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Al Dhafra Camel Festival, UAE

The Camel Festival takes place anually in the Western Region of the United Arab Emiriates.  Camels and Bedouin families travel by caravan long distances  from Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Oman and the UAE to bring the camels to the Festival Grounds. The Festival is highlighted by various camel races  and contests and is highlighted by the Camel Beauty contest and special shows for pedigreed animals and dark-skinned camels.

The Souq which is mostly operated by the Bedoin women who display their handicrafts including woven rugs and all types of camel ornamentation.  Traditional foods are also offered and constests as well for traditional handicrafts, poetry, date packaging and photography.

Families come together at this time and live in tented camps, called Majli's which are constructed from woven  camel hair blankets and are used for socializing and sleeping.  Behind the Majli's, the camels are in temporary corals and tended by the herdsmen.

At sunset the camels are paraded along the "Millionaire's Mile" where the  camels are on view for  negotiation SUV's and camels  move randomly through chaos in the midst of the crazy confuluence of ancient and modern transportation.