Sudan, the camel market in Khartoum

Visiting the Camel market in Khartoum/Omdurman

One of the must-see attractions when visiting Khartoum is the camel market, also knows as Al-Moheli Souk. Located in a sandy and dusty area at the western outskirt of the city, it is the largest camel market in Sudan. Our guide told us that most of the camels are first raised in Darfur and Kordofan regions and later brought here to be sold.

These animals are an excellent resource for the locals. They provide meat, milk and cash since they are usually sold for the Egyptian market where the meat of camels has a high demand. Another part of the camels is raised in the eastern regions of Sudan by the tribes of Beja and Rashaida to be sold to the Gulf States for racing competitions. In a desert country like Sudan, the camel is also a means of transport, and some of them are bred to be resistant and to carry bulky goods.

The price depends on the type of camel you need and usually starts from 800 USD and up. One of the things that struck us most about this fascinating place is the kindness and hospitality of the vendors. It was challenging to communicate with them since they only speak Arabic, but the language of gestures is “international” and they were pleased to see us there. They took us around showing the area also asking for many pics together.  

Need to know about the Khartoum camel Market

The camel market is located at the western outskirt of Omdurman city and takes around 30 minutes by car to reach it. There are no public transports; therefore, you can include the visit in your Khartoum tour with a local tour operator or to go there by taxi. Click here to see the location on google map. The area also features the cattle market, and along the road, you’ll see many groups of goats, donkeys and cows. The camel market takes place every day (morning and early afternoon), but the best moment for visiting is on Friday morning when it is hectic.