Egypt`s Gilf Kebir
Holiday Itinerary
Day 1: Rendezvous at the group hotel in Cairo. A complimentary group transfer from the airport is provided. KE Land Only package services begin with the overnight at the hotel.
Day 2: Leaving Cairo, we visit the Pyramids, We stay overnight in Bungalows with simple facilities including hot showers.
Day 3: After swapping over to 4WD vehicles, we set off across the Black Desert and then cross the White Desert (with its chalk rock formations) to the oasis of Farafra. After lunch we continue our drive to the oasis of Abu Mingar, where we set up our first desert camp.
Day 4: We drive south west, following the steps of the explorers Clayton, Hassanein Bey and Almasy, to the region of craters. We make camp at a convenient location at the end of the day's exploration.
Day 5: We continue driving south west across the desert to the region of craters and of the former encampments of theLong Range Desert Group (LRDG) of WWII and to the site known as "Eight Bells". Desert camp.
Day 6: Approaching the Gilf Kebir, across a surprising landscape, including mud pans, we keep a watch out for ancient stone circles. Travelling via wadi Wasa we arrive at the cave of Kantara with it's magnificent paintings of cattle. Desert camp.
Day 7: We travel north-west via wadi Soura, made famous by the film "The English Patient". Desert camp.
Day 8: Today we should reach the Cave of the Swimmers. Not far away, is the Cave of Beasts, discovered in 2003 by an Egyptian-Italian team. These caves contain fascinating and celebrated pre-historic rock art. Desert camp.
Day 9: Driving south-east once again, we rach the plateau of Gilf Kebir (1000m above sea level) via the pass of Akaba. The landscape is grandiose with contrasting geological features. We camp among acacias in Wadi Hamra.
Day 10: We descend to Wadi Hamra where we can see more incredible rock art (giraffes, ostricheds, cattle and hunting scenes), then we head due north towards the dunes of the Great Sand Sea and the site of an ancient meteor impact. Camp among the dunes.
Day 11: Over the next 3 days we trek cross the biggest dunes of the Eastern Sahara. In the immensity of the dunes there is a feeling that we are at the end of the world. We make camp at an appropriate place at the end of each day's exploration.
Day 12: Second day of trekking in the Eastern Sahara. Camp.
Day 13: We continue our trek heading to the oasis of Farafra, arriving via the magnificent plateau of Kouss Abou Said, which offers a splendid panorama of the depression. There's the chance to bathe in hot springs before we take lunch at the village.
Day 14: We trek into the White Desert, and return via Baharya for lunch at the oasis before we transfer by minibus to Cairo where we check into the group hotel. The rest of the day is free for relaxation, shopping or independent sightseeing.
Day 15: After breakfast there is a single, timed group transfer to Cairo Airport where KE Land Only package services end.
