National Research Centre on Camel

The National Research Centre on Camel, 8 km east of the city, is more engaging than its institutional name suggests. This is the largest camel research farm in Asia, and a guided tour gives you a genuinely close look at animals that shaped this desert region's history. Bikaner's economy, military power, and trade network were all built on camel breeding — the Bikaner Camel Corps served in World War I.

The farm is home to several hundred camels, including some rare breeds. You can watch them being milked and fed, and the small museum covers camel anatomy, history, and uses with surprising depth. The canteen sells camel milk and camel milk ice cream — both are worth trying. Take an auto-rickshaw or taxi from the city centre.

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The camel farm at Bikaner is the largest such research facility in Asia, managing a herd of several hundred animals and studying everything from camel milk's medicinal properties to drought-resistant livestock breeding. Scientists here have been investigating camel milk's unusual biochemistry since the 1980s — it has a lower fat content than cow's milk, doesn't curdle with heat, and contains antibodies that may be effective against certain diseases. Camel milk ice cream is sold at the farm's canteen.