Camel races at Al Marmoom have free entry, and the Dubai Camel Racing Club reported race mornings on 25 October, 31 October and 1 November 2026, with 16 to 20 rounds over 5 to 8 km. The track is on the Dubai-Al Ain road, about 40 minutes by car from The Dubai Mall. The jockeys are remote-controlled robots, and there is no fixed public timetable, so check the club's Smart Race app before you drive. Dates for the 2027 heritage festival have not been announced yet.
By SB Excursions · Published 3 November 2026 · Updated 3 November 2026
Tour on this route: Full-Day Desert Safari in Dubai — From $45 per person, 7 hours.
Where is the camel racing track in Dubai and how far is it?
The Dubai Camel Racing Club track is at Al Marmoom on the Dubai-Al Ain road, with the entrance at gate E 37. The club gives driving times of about 40 minutes from The Dubai Mall, 45 minutes from Dubai International Airport and 50 minutes from Al Maktoum International Airport.
This guide also answers:
- When is the camel racing season in Dubai?
- Is it free to watch camel races at Al Marmoom?
- What are robot jockeys?
Five ways to meet racing camels
#1
A race morning at the Al Marmoom track
This is the main event: age-group races for tribal camels over 5 km or 8 km, with 16 to 20 rounds in a morning. Entry has been free and the sport is a local tradition, not a show made for tourists. There is no fixed public timetable, so check the club's app, arrive early and expect gaps between rounds.
#2
The Al Marmoom Heritage Festival in spring
The festival is the biggest camel racing event at the track. Arab News reported 333 races over 12 consecutive race days in 2026, with more than 6,000 camels and a $2.46 million prize purse, and described the finale as free to attend. Dates for the next edition have not been announced yet, so do not book around a guess.
#3
The Al Dhafra camel festival in Abu Dhabi
Al Dhafra is a camel heritage season with judged beauty contests and prize money, not a ride or a show. It is far from Dubai, so go only if camels are the reason for the trip. Our festival guide lists its dates, entry and the long road west, and it also covers the Liwa festival and its giant dune.
#4
A camel ride at a safari camp
Racing camels are not for riding, but a camp camel is. The ride on our full-day desert safari is a short led walk at sunset with a photo stop, included in the price from $45 per person. The safari also has dune bashing, sandboarding and a BBQ dinner, with hotel pickup and no prepayment.
#5
A camel at the balloon breakfast camp
After the sunrise balloon flight, guests are driven to a private Bedouin camp for breakfast, a short camel ride and a falcon photo. It is a quieter way to meet a camel than a race day, in softer light, but it is the most expensive option here, from $275 per person, and the balloon depends on the wind.
Camel racing at Al Marmoom: the short answer
Camel races run at the Dubai Camel Racing Club's track at Al Marmoom, on the Dubai-Al Ain road, and entry has been free for visitors. The club's own news page, which we read on 2 November 2026, reported race mornings on Sunday 25 October (20 rounds of 5 km), Saturday 31 October (16 rounds of 8 km) and Sunday 1 November (16 heats, the first over 8 km). The club says the track is about 40 minutes by car from The Dubai Mall.
There is no public timetable that we could verify. The event calendar on the club's website was empty when we checked, so races are not announced like a tourist show. The club has a Smart Race app and its news page posts results after each race day. If you want a camel experience at a fixed time, a ride on a desert safari is the safe choice, and our camel riding guide explains what a ride is like.
What recent race mornings looked like
The club's news page is written in Arabic. We used it to build this table of the last three race days before this guide was written. It shows how a race morning is organised, not a schedule for the future.
| Day | Rounds | Distance | Camels | Best winning time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sunday 25 October | 20 rounds | 5 km | Young tribal camels, local and hybrid | 7 min 30.6 s |
| Saturday 31 October | 16 rounds | 8 km | Age-group races for tribal camels | 12 min 37.4 s |
| Sunday 1 November | 16 heats | 8 km in the first heat | Older camels, local and hybrid | 12 min 46.2 s |
Source: Dubai Camel Racing Club news page, read on 2 November 2026. Race days and rounds change, so check before you go.
Those times mean an average speed of roughly 38 to 40 km/h (our arithmetic: 5 km in about 7.5 minutes, 8 km in about 12.6 minutes). A single race is over in less than 15 minutes. But 20 rounds of 7.5 minutes is already more than two and a half hours of racing, before the gaps between rounds, so plan for a morning in which you watch some rounds, not all of them.
When the season runs and what the heritage festival is
Races were already running in late October 2026. Khaleej Times describes the camel racing season as running from October to April, usually on weekends with no set schedule, and the three race days above include a Saturday and two Sundays. Treat the season as a general pattern and check each week.
The club also runs the Al Marmoom Heritage Festival at the same track. Arab News reported that the 2026 festival finale was held on Thursday 2 April at the Al-Marmoom Camel Racetrack. The festival had 333 races over 12 consecutive race days, with more than 6,000 camels and a total prize purse of $2.46 million, and Arab News described the finale as free to attend.
Dates for the 2027 festival have not been announced yet (as of November 2026). The festival's own website still shows an old programme, so do not plan a trip around a guessed date. For camel events in the Abu Dhabi emirate, such as the Al Dhafra camel festival that runs in stages from late October to January, see our Al Dhafra and Liwa festivals guide.
Robot jockeys: what you will see
Camel racing in the UAE uses robot jockeys, not children. Khaleej Times describes the robots as remote-controlled by trainers who drive alongside the track in 4x4 vehicles, and says the UAE was the first country to ban underage riders. In its photo report from Al Marmoom, The National shows handlers holding a robotic jockey before a race.
So the picture is different from a horse race. The camels run with a small robot strapped on the saddle, and the owners or trainers follow in vehicles beside the track and steer by remote control. The finish is timed by photo-finish cameras, according to the club. If you are used to seeing a rider on every animal, the first race looks strange, and it is worth watching for the line of vehicles as much as for the camels.
The track and where you can watch
According to the club, the racecourse has two main tracks divided into five routes of 4 km, 5 to 6 km, 8 km and 11 km, which can be extended to 15 km. It has two stands with seating, two bridges set aside for the public and tourists, and giant screens. A camel hospital and a laboratory for doping and DNA tests are on the same site.
Because the races cover 5 to 8 km, you cannot follow the camels with your eyes the whole way, and the giant screens help with that. Khaleej Times has also reported that tourists were once bussed alongside the track for a close view, so ask on the day what is open to visitors.
How to get there and what to bring
Go by car on the Dubai-Al Ain road (E66) and enter at gate E 37, which the club gives on its contact page. The club's own driving times are 40 minutes from The Dubai Mall and Expo City Dubai, 45 minutes from Dubai International Airport and 50 minutes from Al Maktoum International Airport. The club's map pin is 24.970267, 55.483941. Its contact page lists no bus or Metro route and refers visitors to the RTA, so do not count on public transport.
If you do not have a car, use a taxi or a ride-hailing car and arrange the return trip with the driver, because you may find few cars at a quiet track after the races. A hire car is easier. The club's email is info@dcrc.ae if you want to ask about a race day.
- Start early. Races are in the morning, so leave the city while it is still dark.
- Sun and cold. Take sunglasses, a hat and water, and a light jacket for winter mornings.
- Binoculars. Khaleej Times calls them a common accessory, because the track is long.
- Casual clothes. Khaleej Times says casual dress is fine at the races.
- Stay in the public areas. The camels and the vehicles run fast, so keep away from the track and the stables unless a staff member invites you.
Is it worth the early drive?
It is worth it if you like local sport and a cultural morning, you have a car or a driver, and you are happy to take a chance on the day. You see an Emirati tradition that most visitors never meet, in a setting with few tourists, and it costs nothing to watch.
It is not worth it if you have one free morning and want something certain. The track is far from the city, there is no public timetable, each race is short and the rounds are spread over hours. The first race is exciting, but by the fifth you may want breakfast. A safari with a camel ride gives you the camel at a fixed time and with a hotel pickup, and a race morning is a bonus for people who are already curious.
Make it a desert morning
Racing camels are working animals, so you cannot ride them. If your children want to sit on a camel, the ride on our full-day desert safari is included from $45 per person, with hotel pickup and no prepayment. The sunrise balloon flight from $275 ends with a short camel ride and a falcon photo at a Bedouin camp, and our falconry guide covers where to see falcons.
If you like the idea of a race morning but prefer horses, Meydan's racing season is covered in our Dubai racing guide. For other cool-weather ideas, see things to do in Dubai in winter.
FAQ
Where is the camel racing track in Dubai and how far is it?
The Dubai Camel Racing Club track is at Al Marmoom on the Dubai-Al Ain road, with the entrance at gate E 37. The club gives driving times of about 40 minutes from The Dubai Mall, 45 minutes from Dubai International Airport and 50 minutes from Al Maktoum International Airport.
When is the camel racing season in Dubai?
Khaleej Times describes the season as October to April. The club's news page reported race mornings on 25 October, 31 October and 1 November 2026. There is no public timetable we could verify, so check the club's Smart Race app and news page before you drive.
Is it free to watch camel races at Al Marmoom?
Entry has been reported as free. Khaleej Times reported free general admission, and Arab News described the 2026 heritage festival finale as free to attend. Confirm on the day if you plan around a special event.
What are robot jockeys?
They are small robots strapped on the camel's saddle instead of a child rider. Khaleej Times says trainers drive alongside the track in 4x4 vehicles and control them by remote. The UAE was the first country to ban underage riders, according to the same article.
How long is a camel race?
Recent races on the club's news page were 5 km or 8 km. The best time on 25 October was 7 minutes 30.6 seconds for 5 km, and on 31 October it was 12 minutes 37.4 seconds for 8 km. A morning has 16 to 20 rounds with gaps between them.
Can tourists watch camel racing in Dubai?
Yes. The club describes two bridges set aside for the public and tourists, and two stands with seating. There is no tourist ticket or fixed programme that we could verify, so go with a car, an early start and a plan to ask staff on arrival.
Are the 2027 heritage festival dates announced?
Not yet, as of 2 November 2026. The last festival finale was on Thursday 2 April 2026, according to Arab News. The festival website still shows an old programme, so wait for the club to announce dates before you plan around them.
Can I ride a camel instead of watching a race?
Yes, but not a racing camel. A camel ride is part of our full-day desert safari from $45 per person and of the sunrise balloon breakfast from $275, and our camel riding guide explains what a ride is like and what to ask.
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