Sinai desert retreat holiday
| country: | Egypt |
| location: | Sinai Desert |
| departures: | 2009: 5 Nov |
| price: | From £875 (8 days) excluding flights. Price includes accommodation, all food, local transport, guides and tipping. |
| vouchers: | Gift vouchers can be used with this holiday |
the amazing things you'll be doing
This journey gives you a chance to experience the wonder of the Sinai desert in the company of the Bedouin, with an optional three-day solitary retreat.
On this journey we take time to explore our desert environment before spending three days in our personally chosen retreat spot (fasting is optional). Our Bedouin hosts make us feel welcome, cared for and completely safe in their desert home. We sleep under the stars and make unforgettable journeys both on foot and on camels. We witness the remarkable clarity of the desert light, the brilliant night sky, the vibrant colours of the sands and rocks, the landforms sculpted by the wind and water.
Highlights:
Sleeping under the desert stars 3 day solitary retreat Special Bedouin herbal healing wash Warm Bedouin hospitality Delicious food Guided desert exploration Camel trek
On this journey we take time to explore our desert environment before spending three days in our personally chosen retreat spot (fasting is optional). Our Bedouin hosts make us feel welcome, cared for and completely safe in their desert home. We sleep under the stars and make unforgettable journeys both on foot and on camels. We witness the remarkable clarity of the desert light, the brilliant night sky, the vibrant colours of the sands and rocks, the landforms sculpted by the wind and water.
Highlights:
best time to go
In spring or autumn, when the desert is not too hot during the day, and not too cold at night. The trips are timed to coincide with the full moon, so that the most is made of the natural light of the desert – whether by day or by night. day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | Arrival at Sharm el-Sheikh airport. We transfer by jeep to the Sinai desert, with a short walk to our campsite (camels carry our luggage). Overnight at the campsite (sleeping in a communal tent or under the stars). |
| Day 2: | We spend the day orientating ourselves with a walk around our desert environment, with lunch and camel ride back to our campsite. |
| Day 3: | We spend the day preparing quietly for retreat and finding own special spot to spend the next three days. |
| Day 4: | We rise at sunrise and depart to own retreat spot. |
| Day 5-6: | Day spent in retreat. There is access to the base camp at all times. |
| Day 7: | We get up at sunrise and return to the base camp for a delicious breakfast, followed by a special Bedouin herbal healing bath. |
| Day 8: | We depart after breakfast and walk across the desert to a magnificent dune for lunch, and to meet the jeep to return to Sharm airport for the flight home. |
small group cultural tours
Typically you will be sharing your experiences with between 4-20 like minded travellers (depending on the trip, operator and how many others are booked on the trip) and you'll have a group leader with you. Whether you are travelling alone or with friends it's good value, and a great way to meet new people! While itineraries are pre-planned there is some flexibility and you'll have plenty of privacy. This trip will appeal to travellers of all ages who enjoy meeting new people as well as experiencing new cultures.how this holiday makes a difference
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The immediate beneficiaries of this trip are the Muzeina Bedouin tribe of South Sinai, who through your help are able to sustain the environment, infrastructure and cultural heritage that allows them to carry out their traditional way of life – which you will be able to experience first-hand on this trip.
Wherever possible we source all the food, accommodation, local guides and transport for this trip from Eid Abu Ali and his Muzeina Bedouin kinsman, so providing important employment and income. We do not use tour operators, but work directly with the Bedouin themselves. We are a non-profit making organisation, and apart from our overheads, your money goes towards supporting these projects. One of the projects you will be helping to support on this trip are the oasis gardens of Ein Khudra, a settlement near the retreat dating back to before the Biblical Exodus. With our help they have been restored with water, young trees and shelters. The small community has flourished and it has become an attractive place for tourists, where they can visit, take tea and camp overnight. This has provided the Bedouin with an additional source of income, in keeping with their ancient traditions of desert hospitality, in addition to the income from the produce of the oasis. We make sure visitors know about local history and culture, and encourage visitors to buy locally made crafts and to pay a fair price for them. Our group sizes are a maximum of 16 people (usually less). Our own guides are experienced in desert and mountain leadership, and we are also accompanied by expert Bedouin guides. On this trip our environmental impact is kept to a minimum. We use camels instead of vehicles wherever possible, and where vehicles are used they are restricted to well-used tracks to limit damage to the delicate flora and fauna. We provide advice on water usage in the desert, recommend biodegradable soaps and use compostable toilets. In our office we print our brochures on 100% recycled paper using vegetable based inks, and where possible we send information to customers by email. |
Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've led the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |