How to Play Camel Up

Last Updated on April 7, 2025 by The Official Game Rules Team

Welcome to the wildest camel race you’ll ever witness! In this game, you’ll place bets on the most promising camels to win big. But these camels have a peculiar habit of stacking on each other’s backs, making it tricky to predict the outcome. Winning isn’t as straightforward as it seems, as timing and understanding the race dynamics are crucial. Here’s how to play Camel Up:

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Components

1 game board with a 3D palm tree
20 betting tickets (4 per color)
15 pyramid tickets
80 Egyptian Pound coins (50 x 1-value, 30 x 5-value)
40 finish cards (5 per character)
8 spectator tiles (1 per character, with cheering and booing sides)
8 partnership cards (1 per character, with available and partnership sides)
5 racing camels
5 racing dice (one per camel color, numbered 1, 2, 3 twice)
2 crazy camels
1 grey die (numbers 1, 2, 3 in white and black)
1 starting player marker
1 dice pyramid

Game Setup

Start by placing the board in the center of the table. Prepare the five colored betting slips and organize them on their matching ticket tents near the race start line—2-pound tickets at the bottom, 3-pound in the middle, and 5-pound at the top. Stack the five pyramid tiles and place them in their designated spot on the board.

Next, sort the currency (Egyptian Pounds or EP) into piles of 1s and 5s within reach of all players. Each player receives 3 EP, their five finish cards, and one spectator tile. If you’re playing with 6 or more players, also give each player a partnership card.

To place the racing camels, roll each colored die and place the corresponding camel on space 1, 2, or 3 according to the result. Stack camels randomly if they land on the same space.

Repeat this process for the two crazy camels using the grey die. One crazy camel is placed on space 16, 15, or 14 based on a roll of 1, 2, or 3, respectively. Stack them if they land on the same space. Crazy camels face counter-clockwise, while racing camels face clockwise.

Finally, give the starting player marker to the youngest player. You’re ready to race!

Gameplay: Four Core Actions

On their turn, each player performs one of four possible actions. The game continues until a racing camel crosses the finish line. Then, final scoring determines the winner.

Action 1: Place a Leg Bet

Place a bet on which camel you think will be in first place at the end of the leg (not the entire race). Take the top betting tile of that camel’s color. You can bet multiple times, even on the same camel.

Action 2: Place or Move Your Spectator Tile

Your tile has a cheering side (+1, green) and a booing side (–1, red). Place it on any space except space 1 and not adjacent to other spectator tiles. When a camel lands on it, you earn 1 EP, retrieve your tile, and the camel moves one space forward or backward based on the tile’s effect. Camels stack or unstack accordingly. Crazy camels follow the same rules but move in reverse.

Action 3: Roll the Pyramid

Take a pyramid ticket, then shake and press the dice pyramid to roll one die. The color tells which camel moves, and the number shows how far it moves (1–3 spaces). If the camel is stacked, it carries any camels above it. Used dice are set aside until the leg ends. If the grey die rolls, the crazy camels move instead, with a few exceptions for camel stacking or carrying.

Action 4: Bet on the Overall Winner or Loser

Use your finish cards to predict which camel will win or lose the entire race. Secretly place one card face down on the appropriate pile. Once placed, it can’t be changed.

End of a Leg

A leg ends when the fifth pyramid ticket is taken. After completing the action, follow these steps:

Pass the first player marker to the left of the last dice roller.
Determine the race standings (crazy camels are not ranked).
Settle leg bets:
- 5/3/2 EP for first-place bet tiles
- 1 EP for second place
- –1 EP for 3rd–5th place bets
Collect 1 EP per pyramid ticket.
Reset all leg betting tiles to their stack in order.
Return pyramid tiles and spectator tiles.
Put all five dice back in the pyramid.

Then the next leg begins.

End of the Game

When a racing camel crosses the finish line, the game ends immediately. Follow the scoring steps for leg-end, then resolve the finish card bets:

Flip the stack to reveal the first card placed.
For each correct bet:
- 1st correct: 8 EP
- 2nd: 5 EP
- 3rd: 3 EP
- 4th: 2 EP
- 5th: 1 EP
Each incorrect bet costs 1 EP.
Repeat for the overall loser stack.
The player with the most EP wins the game.

Bonus: 5th Action for 6+ Players – Form a Partnership

In games with 6 or more players, players may exchange partnership cards. This forms a team for the current leg. At the end of the leg, you may choose one of your partner’s betting tickets and gain the listed EP. You’re not required to take a loss if that’s all that’s available.

Camel Up is all about reading the race, outguessing your opponents, and getting lucky with the camels. Make bold bets, time your actions well, and don’t underestimate the chaos of the crazy camels!

This is summary of the rules. For a more detailed explantation, click on the PDF file located at the top of the page!