Camel Racing in Dubai: How to Watch the Races at Al Marmoom

Most people who visit Dubai's desert see camels at a safari camp, kneeling patiently for photos. Drive 40 minutes inland on a winter morning and you'll see a very different side of them. At the Al Marmoom camel racetrack, dozens of lean racing camels thunder down the sand with tiny robot jockeys on their backs while a convoy of 4x4s races alongside. It's loud, fast, deeply traditional and, best of all, free to watch. This guide explains when camel racing in Dubai takes place, how a race day works, how to get there and how to turn it into a memorable desert morning.

Why camel racing matters in the UAE

Long before cars and highways, camels carried Bedouin families, their goods and their water across the desert. They were transport, food and wealth, and racing them at weddings, holidays and tribal gatherings was a natural way to show off a good animal. Our Bedouin culture guide explains how central the camel was to desert life.

That tradition never faded. In 2020, UNESCO inscribed camel racing, a social practice and festive heritage associated with camels on its Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, after a joint nomination by the UAE and Oman. UNESCO's description notes that racing camels are selected by type, origin and age, fed a special diet, trained in groups and raced over distances set by their age, usually with fifteen to twenty camels in a round.

Today the sport is professional and high-profile, with major festivals, big prize funds and some of the most valuable animals in the region. Yet a race morning still feels like a community gathering, with owners, trainers and families following every heat closely.

About the Al Marmoom camel racetrack

Al Marmoom is home to the Dubai Camel Racing Club (DCRC), which was established in 2008. The venue sits in the desert off the Dubai to Al Ain Road, close to the Al Marmoom Desert Conservation Reserve and the village of Al Lisaili.

The club describes a "smart" racecourse with two main tracks divided into lanes of different lengths, roughly 4 to 11 km and extendable to 15 km. Alongside the tracks are veterinary facilities, testing laboratories, photo-finish technology and spectator viewing areas. In other words, this is a working sports venue, not a show built for tourists, which is exactly what makes it worth seeing.

The 2026-27 camel racing season

The DCRC has announced that the 2026-2027 season runs at Al Marmoom and its side tracks from 11 September 2026 to 8 May 2027. Here's how the season is structured, based on the club's announcement:

The cooler months from November to March are the most comfortable for spectators. Late-season festival days are bigger and busier, but mornings are already warm by late April, so go early and take water.

For context, the 2026 Heritage Festival ran for 12 days with 333 races and more than 6,000 camels from across the Gulf, according to its organisers. Its programme listed sessions at 6:30am and 1:30pm on most days and included a Big Bus service on selected days that let spectators follow the race beside the track. Details for the 2027 festival may differ, so treat these as a guide only.

How a camel race works

If you've never been, the first race can be confusing. Here's what you'll see.

The camels and categories

Racing camels are grouped by age, and each age group has its own traditional name. The 2026 Heritage Festival listed categories including Hagaqa, Lagaya, Jatha'a, Thanaya, Haul and Zumool, with separate divisions for sheikhs' and tribesmen's camels. Younger camels run shorter distances; older ones run further. Festival races in 2026 were run over 4, 5, 6 and 8 km.

Robot jockeys

The small figures perched on each camel's hump are robot jockeys. The UAE tightened its ban on child jockeys in the early 2000s and, in July 2005, raised the minimum jockey age to 18. The first races with remote-controlled robot riders were held that same month. Today each robot is light enough to sit on a racing camel's hump and is controlled remotely by the owner or trainer from a car beside the track.

The car convoy

This is the part that surprises most visitors. As the camels leave the start, a long line of 4x4s races down a road running parallel to the track. Inside are owners and trainers steering the robot jockeys, shouting encouragement and watching their camels' pace. For many spectators, the convoy is as much of a spectacle as the race itself.

Watching from the grandstand

Spectators watch from viewing areas near the finish. Races are long, so you'll often see the start on screens or in the distance and then the finish close up. Arrive early and you may also see handlers walking camels to the start, which is a good time for photos from a respectful distance.

How to get to Al Marmoom from Dubai

Driving yourself

Driving is the easiest independent option. Head out of the city on the E66 Dubai to Al Ain Road towards Al Lisaili and follow signs for the camel racetrack. The DCRC puts the drive at about 40 minutes from The Dubai Mall or Expo City Dubai, 45 minutes from Dubai International Airport and 50 minutes from Al Maktoum International. Early-morning roads are usually quiet, which helps.

By taxi or ride-hailing

There is no metro or regular public transport to the track. A taxi or ride-hailing car will get you there, but finding one for the return trip can be harder, so agree a return plan with your driver before you get out.

With a guide

Some local guides offer race-morning visits with transport, and many tours run camel treks and desert breakfasts in the nearby Al Marmoom reserve. Racing dates are only confirmed shortly before race days, so any guide will need to check the calendar before confirming.

Make a morning of it: what to pair with the races

Al Marmoom is in the middle of one of Dubai's best desert areas, so it's easy to build a half-day or full day around race time.

If you want to ride a camel rather than just watch one, the half-day camel trekking tour with Al Marmoom breakfast includes hotel pickup, a 45-minute camel caravan ride, Arabic coffee and a Bedouin-style breakfast, according to its listing. It's a natural follow-on on a non-race morning. For an evening option, the heritage safari with camel ride and Al Marmoom Oasis dinner combines a vintage G-Class drive, short camel rides, a falcon show and stargazing. Our camel ride and falconry guide explains what to expect on the camel itself.

Camel racing vs a camel ride on a safari

Many visitors do both: a classic evening safari on one day and the races on another. Our morning desert safari guide is a good fit if you prefer to be in the desert early.

Tips for your first camel race

1. Check the calendar the day before. Use the DCRC website or the Smart Race app, and don't rely on a timetable from an old blog post.
2. Arrive early. Being there before the first race means easier parking and a chance to see the camels being prepared.
3. Dress modestly. This is a traditional local event. Cover shoulders and knees, and bring a light layer for chilly winter mornings. Our what to wear on a desert safari guide works well here too.
4. Bring water, sunscreen and sunglasses. Shade and food options are limited, and the sun gets strong quickly.
5. Stay off the track and the vehicle road. Camels and 4x4s move fast. Watch from the spectator areas and follow staff directions.
6. Be respectful with your camera. Photographing the race is normally fine, but ask before taking close-up photos of people, especially women and families.
7. Pack binoculars or a zoom lens. Races cover several kilometres, and a zoom helps you follow the pack.

Plan your Al Marmoom day

Want to see the races and spend more time in the desert? Pair a race morning with the Al Marmoom camel trek and breakfast, or come back in the evening for the camel trekking and dinner at Al Marmoom Oasis, which includes a 45-minute camel caravan, a BBQ dinner and stargazing with a telescope. Check current prices, reviews and cancellation terms in the GetYourGuide section below.

Prefer someone to plan it around your dates? Send us a booking request and we'll suggest a desert experience that fits your race-day morning, whether that's a camel trek, a private safari or a relaxed evening in the dunes.

Final thoughts

Camel racing is one of the most authentic things you can see in Dubai, and one of the few that costs nothing. Check the race calendar, set an early alarm, dress modestly and head out on the Al Ain Road. Watching the camels charge past with their robot jockeys and a wall of 4x4s behind them is a side of Emirati life most visitors never see, and it makes a great start to a full day in the desert.