How to Prepare for Your First Camel Trek – A One of a Kind Experience in the Desert
Riding the noble ‘ship of the desert’, the camel, is sure to be a unique experience that you could enjoy if you visit a country where these creatures are found. However, if you are not accustomed to this activity, you may find that it is rather more complicated than it may seem at first. On the other hand, if you prepare thoughtfully for your camel trek, you should be able to enjoy it without any undue hassle. Provided below are some suggestions for your unforgettable camel ride in the desert.
Prepare yourself and approach confidently
There will be some precautions that you should take as you prepare for your exciting camel trek. You should take care to wear long socks and long pants to safeguard your skin. As camels move with an unusual sideways motion, this will cause considerable friction; obviously, you will not like rough camel hairs scraping your legs! Therefore, your socks ought to be as long, as possible as this motion will tend to push up your pants. Other essentials for your camel trek would include sunglasses, a hat, a scarf / bandanna and dust goggles.
You should move towards the sitting camel confidently and slowly from the side. If you are nervous, you should avoid looking the camel in the eye. You should stride up purposefully, approaching the camel diagonally. First-timers should only attempt to mount a camel if the animal is sitting. Ideally, there will be a guide present to show you what steps to take.
Mount the camel assuredly
After approaching the camel, you should swing your leg around the camel’s back and mount it swiftly. You will usually find a stirrup on which you can place your foot; you should place your foot here and swing over the other leg. You will often find a handle at the saddle’s front which you can hold as you mount the animal.
Since camels will stand with their hind legs rising first, you should lean back while holding onto the saddle as it begins to rise. Next, you should gently lean forward as the camel, in turn, raises its front legs. In this way, you can maintain your position as it gets onto its feet.
Get into a comfortable position
Although it may seem natural for you to straddle the camel as you would while riding a horse, it will be more comfortable if you raise up a leg and cross it, wrapping it across the saddle post; doing so with both legs would be even better. This will more evenly distribute your weight so that your tailbone does not experience avoidable pain.
You will find that the walk of a camel would be rather irregular and uneven, unlike the more regular movement of a horse. Rather than fighting the camel’s gait, you should allow your body to swing with it while supporting yourself by grasping the saddle post. An accommodation choice to consider from which you could undertake a camel trek would be Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort by Anantara which may be regarded as one of the uniquely located Abu Dhabi 5 star hotels.
Relax and enjoy the ride
You should not attempt to control the camel during your trek. Although these creatures will respond to the commands of their master, you will usually find that attempting to direct or steer them would be futile. You should try to relax and loosen your muscles as this will in turn calm down the camel. If by some chance the camel panics or becomes agitated, you should calm it down with even steady words while gripping the reins firmly (without tugging them). You should be aware that your first camel trek is likely to be a little uncomfortable; as you might experience pain in the tailbone, you could take a pain reliever before the trek or have one handy for when the ride concludes. All in all, however, it is bound to be an unforgettable experience.
