The Straw that Broke the Camels Back

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Monday, 20 June 2011 14:37 | Written by Jess @ QA

Long known for their assistance in the desert as their fur reflects the sun and their fatty humps minimize heat to the rest of their bodies, the camels main use to humans is as transportation.

My personal experience of camels was at the pyramids at Giza in Cairo many years ago. Not the most relaxing introduction as we were trailed relentlessly until we agreed to climb on the back of a kneeling sandy creature, who then lurched dramatically to its feet and nonchalantly gave us a brief, lollerping tour.

But, it seems, camels are multi-talented. The rather bazaar and unpredictable sport of camel racing came from Bedouin tradition and surprisingly camels can reach speeds of up to 50km an hour for short periods. The annual Alice Springs Camel Cup showcases this and is set to take place on the 9th of July this year. click here

Qatar, now they have banned the use of child jockeys, have replaced them with robots on the smaller camels, with owner's remotely controlling their 'rider' from 4 wheel drive vehicles following behind. Racing also is popular in India, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Bahrain...and even in the UK. click here

For those preferring slower paced activity there are many trekking opportunities which involve camels (either carrying you or your gear) around the drier corners of the earth. Here are some examples. If you are travelling the USA - Monahams Sandhills Treks, in Africa - Camel Safaris from Desert Rose Lodge in Northern Kenya, or in the Middle East - Crazy Camel Safaris in the Sinai of Egypt click here, or India - Thar Desert Safari around Bikaner or the Pichi Richi Camel Tours of South Australia.

Alternatively plan to be a part of the Pushkar Camel Fair, in India, a spectacle of epic scale attracting 300,000 people and up to 20,000 camels, cattle and horses. The temporary tented accommodation at Camp Bliss allows a luxurious retreat from the wonderous chaos, or stay at The Greenhouse nearby. click here

This year the event takes place from 31 Oct to 9 Nov.

Other accommodations included in the listings of QuirkyAccom.com which offer camel safari excursions are - Devi Garh click and Laxmi Niwas Palaces click in India, Three Camel Lodge click in Mongolia and the Ras Sinai click in the Sinai, Egypt.

Take a closer look at these interesting animals who like to sit on their knees, have leathery 2 toed feet, large eyes with long eye lashes and of course the distringuished hump. Do you prefer your camel with one hump or two?