The quality of camel milk is affected by prolonged storage, while somatic cell count (SCC) is an important indicator used to assess udder health. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of freezing periods (0, 7, 14 and 21 days) and experimental temperatures (37 °C and 50 °C) on the composition and SCC of camel milk. A total of 51 milk samples were collected from two local camel breeds, the Al-Majahim (n = 31) and the Al Maghateer (n = 20), reared under semi-arid conditions in Saudi Arabia. The results showed that the basic milk composition was not significantly affected by experimental temperatures (37 °C vs. 50 °C) or freezing time. Fresh camel milk analysed at 50 °C had SCC and log transformed SCC (LSCC) values that were at least 50% higher than in frozen samples. SCC decreased significantly (P < 0.01) at both 37 °C and 50 °C with increasing freezing duration (7, 14, and 21 days). Correlation analysis showed a significant positive association between SCC and LSCC for all freezing periods (P < 0.001). Principal component analysis (PCA) indicated that experimental temperatures explained 6.3% of the variation, while freezing duration accounted for 81.8%. These findings demonstrate that the SCC in camel milk is strongly influenced by freezing period and support the development of specific criteria for the handling and analysis of camel milk rather than relying on standards established for bovine animals.