Heart of the Sahara 11 days Grade A Fully Vehicle Supported Book Now | Dates and Prices This expedition, possibly the ultimate desert experience, crosses one of the
Sahara's most extensive sand seas - the beautiful and little visited Idahan
Murzuq (the Murzuk Sand Sea). We then visit some of the most interesting
regions of the Fezzan: the Tadrart (Acacus) Mountains, with their magnificent
scenery and famous cave art, the Wan Casa dunes and the Ubari Oasis Lakes. Although the Murzuk Dunes extend for some 300km their crossing is a serious
expedition involving driving long distances over tough terrain in order to find
a passage through the maze of dunes. This is a unique opportunity to be guided
by Tuaregs who come from the Murzuq area and know the dunes as well as anyone
can. You will almost never camp
within sight of other people and often in a pristine wilderness. All meals are
cooked for you and evenings are spent round campfires under a starry sky. On
most days there are plenty of opportunities for a few hours walking in the
morning or evening. Itinerary Day 1 Tripoli to Sebha Arrive in Tripoli, evening flight to Sebha, night in hotel. Dinner will be either in Tripoli or Sebha depending on flight
times. Days 2-4 Idahan Murzuq: A short drive to Murzuq town. Morning devoted to visiting the Turkish fort
built on an old slave trading route and the souq with its wide range of local
handicrafts. After lunch, we enter the Murzuq desert with its 500 kilometers of
sand dunes shaped by the wind that blows from the northeast to southwest. The
route is rather demanding, the continuous succession of dunes requires a spirit
of adaptation and team work from all participants rewarded by breathtaking
scenery. We will be camping among the dunes, admiring the sunsets then sitting
around the fire after dinner. Days 5-7 Wan Kasa - Acacus We follow desert trails to Wan Casa with a brief stop at a well for a water
resupply. We continue to the southern Tadrart (Acacus) mountains with their beautiful winding wadis, rock walls, arches and towers.
The area is renowned for its cave art and archaeological sites. Along the way
we may meet up with Tuareg nomads who live here permanently with their herds of
goats. Days 8-9 Ubari Lakes We leave the Acacus and after crossing a short sea of
dunes, part of the Erg Ubari, we come across a unique series of lakes
surrounded by palm trees and reeds. The source of the water feeding these lakes
remains a mystery. There is an abandoned village of the Daouada people (also
known as tha worm-eaters (actually small reddish crustaceans called Artemia
Salina). Day 10 Sebha to Tripoli We leave the Ubari deserts and head towards the city of Sebha. Dinner at the
agritourism Fezzan where ther is a small zoo and you can enjoy the swimming
pool. Evening transfer to Sebha airport and flight to Tripoli. Bed and
breakfast in hotel. Day 11 Depart Possibly free time in Tripoli, the Jamahiriya museum is particularly worthwhile to visit. Transfer to
airport and flight home. It is possible to extend your stay by one day at either end of the trip to
visit Leptis Magna, arguably the best-preserved Roman town on the Mediterranean. Murzuq Dune Crossing PhotosThe scheduled trip costing is based on a minimum group size of two people. Groups of 5 or more will be accompanied by an EWP representative.
If you wish to have a private trip this may be arranged at any date to suit you
(subject to guide availability). Please
contact us for details and costs. Included in Cost: All transfers, transport, food and accommodation, internal flights, guides.
Camp equipment, tents, mattress, blanket. Cook and catering equipment. On-entry
visas on entry and visa support. An English speaking guide and for group size
5 or more an EWP representative. Not Included: Tips, international flights (unless requested from UK), personal spending, personal insurance and fees to archeological sites and museums.
| Murzuk Dunes
Tripoli Castle
Murzuk Fort
Ubari Lakes
Cave Painting
camp in the dunes
evening by fire |