Watch camel wrestling in Türkiye

Since ancient times, camels have been considered useful means of carrying goods. In Türkiye, they have become very professional gladiators.

Traditional camel wrestling festival

Championship match.

Camel Wrestling originated with ancient Turkic tribes more than 2,400 years ago, as a form of competition between nomadic caravans in the Middle East.

In the traditional Camel Wrestling tournament, two male camel wrestlers (called Tulu) fight each other to win the admiration of female camels.

On the days of the tournament, the battle between camels attracts a large number of spectators.

On the night before the tournament, an informal gathering called Gecesi Hali or Rug Nigh is held with the participation of camel owners and wrestling lovers.

Colorfully decorated camels take part in the parade before the match.

Camel wrestling rules

In the wild, two male camels will fight each other for the female’s attention.

At the tournament, to encourage camels to fight each other, a female camel was led around two `wrestlers` to stimulate them.

At the opening, male camels foam at the nose and mouth. If viewers are lucky, they can see them start fighting immediately.

Matches last no more than 10 minutes.

On the sidelines of the Wrestling Camel festival

Before the tournament begins, singers and bands from different villages will walk around and play for anyone who wants to relax while watching two camel `wrestlers` fight.

Alcohol is widely available, but there will be no ice for you to drink cold, nor warm beer for you to enjoy.

Coming here, you can enjoy many traditional local dishes.

There was a time when the Turkish government banned this tournament because it was considered an outdated custom.