Al Marmoom Camel Racing (Dubai Camel Racing)
Al Marmoom Camel Racing (Dubai Camel Racing) takes place Oct 2026 - Apr 2027 winter season; morning races on selected days, peaking around the Al Marmoom Heritage Festival in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The dress code is Casual desert wear - modest clothing, closed shoes, hat and sunglasses. Nothing is enforced but covered shoulders and knees are respectful at a traditional Emirati event. Free to attend; budget up to 80 EUR per person for hospitality and extras.
Traditional Emirati camel racing at the Al Marmoom track in the desert south of Dubai, where camels run carrying remote-controlled robot jockeys while owners chase alongside in 4x4s. It is a serious, deeply rooted sport with substantial prize money and prestige, and almost no tourist infrastructure around it. Races start not long after dawn during the cool months and the atmosphere is entirely local: Arabic commentary, coffee, and owners far more interested in their camels than in visitors.
- When
- Oct 2026 - Apr 2027 winter season; morning races on selected days, peaking around the Al Marmoom Heritage Festival
- Where
- Dubai, United Arab Emirates
- Dress code
- Casual desert wear - modest clothing, closed shoes, hat and sunglasses. Nothing is enforced but covered shoulders and knees are respectful at a traditional Emirati event
- Cost
- Free to attend; budget up to 80 EUR per person for hospitality and extras.
- Weather
- 18 - 24C on cool dry winter mornings; races run early to avoid the heat
- When to book
- No tickets or booking needed, but race days and start times shift week to week and there is no reliable published schedule - confirm locally before setting out
- Getting there
- DXB (Dubai), 45 min to venue
- Where to stay
- Bab Al Shams Desert Resort, Al Maha, a Luxury Collection Desert Resort & Spa, Hyatt Regency Dubai Creek Heights
- Official site
- https://www.camelracingdubai.com/
How to attend
Free and open to anyone - there are no tickets, gates or enclosures. Racing runs on selected mornings through the winter season, but the Dubai Camel Racing Club's own website was not reachable when checked, so confirm timings through a local guide, your hotel concierge or Dubai tourism channels. A 4x4 or a driver who knows the site is strongly recommended; the track is roughly 45 minutes from central Dubai with limited signage. Arrive by 7am to catch the main heats.
Free to attend with no tickets, gates or enclosures - you just drive out to the track on a morning when racing is running, and since the camel racing club's own website no longer exists you will need a hotel concierge or local guide to confirm which mornings those are.
Insider tip
The real spectacle is not the track but the convoy - owners drive 4x4s flat out along the inside road operating the robot jockeys by remote control, and you can follow the pack if you have a capable vehicle and keep out of their way.
Get inside Al Marmoom Camel Racing (Dubai Camel Racing)
Booking matters here: no tickets or booking needed, but race days and start times shift week to week and there is no reliable published schedule - confirm locally before setting out. Members track that window, what it really costs, and 573 more events across the season.
Free while in beta. One email when your invitation is ready, nothing else.