I’ve never been too comfortable around large animals. I usually keep my distance from big dogs and pass on activities like swimming with sharks. When I first signed up for the Platinum Heritage desert safari tour in Dubai, I looked forward to riding a vintage Land Rover and feasting on an authentic four-course Arabian meal. The camel experience sounded like a “must-do” for the iconic Middle East vacation photo, but the thought of actually doing it made me a bit nervous.
Until the day of (and the exact minute of), I was pretty hesitant about the camel-riding component of this tour experience. The concept seems pretty cool when you’re at home and reading about it on the computer, but it’s a different story when you’re standing in front of these massive animals.
When I read “enjoy a camel ride into the sunset” when booking an online tour, I envisioned the process almost like riding a horse. I pictured being left alone to roam around — just me and the camel. Of course, this was just my mind running and was far from reality. Standing nearly 6 feet tall, I faced my fears and dared to ride a camel. It turns out they’re not as scary as you’d think.
Getting on the camel
Once it was my turn in line to ride the camel, my hesitation was in full force. Just watching the motion of the camel standing up kind of freaked me out. When my turn was up, I instantly wanted to run the other way. Luckily, I had an awesome tour guide who reminded me that they do this all day, every day, and it wouldn’t be recommended if it wasn’t safe. The experts guide the entire experience, and you’re never left alone to ride a camel.
To ride a camel, you first need to wait for it to bend down so you can hop on. If you can get past the fear, there’s something adorable about these fascinating animals. The guide will prompt the camel to bend down at its knees and fold its legs underneath it so you can easily get on and off.
Taking a stroll
Once comfortably seated atop the camel, it’s time for the camel to stand up so you can get on your way. Here’s where things get especially interesting. The tour guide will prompt you to hold on carefully, leaning back to fight against the motion of the camel as it stands up. Since camels use their hind legs to stand up, leaning backwards as it does this helps avoid being thrown off the camel. The whole process sounds scary, but it takes under 10 seconds.
My fears completely vanished after I was on the camel and started the ride. The experience was thrilling, even though we moved slowly across the desert sand. We rode in a tiny circle, but the views of the desert were incredible. By the time I got adjusted to the movement of the camel walking, it was time to get off. Luckily, the tour experience allowed for unlimited camel rides. Later in the evening, I returned to ride the camel with zero fears. If you can do this while traveling internationally, don’t let your fears hold you back. Riding a camel is not as scary as it seems.
