King Abdulaziz Camel Festival

When you think of things associated with the Middle East, camels is one of the most prominent. The King Abdulaziz Camel Festival is held outside Riyadh, about 120km to the north, in a place called Rumah. This event is not as we thought, just about camels. But it is also an insight into the culture and some of the traditions of Saudi Arabia. This is a full day trip and we booked it through Ghazi Adventure Team in Riyadh.

As soon as we arrived we could see that this event was aimed more at tourism, which is a sign of the direction the Kingdom is taking. It was well organized, very clean, and there were not just lots of locals but also lots of expats and families. The day is a great insight into the Saudi culture, and below is a highlight of our experience of the day.

 

Up Close With Camels

Once we arrived, we were brought to see, as you would expect, camels! On display in a domed area was the world record holder for the tallest camel in the world. And what a specimen! It towered above everything around it! We have both seen plenty of camels, but nothing close to this one!

Beside this guy was also the holder of the shortest camel in the word. There was also a Bactrian camel, and two camels from Mauritania showing their two tone colours. There were a few other camels in this area on display so people could get close to them and really see their distinctive features.

 

Meeting a Falcon

Following this we took a walk to a tent where there was a falcon handler. The falcon is of course one of the other symbols of the Middle East and falconry is a big pastime here. You could take the falcon and hold it on its perch, or else if you were lucky it would climb onto the glove you were provided. Of course when it came to my turn it was bored of jumping up and down and decided it wasn’t going anywhere for me! Misha however was lucky and got it to sit on her hand.

While this was not a display of falconry skills, or showing different types of falcons, it was still nice for people to see one of these beautiful birds up close.

 

Riding the Camels

Of course this has to be done! We were taken to the area where a camel convoy was being led. Here you had the chance to ride a camel in the convoy. You could sit on its back on an open saddle, or a covered one. We choose one of each.

I had the open one, and I’ve got to admit I loved the experience! It was not as daunting or as hard as I expected. True, you have to be ready when it stands up as you feel like you are going to get thrown off. And once up it looks like a long way to the ground! But give it a few minutes and soon you will be enjoying the experience.

Misha had the covered one, and while this is good for keeping the sun off, and also gives you a more stable bar to hold onto, it does give a more limited vision when you are up there.

All in all, it’s a nice experience, once you are careful about getting up and down!

 

The Sanam Experience

This was our next port of call. In this section of the festival, you learn about different things in relation to camels. It is best to do this before you meet the camels themselves; however it was too busy when we first got there so we did it after.

In the first section you are told about the different vaccines and medical treatments used for camels. This is done by a qualified vet. He will also explain to you the benefits of camel meat and camel milk.

The next area will show you the different types of camel. Now to us, we always thought there was two; Bactrian and Dromedary. How wrong we were! The Dromedary has many different sub-classifications, so it was nice to learn all about these.

You learn about the significance of camels in the local culture, and its importance in the Arab world. You learn about its history, and how it came to the Middle East.

Then there is a section showing different camel products. We always knew about camel milk, but for the first time we saw camel chocolate! Obviously this is made from camel milk. We didn’t get the opportunity to taste it however and we were keen to try some.

The last section has what is called a Majlis. This is basically just a sitting area in the Arabic style. This also has a traditional loom and a piece of equipment used for making butter from the milk.

The Ardah (Saudi Dance)

After a quick bite to eat and a little break, we took a walk into the tent where we were going to be shown about the Ardah. The Ardah is the traditional dance in Saudi Arabia. We were shown the clothes, and the items used in the dance and the music, and given a brief description of it.

We were then taken on the stage, dressed in the traditional clothes, given a sword, and shown the steps. Now, this was harder than we thought! We thought it was just a little swaying and moving the sword a bit. But there is a lot of choreography in it; you need to move in time and in coordination with the person to each side of you. It definitely helped when a few of the locals joined us! It was much easier with their guidance!

We got through the dance, uninjured by any sword play! Then we made our way to the next part.

 

Sand Art

The following section was sand art. Here there were a few exhibitions or sculptures made just using sand and water. We were impressed. The detail was excellent in each of them. A sculpture of a camel of course was centre piece, but there was also a sculpture for Vision 2030 which was coloured green which is the Saudi colour. True, there weren’t a vast number of sculptures, but the ones that were there were beautifully done.

Like any of the exhibitions, it was just the right size, any bigger and too much time would have been taken up and you would definitely miss something important in the day.

 

The Ardah (By the Experts)

This time instead of us doing the Ardah, the experts performed it. There is something about the music that makes you tap your feet. It is only done with drums, but it resonates through you. You can see the dancers getting lost in the beat, and their singing as they dance echoes all around.

We have seen this performed on TV and on the internet, but honestly, it can’t compare to seeing it done in reality. It is something we could sit and watch for ages.

 

The Dome

The Dome is a semi-circular auditorium, with the seats all reclined. You are looking up into a 3D projected short movie. This movie explains how the people used the sun, moon, and stars for navigating in the past. It also briefly explains about the role of the camel in the olden times.

The only drawback with the movie was that it was all in Arabic. It would have been impossible to have subtitles due to the 3D projection. But perhaps headphones with an English translation could have been done.

 

The Shops

After we had finished seeing all the exhibitions, we took a little walk around the shops. Some of these were government sections such as Ministry of Health, who were giving free vaccinations, and Ministry of Environment who were giving out information.

There was also a stall offering information on desert survival and sea survival. They offer a rescue service for anyone who may be worried about somebody lost in the desert or sea.

Along with these was shops selling local produce, such as Arabic coffee, or local sweets. We made a few purchases, and then proceeded to the exit as our day was at an end.

 

Conclusion of the Day

We both thoroughly enjoyed the day. It was far better than either of us had expected. As mentioned before, it was well organized, very informative, and very clean all over.

One thing we really liked was the interaction that the locals showed. As we mentioned in a previous post, the Saudi people love others enjoying their country. They were gathered seeing how people managed riding the camels, gave a bit of banter now and then too! But everything was in good spirits! At the Ardah any locals who were in the section joined in with us, and this really makes the experience more special.

You feel more welcome, like you are being accepted. You don’t feel like they are just looking at you and laughing at you. People are eager to show you what to do properly. They enjoy it as much as the non-locals. It’s a great way to get interactive with them.

The information on display throughout the day was excellent. We both learned a lot, not just about camels, but also about the Saudi culture and traditions.

Saudi Arabia is opening its doors to tourism, and if they continue to do things the way the King Abdulaziz Camel Festival was run, then they will be very successful at it. We hope they will be, festivals like this can really help to change the outside perception of Saudi Arabia, and show what the country and the people are really like.

Bravo to the organizers, long may this festival continue!

 

Ghazi Adventure Team

Of course last but by no means least, onto our tour guides. Without these guys we feel that the day would not have been half as enjoyable. They picked us up in the morning and took us on the long drive to the festival. Throughout the day they were with us always, and got interactive with the action that was happening. They seemed as excited as we were, and this makes a big difference, to see that they enjoyed the day too.

Whenever anyone wandered off from the group, they called them to see where they were and if they were ok. They brought us around to everything and made sure we missed nothing. They chipped in with any information they thought was important when we were getting the talks about the culture or traditions.

During the day, we had water, tea, coffee, and lunch provided. A big thank you to Ghazi and his team, and we would most definitely recommend them to anyone who needs a good tour operator in Saudi Arabia.

For us, we will definitely be contacting them again about any future trips!

 

Information if you are planning the trip

Cost: Entrance to the festival is free of charge. The only cost you will have is for food and souvenirs.
When to do: The festival takes place during the month of January.
Duration of trip: Save a full day for the trip including approximately one and a half hours travel each way from Riyadh.
What to bring with you: Nothing special required except a camera and perhaps a jacket as the festival is during the winter. Water and drinks you can purchase inside the festival. 
Location: In Rumahiyah north of Riyadh. Click here for map.

 

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• For our Saudi Arabia Travel Guide with information for people looking to travel to Saudi Arabia please click here.

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