Al Shahaniya Camel Racetrack

Camel racing at Al Shahaniya runs on a long oval track west of Doha, and what makes it unlike any other race meeting is the arrangement: the camels carry small robot jockeys operated by remote control, and the owners drive alongside the field on a parallel road, working the whips by radio and shouting through the car windows. The convoy of vehicles moving with the race is the spectacle.

What you actually see

• The robot jockeys - remote-controlled devices in place of riders.
• The car convoy - owners driving alongside the field on a parallel road.
• The camels - the animals racing on the long oval.
• The morning meetings - racing run early before the heat.

When to go

October to April is the racing season. Meetings run early in the morning, often just after dawn. The main races fall in the winter months.

Honest expectations

Race times are early and schedules are not well published, so a local check is needed. There is little in the way of spectator facilities. The action is spread out and hard to follow from one place.

Nearby

Sheikh Faisal's museum is north, and Doha is east.