This post is going to come off as hypocritical: I literally just dismounted from the camel that took me through the Giza pyramid complex near Cairo, Egypt. Aside from the sore thighs — you have to spread your legs rather wide in order to ride one of these guys! — I thoroughly enjoyed the experience and wouldn’t trade it for the world.
But riding a camel through the Giza pyramids isn’t for everyone. If you’re having doubts about whether you should add a camel ride to your Egypt itinerary, read through these potential pitfalls to aid you in your decision.
1. You’re probably going to get ripped off
Prices on camels are reputedly government-fixed at the Giza pyramids, unlike at the Saqqara “step” pyramid pictured here.
I was lucky, or so I think. My driver, whom I booked through my hostel, took me to the government camel office (yes, there is such a place here in Egypt), which allowed me to book a two-hour camel ride for just LE 300, or about $50. Of course, I had no idea when I agreed whether this is actually a good deal — and I still don’t. It’s extremely difficult to tell whether or not someone is honest in Egypt.
2. It’s difficult to take pictures from the saddle
Even if you’re not as ardent a shutterbug as I am, you’ll find your photo snapping abilities greatly impaired once the camel lifts itself off the ground. I wouldn’t go so far as to the say the ride is rough, but I don’t recommend doing it one-handed, at least not at the beginning of the journey.
3. People for the ethical treatment of camels? Not in Egypt
It’s like a rental car lot, huh?
Hear that cracking sound? It’s the guy riding on the horse behind you, whipping the camel so it walks faster. On one hand, I suppose this is the way they do it and have always done it here. Still, I’m not going to lie: My camel looked miserable the entire time, which broken my camel-loving heart into a million pieces.
4. Riding a camel is harder (and more painful) than it looks
Photography not important to you? Great! You can hold on with both hands. Of course riding a camel isn’t just a matter of holding on. It requires you to find the right place on the saddle — some are less sturdy than others, owing to the gap between the animal’s two humps — and clench your legs together tightly enough to ensure you don’t fall off.
5. You can’t go at your own pace or follow your own path
I’ve never ridden a horse, but I always imagined riding one to be kind of like driving a car. Namely, that it takes you to where you want to go when you tell it to. This isn’t the case for camels for two reasons: (1) The aforementioned asshole with the whip is the one calling the shots, not you; (2) Camels walk slowly, even at their fastest.
6. Thirsty? Grow a hump
Local Bedouins make it looks way easier than it actually is.
In case you haven’t gotten it by now, you cannot ride a camel without at least one hand on the saddle. Another practical difficulty this leads to is being unable to drink water. Unless, of course, you feel comfortable drinking hands-free.
7. Now it’s time to tip
As if the price of the camel wasn’t high enough — to its credit, this figure does include the LE 60 entrance fee for the pyramids complex — you’re expected to tip not only the person who whipped the camel from the comfort of a horse, but also the person who led the camel by a rope the entire way. Naturally the amount is up to you, but my pair seemed only barely satisfied by the LE 150 (about $22) I gave the two of them to split.
Robert Schrader is a travel writer and photographer who’s been roaming the world independently since 2005, writing for publications such as “CNNGo” and “Shanghaiist” along the way. His blog, Leave Your Daily Hell, provides a mix of travel advice, destination guides and personal essays covering the more esoteric aspects of life as a traveler.
