Festival of the Oases

The highlights of this traditional desert Bedouin event are the camel races. This is an unusual sport to watch—camels aren’t built for speed, and to see them galloping across the rolling dunes of the desert is a unique (and humorous) sight. White circular tents are erected in the desert on the outskirts of the town of Tozer and there is music, dance and lots of food and drink. Other entertainments include whip cracking, snake charming, knife throwing, horse races and camel fighting. The festival is held annually in November or December.
Even without the festival, Tozer is a proper desert oasis which has sprung up amongst thousands of palm and date trees and is an interesting place to visit. Its 14th century sand coloured buildings have domes roofs, towers and Moorish archways set into structures decorated with geometric patterns. Local artisans are world renowned for their jewellery and ornaments, and ancient weapons and coins are sold in the vibrant marketplaces.There is also a new Arabian Nights theme park, with themed entertainment and rides.