Sharm El Sheikh camel races: plan the 27 October weekend
Why this 27 October festival matters in Sharm El Sheikh
Sharm El Sheikh is preparing for its annual camel-racing festival on 27 October 2026 at the Sharm El Sheikh International Camel Track, with 12 tribes from across Egypt expected to compete for the title “Dar‘ Zaeamat Al-Hojan” — the Shield of Camel Leadership. The date and line-up were announced by Eid Hamdan Al-Muzayen, head of the Egyptian Camel Federation, while Sheikh Saleh Mohamed Eid, head of South Sinai’s camel club, said honorary guests are also expected from Jordan and Saudi Arabia. For Sinai readers and domestic travelers, that makes this more than a race day: it is one of the clearest living showcases of Bedouin sporting culture still staged at full scale in Egypt.
The event is tied this year to the 53rd anniversary of the October victory, and local coverage describes it as both a competitive sports fixture and a heritage celebration rooted in Sinai’s tribal traditions. If you are looking for an outing that feels more distinctly local than a standard hotel weekend, this is one of the strongest dates on the late-October calendar in South Sinai.
What to expect at the international track
The practical appeal of this festival starts with the venue itself. The Sharm El Sheikh International Camel Track was developed as Egypt’s first camel-racing track built to international specifications. Official and state-linked coverage has described the venue as a 6-kilometre track spread across a large site in Sharm, with a main grandstand, areas for spectators, a lane for emergency access, separate movement zones for VIPs, media and trainers, veterinary facilities, camel holding areas, and race-monitoring infrastructure. South Sinai Governorate has also repeatedly presented the track as part of a wider sports-tourism and heritage complex rather than a stand-alone field.
The venue’s profile rose sharply after its high-level openings and festival appearances in 2019 and 2020, including the internationally publicized heritage event attended by President Abdel Fattah El Sisi. That history matters because it explains why the Sharm track is treated as a prestige venue in camel racing, not a temporary desert gathering.
Race format for 27 October 2026
According to the latest South Sinai reporting, the 2026 festival is scheduled to include 15 races. Organizers said the card is expected to feature:
- 2 marathon heats over 12 kilometres
- 4 Labana heats over 2 kilometres for camels aged roughly 2 to 3 years
- 4 Hegayeg heats over 4 kilometres for 4-year-old camels
- 2 Mafarid heats over 1 kilometre for camels aged about 1 to 1.5 years
- 2 Thanaya heats over 6 kilometres for 5-year-old camels
- 1 Rabaa heat over 6 kilometres for camels aged roughly 5 to 6 years
That structure is useful for visitors because it means the festival is not a single sprint. It unfolds in stages, with different age classes and distances, so you can comfortably spend several hours at the track and still feel that you have seen a full programme.
Where to stay for a smooth weekend outing
If your goal is to build the camel-racing festival into a two-night Sharm El Sheikh escape, the smartest approach is to stay in an area that also works well after the races. For most Egypt-based visitors, that means choosing between Naama Bay, Shark’s Bay and the wider resort belt depending on your budget and pace.
Naama Bay: best for first-timers
Naama Bay remains the easiest all-round base for a short stay. The official destination guide for Sharm describes it as the city’s best-known bay and a practical base for promenade walks, restaurants, nightlife and easy evenings outside the hotel. That matters if you want race day in the morning or afternoon, then dinner and a walk without committing to a remote all-inclusive routine.
Examples of established stays in this area include Camel Dive Club & Boutique Hotel (@camel_dive_club on Instagram), which positions itself in the centre of Naama Bay, and larger beachfront options such as Marina Sharm Hotel, whose latest hotel fact sheet places it directly in central Naama Bay overlooking the bay itself.
Shark’s Bay: best for a quieter stay
If you want a calmer base with easier airport access, Shark’s Bay is a solid alternative. Umbi Sharks Bay describes itself as a beachfront property in Shark’s Bay with a more laid-back, Bedouin-influenced atmosphere, while DoubleTree by Hilton Sharm El Sheikh - Sharm Bay says it is around 10 minutes from Sharm El Sheikh International Airport. For couples, divers or repeat visitors who prefer a quieter evening after the festival, this area often makes more sense than central Naama.
How to choose
- Choose Naama Bay if you want walkable evenings, cafés and broad dining choice.
- Choose Shark’s Bay if you want a quieter resort base and shorter airport transfers.
- Choose a large all-inclusive resort belt only if the race is one stop within a hotel-led family break.
Because organizers have announced the event date but not, in the material reviewed, a public shuttle system for spectators, it is wise to confirm your transport in advance through your hotel concierge or a trusted local driver.
How to turn the festival into a weekend, not just a stop
The best version of this outing is simple: arrive in Sharm on Monday 26 October 2026, attend the festival on Tuesday 27 October, and stay through the evening or into Wednesday 28 October. That gives you time to enjoy the event without rushing back the same day.
A practical 48-hour plan
- Day 1: Check in, keep the evening easy, and head to Naama Bay or the Old Market for dinner.
- Day 2: Leave early for the camel track, especially if you want a better viewing position and time to watch multiple heats.
- After the races: Keep the heritage mood going with an unhurried seafood or grilled dinner back in town.
- Day 3: Add a beach morning, a boat excursion, or a short city outing before departure.
This rhythm works particularly well for Cairo and Delta travelers flying in, but it also suits road-trip visitors who want one cultural anchor event rather than a purely resort-based holiday.
Why the festival fits Egypt’s current domestic-travel mood
For readers in Egypt, the appeal here is not only spectacle. It is the chance to see a living Sinai tradition presented in a purpose-built venue that South Sinai has spent years promoting as part of its tourism identity. Local officials have repeatedly linked the camel track to sports tourism, Bedouin heritage and future visitor activity around the adjacent heritage village concept. In other words, this is exactly the kind of outing that turns Sharm from a beach destination into a place with a fuller cultural calendar.
So if you are planning a late-October escape, the Sharm El Sheikh camel-racing festival on 27 October 2026 offers something rare: a weekend that feels unmistakably Sinai, deeply Egyptian and genuinely photographable from the first parade at the track to the final evening back on the promenade.