Beautiful camels to compete at Al Dhafra Festival

Some people might not recognise the beauty of a well-bred camel. But with their thick eyelashes and intelligent expressions, you can begin to see their charm.

And the most beautiful of the bunch are set to take part in a huge competition in the UAE later this year. The Al Dhafra festival, which has been called the greatest Bedouin showcase in the world, is set to be even bigger this year with a total of Dhs110 million available in prizes across 2,937 categories – including camel beauty.

Camel beauty contests will be held in Sweihan, Razeen, and Madinat Zayed (Liwa) as well as at the festival site. The festival aims to promote Bedouin and UAE cultural heritage and to encourage participation in local traditions.

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The Al Dhafra Festival will begin Friday October 8 and will continue until Saturday January 22. In the past it has featured traditional handicrafts, falconry contests, saluki races, Arabian horseracing, and a traditional souk plus tonnes of other attractions and competitions. So if you’re not looking to show your camel, then there will be plenty of other attractions to keep you occupied.

Planning to check it out? The festival is held near Madinat Zayed, the largest town in the Liwa Oasis, which is deep Al Dhafra’s desert.

There is loads coming up in Abu Dhabi this year. From Russel Peters in September, to Mark Ronson in October, to Michael McIntyre in November, don’t miss out on all the upcoming gigs in the capital.

But when it comes to camels though, look no further than the Al Dhafra Festival. May the best-looking camel win.

Oct 8-Jan 22. Al Dhafra. abudhabiculture.ae/en/experience/heritage-festivals/al-dhafra-festival