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THE "ENGLISH PATIENT" DESERT ADVENTURE
16 DAYS HOTELS/CAMPING INTO THE FURTHEST REACHES OF THE LIBYAN DESERT Heading west from the already remote oases of the Western Desert, we follow ancient caravan routes and invisible desert highways of the desert to explore the furthest reaches of Egypt's Libyan Desert: the Gilf Kebir and Jebel Uweinat. Here we discover an other-worldy landscape of rock sculptures and prehistoric art, following in the footsteps of Laszlo Almasy and the Long Range Desert Group before turning north through the Great Sand Sea. Travelling as a self-sufficient expedition in 4WD vehicles, this is a journey of a lifetime for the true desert lover prepared to tolerate some discomfort in order to see places only a few Westerners have visited. It is a great way to visit the areas depicted in the film "The English Patient". South from Cairo After our arrival we head southwest, to Bahariya, then south to Farafra a long drive. By any usual measure these oases are remote, however they will seem accessible by the time we arrive in the Great Sand Sea. At Dakhla we see the remains of the mud brick town called al Qasr before turning west heading towards the Gilf Kebir, taking the Darb al Tarfawi. The Gilf Kebir & Jebel Uweinat Having crossed the Selima Sand Sheet we arrive at the eastern flank of the dramatic, 300m high limestone plateau of the Gilf Kebir. By now we have left human habitation far, far behind. Although no-one now lives here this wasn't always the case; prehistoric rock art litters the region, stretching from here into the Fezzan area of Libya and beyond, proving that the area was once habitable for humans. Exploring this Switzerland-sized massif by 4WD and on foot over the next few days we'll discover stunning rock sculptures, explore sand-filled wadis and the better-known sites such as the Cave of the Swimmers at Wadi Sura, whilst enjoying the simple but increasingly rare experience of utter isolation. Before leaving we make our way to the furthest reach of southwest Egypt and to the foot of the Jebel
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FACTFILE
Itinerary Day 1 Fly London/Cairo. 2 Long drive to Farafra. 3 Drive to Dakhla. 4 Continue to Eight Bells. 5 Drive to Clayton Craters. 6 Drive to eastern flank of Gilf Kebir. 7 to 11 Explore Gilf Kebir and Jebel Uweinat area. 12 & 13 Cross Great Sand Sea to Farafra. 14 Drive to Cairo. 15 Sightseeing to the Pyramids & Egyptian Museum. 16 Fly London. Accommodation & Meals: 6nts hotel, 10nts camping; 15 breakfasts, 12 lunches & 12 dinners included. See p41. Mode of Travel: 4WD vehicle/ On foot. Comment: A true expedition into the remotest reaches of the Egyptian desert. Be prepared for long and bumpy drives, somewhat limited washing facilities and time away from most basic comforts. All equipment including sleeping bags are provided whilst camping. A trip for the true desert lover only. Tour Staff & Support: Local Tour Leader, drivers. Group Size: Approx. 12 to 15.
Uweinat at 1898m, highest point in mainland Egypt and meeting point of Libya, Sudan and Egypt. Berber Outpost An epic crossing of the Great Sand Sea no misnomer as it covers 72,000 square kilometres we eventually arrive back in the Berber town of Farafra; seeming to us a teeming metropolis after our days in the interior. We then commence our final, drive back to Cairo where there is an included visit to the Giza Pyramids and Egyptian Museum, home to Tutankhamun's gold.
DATES AND PRICES Flight Inc 16 days Sat to Sun
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2008 deps flight land Price in £s inc only 29 Mar-13 Apr 1595 1195 18 Oct-02 Nov 1595 1195 2009 Price in £s 21 Feb-08 Mar 1595 1195 Land Only tour: 16 days - start Cairo day 1 (Sat), end Cairo day 16 (Sun) Plus Local Payment: US$250 (approx £125) payable Cairo These are guide prices, see p45 for details.
The English Patient Desert Adventure Ref BGK
MEDITERRANEAN SEA
ra Q a tt a sio n re s Dep
Bahariya Oasis
Photographing inscriptions
Inscriptions, Wadi Soura
LIBYA
LIBYAN DESERT
DESERT CAMP SILICA GLASS WADI GUBBA WADI Gilf ABULMALIK WADI SURA
Cave of Swimmers
CAIRO
Sphinx Giza Pyramids Egyptian Museum
KARKUR TALH JEBEL UWEINAT
SUDAN
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GR
EAT
SAN
FARAFRA OASIS
WESTERN DESERT
Al Qasr Dakhla Oasis Mut
Ni
le
EA DS
Ke b
ABU BALLAS 8 BELLS
EGYPT
ir
Prince Kamal Monument
km 300
Main image: Into the White desert
Essential information about our tours see pages 38-51
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