The morning trade
Haggling peaks soon after 06:00.
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Al Ain Camel Market is a working livestock market on Zayed bin Sultan Street, at Al Ain's south-eastern edge beside Bawadi Mall, where traders buy and sell camels, goats and sheep. It lies within Al Ain Central Market, which also has veterinary clinics and animal-supply shops. The camel market opens daily from 06:00 to 19:00, per Al Ain's official tourism site, and is often called the UAE's last traditional camel market. For centuries camels gave the Bedouin of this region food and transport; today they also race and compete in beauty contests. The market stands on the road south to Mezyad and the Oman border. In a 2017 CNN report, many sellers came from Afghanistan, Pakistan and Somalia, and buyers from the UAE and neighbouring Oman. Its open-air pens hold camels of every age, from calves resting beside their mothers to towering adults. Trading peaks soon after the gates open: handlers lead animals between the pens, buyers and sellers haggle, deals close with handshakes and phone calls, and sold camels leave on pickups and trucks. Locals bring goats and sheep too, and animals stay penned all day. As this is a working market, Abu Dhabi's official tourism site says visits must be arranged ahead and supervised by market staff. It lies 8 km south-east of Al Ain Oasis as the crow flies, about 10 km by road, and Jebel Hafeet rises 12 km to the south. Come by car or taxi, and early: average highs reach 42 to 45 °C from May to September.
Haggling peaks soon after 06:00.
From calves to towering adults.
Brought in by locals to trade.
Al Ain Central Market, Zayed bin Sultan Street, beside Bawadi Mall
Call the market before you go on +971 3 784 0185, the number Abu Dhabi's official tourism sites list for it: as a working market, it requires visits to be planned ahead and supervised by its staff.
Many are bought for meat, often for weddings and other celebrations; in a 2017 CNN report, a trader said his one-year-olds typically fetched about 4,000 dirhams each. Al Ain's official tourism site adds that some young camels may grow up to race.