Camel Rides

Children, teenagers, and adults are often lined up, waiting for their own camel riding experience. It’s usually a fairly short wait because the staff members are efficient at helping passengers on and off, and the trip around the pen doesn’t take long with Gomer’s long legs.

Riding a camel is quite different from riding a horse. Of course, the most obvious difference is the hump. Light-weight riders can ride in front, and others ride behind the hump—the weight distribution is important. Two can ride together because Gomer’s maximum capacity is around 250 pounds.

But the hump is not the only difference; Gomer’s height and special gait made camel-riding a whole new experience if you’re accustomed to riding other animals. You can imagine crossing a desert on that high perch, taking in an incredible view of the dunes all around, and swaying back and forth while traveling along at a leisurely pace. You may have noticed on television or in movies that camel-riders have a front-to-back swaying motion as they ride. Well, that’s pretty accurate.

Our camels give rides on Fridays and Saturdays in March and April and six afternoons a week (Monday through Saturday) from May to October. In November and December you can ride on Saturdays, holidays, and Christmas Town evenings. During January and February our camels rest up for the next season.

Tickets are $5 per rider and can be purchased at the petting zoo. Rides are weather permitting, so please check conditions once you arrive at the museum. The times when rides are offered also vary, so be sure to check these with a Daily Schedule or staff member.