Across the Sahara - Cairo to Casablanca

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Tour Operator

Intrepid Travel

Duration

39 Days

Escorted

Escorted - Yes

Itinerary

Day	Destination	Description
Day 1	Cairo	A melting pot of ancient and modern Egyptian civilisations, Cairo is our base from which to admire the awe-inspiring Pyramids and mighty Sphinx.
Day 2	Alexandria	Immortalising Alexander the Great's name, this city flourished as a prominent cultural, intellectual, political and economic metropolis. Explore the eerie Catacombs of Kom Ash-Shuqqafa and the modern Bibliotheca Alexandrina.
Day 3	Marsa Matruh	Chill out on a sandy beach or ride a colourful donkey cart across town.
Days 4-5	Apollonia	The first major Libyan city after crossing from Egypt, Tobruk was an important strategic sea port in World War II. Make a visit to the moving Knightsbridge Cemetery, built on the site of an actual battleground. Travel on to 'The City of Churches' via the stunning mountain landscapes of Ras al-Hillal and its Byzantine church ruins. Spend a day exploring Cyrene, the most important ancient Greek city in North Africa.
Day 6	Benghazi	Shop in Souq al-Jreed.
Days 7-8	Tripoli	We take an early morning flight to the capital of Tripoli, and embark on an afternoon walking tour of the city. Founded by the Phoenicians, but bearing marks left by Romans, Turks, Italians, Spanish and Arabs, Tripoli is a fascinating capital to explore. .
Day 9	Gharyan	After visiting the Roman sights of Villa Sileen and Leptis Magna, we head through the spectacular Berber region of the Jebel Nafusa Mountains and arrive in Gharyan, sprawled across a plateau. Explore the unique 'troglodyte' dwellings that dot the terrain and find out why this area is famous for its pottery.
Days 10-11	Ghadames	We'll stop at the Qasr al-Haj to see Libya's finest example of Berber architecture, the fortified Berber grain castle of Kabaw en route to Nalut then onto the oasis city of Ghadames beckons with an orientation walk to the old Atik Mosque and a traditional lunch. Enjoy a sand dune ride for an evocative sunset and maybe catch a Tuareg cultural show.
Day 12	Sabratha	Founded by the Phoenicians, but bearing marks left by Romans, Turks, Italians, Spanish and Arabs, Tripoli is a fascinating capital to explore. Wander souqs in the medina and stroll the magnificent World Heritage site of Sabratha.
Days 13-14	Jerba	Departing Libya we cross the border into Tunisia and reach the Island of Jerba. Known as the "land of the lotus eaters" Jerba was the port Ulysses and his men were detained on their return from Troy. Visit the Ghriba synagogue and the nearby town of Guellela home to the famous cave of Ali Baba and the 40 thieves.....or simply relax on one of the islands beautiful beaches.
Day 15	Desert Safari	Travel across towering dunes on an exciting desert safari.
Day 16	Matmata	Stay in a troglodyte cave house and explore the site where parts of Star Wars were shot.
Day 17	Mahdia	A delightful fishing village and a reminder of what Tunisian towns were like in years gone by.
Days 18	Kairouan	One of the seven holy cities of Islam, Kairouan's age-old mosques, mansions and medina make for interesting exploration.
Days 19-21	Tunis	Tour the sights of fascinating Tunis.
Day 22	Ain Draham
Day 23	Le Kef	Leaving Tunis we travel westward to the coastal village of Tabarka before head through thick dense forests to the typically Tunisian resort spa village of Ain Draham. Moving on we reach Le Kef, our base for the night. Set high in the hills, Le Kef is one of Tunisia's hidden secrets. With its cobbled streets, narrow alleys and stunning views, it is a great place to relax with a glass of chai and watch the world go by. Wash off the day's travel by taking a bath in a 2nd century Roman hamman.
Days 24-25	Tozeur	With its extensive palm groves, traditional architecture and delightful old quarter, Tozeur is a great base to explore some of the beautiful and ancient Berber villages in the surrounding area.
Day 26	El-Oued	Check out the famed carpets of El-Oued.
Days 27-28	Ghardaia	In the river valley of the Oued (dry river bed) is Ghardaia, a town whose sand-coloured houses stand on a curious heap, with a single minaret sticking out on top like a birthday cake. The town is famous for its carpets and for its massive daily souq in the old town.
Day 29	Djanet	In the middle of nowhere, tranquil Djanet is home to shady palms trees and slow desert lifestyles.
Day 30	Tadent	Travel to the great sea of sand, Erg Admer and watch the dunes change and shape as the sunlight hits them and various times of day. A scenic, shallow river bed leads to the mountainous Oued Tadent and an opportunity to learn about the Tuareg way of life at one of their settlements.
Day 31	Tin Agoula	Through a landscape of low rocky mountains, piles of rock and small rolling sand dunes we head for the mountain range of Tin Agoula. With a bit of luck we'll run into some camels, gazelles or one of the very rare leopards that live here.
Day 32	Youfihakit	Huge rock formations and mushroom shaped boulders are surrounded by softly rolling sand dunes. It is a great area to explore with lots of beautiful photo opportunities. Set up camp surrounded by ancient rock engravings.
Day 33	Tamekrest	Crossing a vast plain and a lunar landscape with piles of dark rock, we arrive at the miraculous guelta (natural spring) of Tamekrest. We'll camp by this small waterfall which runs down polished pink and purple granite. Mingle with the Tuareg from the surrounding camps as they bring their goats and camels to drink.
Day 34	Hoggar Mts	Take in the views over the volcanic landscape of the Hoggar mountain region. All around is a chaotic scene of black and forbidding rocks, basalt peaks and cliffs. Stop by the Father Foucault Hermitage, built in 1911.
Day 35	Tamanrasset	Our desert safari comes to an end in the red mud-brick city of Tamanrasset. The biggest of all Tuareg cities it is regularly visited by camel caravans and those 'blue men of the desert'.
Days 36-37	Algiers	Explore the winding alleys of the kasbah, Turkish Palaces, medieval houses and cool courtyards.
Days 38-39	Casablanca	Celebrate the journey in cosmopolitan Casablanca.

Dates/Pricing

Disclaimer

* The prices listed are based on the costs and exchange rates current at the time of printing/posting. Intrepid reserves the right to alter these prices at any time. For trips departing between 01 January 2007 and 31 December 2007, the land price of your trip is guaranteed when you have paid in full. For trips departing beyond 31 December 2007, prices are indicative only. The itineraries and dates online and in our printed brochures are applicable from 01 January 2007 until 31 December 2007. Beyond 31 December 2007 dates and itineraries are indicative only and are subject to change. All information is accurate to the best of our knowledge at time of printing/posting, but please note that changes to our trips (which can be significant) can and do occur. Intrepid will make every effort to keep you informed of any changes, but cannot be held liable for any alterations made to the published itineraries. Please refer to our website for the most recent update to any trip. Please note that these conditions apply to Intrepid group trips only. Variations may apply for Intrepid Independent trips. Loss of monies paid applies to all cancelled reservations. The date of trip cancellation is the date on which the written cancellation is received by Intrepid. Please ask your Travel Agent about our full Booking and Cancellation Conditions.