What is a Camel Trek?

Camel trekking – definition: The term camel trekking refers to the act of traveling by camel, seated on a specially designed saddle. The "rider" is then called a mehrarist.

The composition of the caravan, the relationship with the camel herders making up the team, the bond that forms with "your" animal, the joyful gaze of the nomads encountered on the trail make this way of traveling a bundle of unique and rare experiences. The cohesion and complicity between the caravaniers and the animals also make this mode of travel an extraordinary human adventure.

Camel trekking alternates between riding and walking. Whether it's an introductory trek or a longer expedition, it is customary to walk on foot at the beginning of the day so that the animal warms up.

After about an hour, the mehrarist takes a seat on the saddle. It is then pleasant to cover part of the route settled up there, eyes gazing over the landscape and ears tuned to the sounds—or the silence. However, all difficult passages are done on foot.

The camel is easy to mount and to handle. It does not have a rapid pace and you can follow it on foot. That said, since it tires less than a person walking, it can outpace you on flat, sandy terrain.

During the camel trek, each person has a riding camel, which they mount when the terrain permits. The caravan is also made up of pack camels, essential for transporting luggage.

Today, in certain countries, support vehicles are becoming more common. They are often imposed on us by local authorities or our partners, as caravan practices had largely disappeared. We try to keep their use as discreet as possible so as not to undermine the philosophy of these camel trekking expeditions.

What You Need to Know

At the beginning and throughout the camel trek, the mehrarist should never mount or dismount their camel alone. The camel herders will always be there to help and advise them.

Experience has taught us that many first-time trekkers would like to mount and dismount their camel without the herders' help, to steer it somewhat independently from the caravan, to make it trot, or even gallop.

The herders fear you may fall and injure yourself. They would be very troubled for you, but would also risk facing consequences in their employment. For safety reasons, they keep a close eye on the inexperienced mehrarist and feel responsible for them.

In the event of a serious fall, it's also important to know that transporting an injured person is often complicated; medical centers are remote and difficult to reach.

The camels and saddles represent real capital for the herders. Thus, they ensure that the animal is not injured and the saddle is not broken.

After a few days, the mehrarist may feel they're getting along well with their mount. Be aware that a camel can have unexpected reactions to, for example, an unfamiliar noise, an unknown object, a sudden movement nearby, another camel running, and so on.

When alone, a camel often does not behave the same way as it does in a group.

For instance, if left behind the caravan, it will rise very abruptly the moment you mount it, whereas normally it does so gently. This is because it is eager to rejoin the others, and the mehrarist risks taking a tumble! Falls can be dangerous given the animal's height and the rocky nature of the terrain.

The camel, raised in a herd, dislikes standing out from the others. Why run, turn right, turn left, slow down, or lag behind, when the others are following the caravan? They are accustomed to staying together and moving at their ordinary pace, which is a walk.

For everything you need to know about the geographical distribution of camel saddles, visit our ethno-saddles blog article.

Sylvain PHILIP – October 2010