Camel & other farms in UAE

There are more and more 'farms' in the UAE that you can visit.... or even where you can even spend the night. We visited a number of these farms, which are spread across the UAE. 

The Camel Farm

Worth the visit is the authentic 'The Camel Farm' in Dubai, a place in the desert that can be reached from the E77 (off-road route, but is easily accessible without a 4x4). We booked the tour and were allowed to feed and pet the camels, goats, donkeys, rabbits, pigeons, turkeys and more. The tour includes water at the beginning and end in a traditional Arabic setting. They also offer henna painting (for an additional charge). The entrance plus tour costs 50aed p/p and a camel ride costs 15dhs p/p. Discounts apply for (young) children and seniors.

On the way back we ate a camel ice cream (made from camel milk) from the Camelicious camel food truck (truck is on the main road). Various flavors are available, highly recommended.

Emirates Bio Farm

Located in Al Ain, the Emirates Bio Farm is the largest organic farm in the UAE. At this farm they specialize in producing certified organic vegetables, fruits and eggs through sustainable farming methods. We booked a tour, a so-called 'tractor tour'; a fun and educational activity for the whole family, which inspires a healthy and active lifestyle. We were also allowed to harvest our own vegetables. There is also a restaurant with an organic menu, a visitor center and a shop where you can buy fresh products.

Farm tour costs 40dhs per person. It is advisable to book this in advance. Farm lunches and workshops are also possible.

UAE Flower Farm

The flower farm in Asimah Fujairah is a real color and scent sensation. We strolled through the beautiful flower fields, completely away from the busy city life. We also saw some animals such as peacocks, pigeons, goats and horses and a small café/terrace for coffee and other drinks. We bought a beautiful bouquet of flowers at a good price (30aed) and there are various seeds and saplings for sale. Entrance is 15dhs p/p. This trip can easily be combined with a visit to the Cactus farm.

Al Ain Oasis

This 'oasis' is a 'UNESCO World Heritage Site', a rustic place in Al Ain. We literally entered a lovely, fresh plantation with only date palm trees, it is actually a large date farm, where dates grow in bunches on palm trees. One palm tree produces about 60 to 100 kilos of dates per season. We rented a family bike and cycled around this lush 'site' for about 2 hours. There is a network of paved roads, but the paths all look the same, so it is easy to get lost (there is a map available at the entrance to the oasis). Along the way you can explore the old falaj system (irrigation system) at various places. In the middle of the oasis there is also a nice restaurant, where you can get all kinds of refreshments. Entrance to the Oasis is free, a family bike (4p) costs 50dhs for an hour. Of course you can also enjoy a nice walk there.

Rumailah Farm

Rumailah is already quite well known in the Eastern Emirates for its quality milk, milkshakes and other dairy products. You can taste it in a number of (drive through) coffee shops, among others, in Dibba, Fujairah Corniche and Umbrella Beach-Kalba. Their milkshakes are highly recommended! We also visited their farm in Fujairah where their Jersey cows are kept. We booked a basic tour, but they also offer an extended tour from 5-9am (including breakfast). The basic tour (every day from 4-6pm) included a guided tour of the farm, the milking parlor and the calf enclosure, and we could manually milk cows and we tasted milk and ice cream. If you are lucky, unfortunately we weren't, you can see a newborn calf. Afterwards we received a nice giveaway bag.

The price for the basic tour is 157.5dhs, children under 10 years are free (under adult supervision); the tour is offered daily at 4pm and must be booked in advance via their website. It's a fun activity and perfect for kids.

UAE Cactus farm

Another nice excursion is the cactus farm, located next to the flower farm in Asimah. It is a bit unclear what the official opening hours are, but when the gates are open, the farm is open. We took a nice walk through the cactus fields and greenhouses and we saw many types of cacti. You can can also buy them. Entrance is free.

Hatta Honey Bee Farm

This farm and discovery center offers everything about bees, through tours and workshops. We booked a tour by an expert bee keeper and received a lot of information about bees, honey and we could hold a honeycomb. Afterwards we did a small honey tasting, which was delicious. The tour costs 50dhs p/p.

Al Rawabi Dairy Farm

This dairy farm is located in Al Khawaneei Dubai and is the largest farm in the Emirates. We took a free farm tour and glimpsed 16,500 Holstein cows, which are 'air-conditioned' in the summer and produce around 250,000-270,000 liters of fresh milk per day! A beautiful sight! Agriculture is done in a sustainable and environmentally friendly way; the cows have 300 hectares of free space at their disposal. Reservations in advance are a must, this can be done via: farmtour@alrawabi.ae or whatsApp: +971 (0)565483999.

Oman Madha Fruit Farms

Several fruit farms are located around a large baniyaan tree (tourist attraction) in Madha, located in the 'donut in Sharjah'. The farms are owned by friendly locals. We didn't need a visa to enter Oman. We parked the car, just along the road, and explored the area, and there were a lot of mango, orange, lemon, papaya and banana trees. A delicious fruity oasis!

Other fun farm tips

Farmstay
  • Rivaloo Farm in Al Manama
  • Reef Hatta Farm house

Farmers markets

  • Business bay (IG: @farmersmarketdubai)
  • Sustainable city (IG: @thesustainablecity)

Cafes

  • The Little Farm Café – Sharjah (also selling farm products)
  • Rumailah Coffee Shops in 3 locations in Fujairah