Lean back for the stand-up and the sit-down — fight the instinct to lean forward and you'll look like you've done this before.
- Take the late-afternoon slot; low golden light on the dunes turns an ordinary photo into a poster.
- Give your phone to the handler at the viewpoint. Camel-back selfies are ninety per cent nostril.
- Talk quietly around the camels and let them sniff you first. They're gentle, but they're also the size of a small van.
Questions, answered
Is riding a camel comfortable?
More than you'd expect, less than a sofa. The saddles are padded, the pace is a slow walk, and an hour is about the right length — long enough to settle into the rhythm, short enough that your legs forgive you.
Are there weight or health restrictions?
Yes — the handlers set weight limits for camel welfare and will assess on the day. We don't recommend the ride for guests who are pregnant or have significant back or hip problems. Tell us of any concerns when booking and we'll advise honestly.
Can children ride?
Children are welcome and generally love it. Younger children ride with an adult where the handlers judge it safe, and every camel is led by a handler throughout. Give us ages when booking so the camp can plan mounts.
What should I wear?
Long trousers are strongly advised — an hour in a saddle in shorts is a lesson you only learn once. Closed shoes, sunglasses and sunscreen complete the kit.
How safe is it?
These are calm, trained camels led at walking pace by handlers who have worked with them for years. The riskiest moments are the stand-up and sit-down, and both are managed with a briefing and a steadying hand.
Can I take photos while riding?
You can, but a swaying camel and an unsecured phone is how phones end up in the sand. Use a wrist strap, or better, hand your phone to a handler — the best shots of you are taken from the ground anyway.
What happens after you book
You get a confirmation straight away, with the reference and everything included in writing.
The evening before, your driver messages you on WhatsApp with the exact pickup time and their name.
On the day they are early, the water is cold, and the plan bends to you. Pay then, or in advance — your call.
What's included
- ✓Professional English-speaking guide
- ✓All activity equipment provided
- ✓Chilled water
Not included
- —Attraction entry tickets unless listed as included
- —Meals and personal expenses unless listed
- —Gratuities (appreciated, never expected)
What to bring
- · Sunscreen and sunglasses
- · Comfortable shoes
- · A light layer for the evening
- · Your camera — the light is the point
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