Celebrating the ship of the desert: Bikaner Camel Festival

There are many things that one will only find in India, and the Bikaner Camel Festival is one of them. An event of a kind, the Bikaner Camel Festival is organised by the Department of Tourism, Art and Culture. The festival is in honour of camels. 

Festival dates: January 11-12, 2020 

Bikaner is the only camel breeding region in the country. Hence, camels have always been immensely important to the people of Bikaner. Bikaner camel festival is a yearly celebration of the toughness of camels who can survive the harsh conditions of the Thar Desert.

Planning a trip? Book tickets here: 

Set up against the stunning backdrop of Junagarh Fort, the Bikaner Camel Festival is an exciting event full of camel dances, races, rides, shopping and more.

Highlights of the Bikaner Camel Festival 

• The best part of the festival is that there is free camel safari as well as rides for all tourists.  
• The camel decoration competition is a quirky one. Dressed up in colourful fabrics and adorned with many decorations, the camels look stunning and are every photographer’s delight. 
• There are spectacular performances by folk dancers and musicians. 
• Locals recite several folklores using cute puppets emphasising on Bikaner’s history and its fascinating culture. 
• The camels perform too! Locals train them to do dance and different kinds of stunts. Interestingly, the famous fire dance is quite popular. 
• Food is yet another high point of the festival! Several stalls serve delicious local food. There are also shops serving camel milk tea and camel meat sweets, which are one of the highlights of this festival. 
• Bikaner Camel Festival is a shoppers’ paradise. There are different stalls set up to sell handicrafts, jewellery, pottery and more.  
• The finale of the festival is a sparkling firework display, which is considered an integral part of the Bikaner Camel Festival. 

So, if you are visiting Rajasthan right now, the distinct Bikaner Camel Festival is not to be missed. Join the locals in celebrating the ship of the desert – our very own camels!