Women are taking the lead at Dubai’s first-ever camel riding school

Nestled just beyond the air-conditioned comforts of Dubai, the UAE’s first officially licensed camel riding school offers a unique experience in the expansive, wind-swept sands.

Given the deep cultural ties to camels in the region, it’s surprising that such schools are rare. Even more remarkable is the fact that one of the founders of the Arabian Desert Camel Riding Center (ADCRC) is a woman—Linda Krockenberger, a 30-year-old German expatriate, breaking into the male-dominated world of camel riding.

Founded in January 2021, the school is located just 12 miles outside of Dubai, in Al Lisaili, a farming settlement on the edge of the Al Marmoom desert. In this traditional and socially conservative area, women seldom walk the streets—before the school, camel riding was unheard of for women.

Today, the school boasts 30 regular riders, most of them women. Krockenberger notes, “We didn’t initially focus specifically on women, but with me being part of the school, it became something unique, drawing attention from all sides.”

Camel riding for everyone

For millennia, the Arabian Peninsula has been home to the domesticated dromedary camel. Known for its single hump, the Arabian camel was once essential for transport and provided milk, meat, wool, and hides.

Today, camel festivals thrive across the UAE, and camel racing has become a major industry, featuring high-tech robot jockeys and offering prize pools that reach hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Krockenberger relocated to the UAE in 2015 to pursue a career in hospitality and quickly fell in love with the desert landscape. After years of riding horses in Germany, she was eager to try camel riding but struggled to find a suitable place. Unfortunately, her gender was an obstacle.

She recalls, “The only responses I got were, ‘You can ride, but only if we do it at night, in the dark,’ or ‘It would be better if you dressed like a boy.’ I couldn’t accept that. I didn’t want to participate in something that was considered inappropriate.”

“That was a real challenge for me,” she reflects. “I wanted to be sure that we could dress modestly and respect cultural norms, but still be able to embrace our identity as women.”

She eventually found a mentor in Obaid Al Falasi, a 52-year-old Emirati who has spent his life working with camels. Under his expert guidance, Krockenberger learned the art of camel riding, and together they decided to create a school that would welcome anyone eager to learn.

Thanks to Al Falasi’s esteemed reputation within the community, Krockenberger shares that they were granted the first official license for a camel riding center in the UAE.

She explains that having the center officially licensed is the only way women can ride camels, as otherwise, it’s not culturally accepted.

“Being officially recognized is crucial,” says Krockenberger. “Our work has broader implications for women in the region because we’re doing it through an institutional framework. This recognition carries weight and gradually spreads throughout the community.”

Krockenberger shares that the female riders initially felt a responsibility to prove to the community that they could ride safely. “During the first few rides, there was a lot of pressure,” she admits. “We felt it was our one chance to show that women could ride too, so we were determined not to fail.”

After proving their capabilities, the women have taken their riding to new heights. Krockenberger launched the first-ever all-female camel racing team in the country, and in November 2021, the ADCRC hosted the UAE’s first official women’s camel race, attracting over 200 spectators. More races are planned for the future.

The camels can reach speeds of up to 40 miles per hour (64 kilometers per hour) and are ridden in the traditional style, without metal stirrups. Unlike most camel races, her team avoids using whips. For those seeking a more leisurely experience, the riding pace is much gentler.

“Camels are incredibly intelligent and emotional,” says Krockenberger. “They form strong bonds with individual people. It’s all about building a relationship with the animal… though a camel will always retain a wild side.”

Rediscovering tradition

Over 40 Emirati women have ridden with the center, with seven of them becoming regular riders.

Aisha Khoory, a 35-year-old housewife, started attending the school this month. She feels it allows her to connect with Emirati traditions. “Riding camels takes me back to how people traveled not so long ago,” she shares, noting that she found the camels calm and easy to manage. “The whole experience leaves me feeling energized and positive.”

Krockenberger mentions that many of her regular riders describe camel riding as a form of meditation, and emphasizes that the experience is open to everyone.

“Women, young people, seniors, expats, and locals all blend into this space, united by a shared passion,” she adds.