Daraw (Egypt)

Daraw is a peaceful village of southern Egypt. The main attraction of Daraw is the camel market for which it is famous ( souk al-gimal ). On market days, Thursdays and Tuesdays, the village becomes the most popular place in the region.

The camels are transported by road in caravans from Sudan: that is 40 days journey through the Sahara desert (Eastern desert)! Once past the desert, the camels are transported to Daraw by lorry. On arrival at the village, the animals are first placed in isolation for two days in order to be vaccinated. Just imagine that more often than not close to 2 000 camels are transported to Daraw market!

If you prefer cultural visits to a camel souk, I suggest you visit the Nubian museum, nicknamed "Hosh al-Kenzi" . This Nubian style construction, built in the early 20th century, comprises a rich collection of traditional handicrafts made from the palm tree, or even date seeds, bits of leaves and various grains.