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About Camel Up
Camel Up is Steffen Bogen's betting game about a camel race, and it won the Spiel des Jahres in 2014. Dice come out of a cardboard pyramid one at a time, and a camel that lands on another climbs on top and rides it forward. That stacking makes the leader change constantly. You do not own a camel; you bet on legs and on the overall result. The 2018 second edition added two crazy camels that run backwards.
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Is Camel Up Right for You?
Best for
Camel Up is for families, parties and mixed groups who want a betting game with a lot of noise. Anyone can learn it in five minutes, a turn is a single action, and the pyramid that releases the dice is a small event every time. Five or six players is ideal, because more bets make every die roll matter to someone. It works well with children from about eight.
Maybe skip it if…
The race is chaotic by design, and players who dislike randomness will find their careful reads undone by a single die. With two or three players the betting is thin and the game loses much of its energy.
How to Play Camel Up
Setup
Place the camels on the track using an initial roll, load the dice into the pyramid, and give each player starting money and a set of overall bet cards.
On Your Turn
- Take one action: pick up a leg betting tile, place your desert or spectator tile on the track, or bet on the overall winner or loser.
- Or take a pyramid ticket and release one die, moving that camel and everything stacked on top of it.
- When the leg ends after five dice, pay leg bets, return the dice and start a new leg.
How to Win
When a camel crosses the finish line, pay overall bets. The player with the most money wins.
💡 Strategy Tips
Early overall bets pay the most. If one camel looks strong after two legs, commit before everyone else does.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Backing the leader without looking at the stack. A camel at the bottom of a stack can be carried past it by the camels riding on top.
- Never taking a pyramid ticket. Rolling a die earns a coin, and it is often the best action when the remaining leg bets are poor.
- Making overall bets too late. The first correct card pays the most, and a wrong overall bet costs you a coin.
- Forgetting your desert tile. It pushes camels forward or back and pays you a coin every time a camel lands on it.
Advanced Strategy
- Count the dice still in the pyramid. A camel whose die is already out cannot move again this leg.
- Take the first leg bet on a camel early in the leg. The top tile for each camel pays the most.
- Place your desert tile where it changes the result you have bet on, not just where camels are likely to land.
- Watch the overall bets others make. If everyone backs one camel, a cheap early bet on the second favourite can pay well.
Variants & House Rules
Camel Up (Second Edition)
The 2018 revision with new art, a new pyramid and two crazy camels that run backwards around the track. It is the edition in print.
Betting partnerships
At six or more players, the second edition adds partnership cards that let you team up with another player for a leg. It keeps big games from feeling like a queue.
Video Guides
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Our Verdict
Camel Up is a lively betting game that shines with a larger group, and its stacking rule makes a simple race genuinely unpredictable. It has little depth, but it is quick, sociable and easy to teach. We recommend it as a family or party game, and its Spiel des Jahres win still makes sense.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between the first and second editions?
The second edition adds two crazy camels that run backwards, new art and a redesigned pyramid. Most players consider it an improvement.
Is Camel Up good for children?
Yes. Children from about eight can play easily, and younger ones can join in with help on the betting.
How many players is Camel Up best with?
Five or six. It plays with fewer, but the betting is at its best with a crowd.