• Jordanian Bedouins prepare to race camels using robotic jockeys in the desert of Wadi Rum valley, south of Jordan.
    Jordanian Bedouins prepare to race camels using robotic jockeys in the desert of Wadi Rum valley, south of Jordan.
  • Jordanian Bedouins keep an eye on camels race using robotic jockeys in the desert of Wadi Rum valley, south of Jordan.
    Jordanian Bedouins keep an eye on camels race using robotic jockeys in the desert of Wadi Rum valley, south of Jordan.
  • Jordanian Bedouins prepare to race camels using robotic jockeys in the desert of Wadi Rum valley, south of Jordan.
    Jordanian Bedouins prepare to race camels using robotic jockeys in the desert of Wadi Rum valley, south of Jordan.
  • Jordanian Bedouins keep an eye on camels race using robotic jockeys in the desert of Wadi Rum valley, south of Jordan.
    Jordanian Bedouins keep an eye on camels race using robotic jockeys in the desert of Wadi Rum valley, south of Jordan.
  • A Jordanian Bedouin winner checks ona sword he received as a prize during the camels race using robotic jockeys in the desert of Wadi Rum valley, south of Jordan.
    A Jordanian Bedouin winner checks ona sword he received as a prize during the camels race using robotic jockeys in the desert of Wadi Rum valley, south of Jordan.
  • Emirati Sheikh Sultan Bin Hamdan prizes a sword to the first winner of the female camels race on camels race using robotic jockeys in the desert of Wadi Rum valley, south of Jordan.
    Emirati Sheikh Sultan Bin Hamdan prizes a sword to the first winner of the female camels race on camels race using robotic jockeys in the desert of Wadi Rum valley, south of Jordan.

Under starters orders: Wadi Rum camel racing

Mark Asquith

October 22, 2014

  • English
  • Arabic

More than 200 camels raced on the two-day final stage of the Sheikh Zayed Camels Race Festival in Wadi Rum. The race takes place in the Disah village in Wadi Rum desert south of Jordan. All participants are Jordanians from Wadi Rum villages in addition to a few competitors from Saudi Arabia. The Camel race in Wadi Rum is a tradition between the Bedouins but in the last six years the Emirates Camel Racing Federation has supervised the Jordanian race.

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