Are you traveling to Egypt and dying to ride a camel at the Pyramids? Before you decide, there are some terrible truths about how camels are treated that you may not know about. In this post, we’ll go over 10 devastating reasons why you should absolutely not ride a camel in Egypt – no matter how much you want to.
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I know what you’re thinking! You can’t possibly visit The Great Pyramid of Giza without taking an obligatory picture with a camel. However, there is so much heartbreak that goes on behind the scenes in every tourist photo.
Egypt is notorious for abusing and inhumanely treating these poor camels. It’s important to know the full story before making a decision that may contribute to the harm of any animal.
Whether you’re already an animal lover or simply just an eager tourist, here are 10 reasons you should avoid riding camels while in Egypt. I urge you to learn and think about these lovely creatures before hopping on one.
10 Important Reasons Why You Should Not Ride Camels While In Egypt
1 Speciesism Is A Toxic Mentality
Speciesism is a common belief among humans that one species is more important than another. This is why we keep cats and dogs as pets but slaughter pigs and cows for food.
It’s the idea that human interests and desires are more important than another animal’s life. How often do we hear that people could never become vegetarians because they just love steak too much? But then they go home and cuddle their dogs while not thinking about the cow they just consumed.
This mentality is ingrained in humans at a small age by society. It’s also one of the reasons we ride camels for our enjoyment. Not thinking about the animal itself or its suffering.
Once you are aware of this false mindset, you’re one step closer to changing how you think and interact with animals.
2 The Owners Do Not Care About The Animals
While this is a generalization and does not apply to every Egyptian owner, it is safe to say that it applies to most due to the belief in speciesism. The owners do not care about their camels which is why you should not ride the camels in Egypt.
Unfortunately, the majority of owners only care about making money by any means necessary. Especially in a poor and heavily tourist-centric country like Egypt. They see camels as their way of making money from tourists like you and me.
Because of this, the camels are not properly taken care of, often neglected, and even sometimes beaten.
3 They Are Malnourished and Overworked
Since the animals are not properly cared for, they are often overworked and malnourished. You can easily recognize this by looking at the camel. Is it skin and bones? Does it have any muscle on it? Are there visible sores?
Getting up and down constantly all day can be a hard task for a camel. They must bend down onto their knees to do so which can get exhausting, as well as being forced to carry tourists around all-day.
Not to mention that they are overworked all day in extreme heat with no food, no water, or shade in sight. They are often dehydrated but still forced to work.
4 Riding Camels for Pure Enjoyment/Tourism is Wrong
It’s one thing for local Bedouins (Arab desert nomads) to ride camels to get from point A to point B. This is part of their culture and way of life.
It’s another thing for able tourists to ride these camels for enjoyment or even worse for social media pictures. There is an ethical difference here.
In general, animal exploitation in the tourism industry is a problem everywhere. Animals should not be used to make money. They are often mistreated across most countries. Riding camels is often compared to riding elephants which is something more widely categorized as cruelty.
5 Camels are Tied Up and Abused/Whipped
Even when a camel is tired and needs to rest, it often gets whipped repeatedly until it stands up again to continue rides. It doesn’t take a devout animal lover to see the mistreatment of these camels.
I hope that if you do one day visit Egypt, you will remember this and keep an eye out for this abuse. It’s not hard to miss among the chaos that happens at the pyramids.
I also noticed that the camels had markings and random writing written on their necks. It looked like it had been burned on there like some kind of branding but it wasn’t large enough to identify. It seemed like it was there for fun not for a purpose.
The camels and horses also get tied up to poles or buildings when they are not being used for rides. However, they are tied up with short ropes that do not allow them to move their heads much, let alone lay down to rest.
6 Just Because They Can Be Ridden, Doesn’t Mean They Should Be
I know what you’re probably thinking – “Oh but camels are meant to be ridden, that’s why they can carry up to so much weight.” This is also a speciesism mentality. Just because you can do something doesn’t mean that you should.
And even if you can do it, doesn’t mean you DESIRE to do it. Especially not every day of your life. Animals are no different. They should be able to live a happy and meaningful life just like we are.
Once again, if a local Bedouin is using a camel as transportation because he has no other way, this is different than tourists who want to ride one for pleasure. It’s also much likelier that the local Bedouin sees his camel as a pet and treats him with love instead of a means to an end.
7 Camel’s Feet are Meant to Walk on Soft Sand Not Hard Streets
Another reason you should not ride camels at the pyramids in Egypt is because they are not meant to walk in hard ground. While some parts of the complex are completely covered in soft sand for their feet, not everywhere is.
I remember seeing many animals being forced to walk down a very steep cobblestone path while carrying tourists. There is no way that this is what the camels are meant to do or even enjoy doing.
8 They Are Often Violently Trained to Carry People
Camels are not born capable of carrying tourists. They must be trained to have people ride them. The training process often involves violence and abuse.
There is also a certain age when a camel is fully developed to carry heavy weight. There is no way of knowing whether the animal was trained properly or ethically.
It’s not unheard of people training camels before they are of age. This can damage their bodies for the rest of their lives.
9 It’s a Miserable Way for any Animal to Spend Their Lives
Let’s be real, this is just a terrible way for ANYONE to spend their lives. Constantly being overworked and beaten, and lacking freedom for the benefit of your owner is also known as slavery.
If you wouldn’t be okay with your much loved pet living like this, then why is it okay for other animals to live like this? I urge you to remember and think of this before you decide to get on a camel.
Another reason to not ride camels in Egypt is because this is just their lives. Every single day, this is their lives. They’re abused and forced to work without rest, then they do it again and again until they are no longer any good and then they’re sold for meat.
There has been recent videos released that show just how cruel the abuse is in these markets. The camels are dragged and bloody by the end of it. It’s so heartbreaking.
10 Boycotting and Standing Up for What is Right is Up to Us
Even though you may feel like the camel you choose to ride is not mistreated or unhealthy, you are still supporting an industry known to abuse and cause harm to animals. At the end of the day, it’s your decision but ask yourself how will you feel after?
I believe it’s up to us as humans to stand up for the animals that have no voice. I realize not everyone is going to understand or much less feel so much empathy for animals as I do, but some of you may.
Boycotting the riding of camels in Egypt is something we should all stand for so they know that not all tourists are the same. It’s a way to show that you do not support an industry that values profit over the freedom and well being of animals.
Lastly
Through no desire of my own, I rode a camel in Egypt and ended up crying on the back streets of Giza. It was a horrible experience and I regretted it almost immediately.
I was traveling with my family and was told I had to ride a camel to enter the Pyramids. This is obviously just a lie and a scam but I didn’t want to disspaoint my family so I did. I wish I had stood up for them then and there.
I did ultimately get into an argument with one of the owners because I was very unhappy with the whole experience. Sometimes standing up for what’s right can be misconstrued as judgement towards a culture and trying to change their way of live. But that’s okay! Someone has to be the one to speak up.
Although the abuse and neglect of camels is an uncomfortable and devastating topic, it’s necessary to spread the word so others are aware and know what to expect before they visit Egypt. I truly hope you take some of these reasons into consideration before you make your decisions. However, I ultimately hope this changed your mind and convinced you not to ride camels while visiting Egypt.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it Bad to Ride Camels in Egypt?
The tourism industry in Egypt is known to abuse and mistreat their camels and other animals. By riding camels, you are supporting an industry that does not value freedom or the lives of animals. From this perspective, yes it’s very bad to ride camels in Egypt.
Are Camel Rides Abusive?
Indirectly, yes camel rides are abusive. Camels are beaten, mistreated, malnourished and overworked. By riding them you are contributing to their harm and detriment. However, if the animal is healthy and treated properly, the act of riding a camel should not hurt them.
Does Riding Camels Hurt Them?
As long as the animal is healthy and strong, not riding camels does not hurt them. Only one person at a time should ride camels as well. However, neither of these are often the case in the tourism industry.
For more Egypt information, you may also like:
- Fantastic 17-Day Itinerary For Remarkable Egypt And Jordan Trip
- 20 Valuable Egypt Travel Tips To Know Before You Go
- 35 Fascinating And Unique Things Egypt is Known For
