Provisional itinerary version 4
(latest update September 29, 2008)
Day 1, Saturday 11 October 2008: Arrival on
Today is an acclimatisation day and if you want you can have a look in the city where you can see a lot: the suuq (=market ), the great mosque Zitouna (=olive tree), café M’Rabet in the medina (in the afternoon belly dancing and food), Bab el Bahr (=gate to the sea), the beautiful government buildings nearby the Zitouna, the food market Halfaouine, Bab el Khadra the old entrance gate to the town. Just outside the medina you will find beautiful colonial houses with nice wooden windows and doors. Then there is the cathedral of
Hotel: 
Day 3, Monday 13 October 2008:
This city was different from other Roman cities, because there was no rectangular structure. In Kairouan, which is on the world heritage list of the Unesco, we will have lunch and time to visit this beatiful city.
Kairouan is the oldest holy Islamic city of
After having visited Kairouan we go further to Gafsa, 199 km on tarmac.
Along the way we can visit the Roman ruins of Sbeitla. This city is founded in the first century A.C. during the reign of the emperor Vespasianus. This city was important because of its position on the way to the south and Algeria. The grass of the dry grassland in this region is used for the production of paper. There is a museum at the ruins of Sbeitla.
In Gafsa, an old historic oasis whose history goes back to the Numibian Empire and destroyed by the Romans in 107 B.C. Here we will spend the night in the splendid Jugurtha Palace Hotel. It is located just out of town and the swimming-pools of this hotel are bigger then the hotel itself.
Route: Tunis-route 3 to El Fahs 63 km-then follow route 3 during
Hotel: Hotel Jugurtha Palace (http://www.jugurthapalace.com/).
Day 4, Tuesday 14 October 2008:
Today we must leave our fabulous hotel and drive a traject of 131
From Midès 6 km to Tamerza, a village of 2000 inhabitants. The old village was destroyed after a flooding in 1969. The ruins are still there against the mountain. Nearby is a canyon in which the water of the river Oued Khanga falls down 15 meter into the canyon.
After that to Chibika, the Roman army base Ad Speculum. So called because they were signalling with mirrors to other army bases. The old village lies above a canyon in which palm trees grow and a waterfall is located. You can climb up the mountain and have a nice view on the surrounding red rocks. Here the mountains stop and the desert begins.
From Chebika we drive to Tozeur, one of the most beautiful oasis of the country with 3000 date palms. There are also fig-, pomegranate- and banana trees. You will also find a nice private museum: Dar Cherait.
The district Ouled el-Hadef with houses of the 14th century: here too you will find beautifull doors and interiors. Just a beautiful place in the oasis is Marabout of Sidi Aguili and further nice market streets, the El Farkous mosque and the Marabout Sisi Bou Lifa. Route: Gafsa-Moularès-Redeyef-Midès-Tamerza-Chebika-Tozeur.
Hotel: Dar Cherait (yes, close to the museum and with a fairy tale like interior).www.darcherait.com.tn (if you want to see pictures of the hotel, opt for the French language).
Day 5, Wednesday 15 October 2008:
From Tozeur we go to a beautiful overnight stay: Ksar Ghilane. Today the route consist of
Route: Tozeur-Hotel: Pansea Ksar Ghilane www.pansea.com/eng/ksar_infor.html
Day 6, Thursday 16 October 2008:
Today we go from Ksar Ghilane to the border of
Route: Kasr Ghilane-Hotel: Zumit Hotel http://www.zumithotel.com/
Day 7, Friday 17 October 2008:
Rest day in Tripoli.
Time to go to Sabratha: Roman ruins near to the beach. Beautiful theatre, forum, temples, basilicas, mausoleum of Bes, 2 museums and amphitheatre.
In Tripoli: the promenade along the sea, Jamahiriya museum, castle of Tripoli, the medina, the suuqs, the Aurelian Arch, Gurgi mosque, Karamanli (=former ruler of Libya) house and the Italian cathedral. Leptis Magna east of Tripoli is worth a visit too.
Day 8, Saturday 18 October 2008:
This day we go to Ghadames. We pass the
Farmers kept their harvest there. Qasr El-Haj, Kabaw and Nalut. 
The Berber inhabitants of Darj have left their old houses and now live in modern houses.
Route: first
Hotel: Ben Yedder Hotel in centre of the town (no need for taxidrives into town) http://hotels.loneleyplanet.com/hotel/ghadames-ben-yedder-hotel-p1000575813.html
Today we stay in Ghadames to relax and visit the old city. During our stay in the town, the Festival is taking place on the 17th, 18th and 19th of October. During this Festival people move from the new town to their family homes in the old town. Doors are open, there is singing and dancing in traditional dresses. The first day is held in the new town, the second in the old town and the third day in the Tuareg part of the town. It will be crowded these days. Ghadamus is a very old town and is called the jewel of the
Ghadamus was an important town in the trans-Saharan trade (including slave transportation) route. the inhabitants live in the modern part of the town. When the temperatures get unbearable they go back to their old houses, which they left in 1986. The entrance to the old city costs 3 LD, camera 5 LD, video 10 LD.
Ghadamus was divided in 4 sections for the 2 tribes: the Bani Walid and the Bani Wazid. In the centre was a square for all the inhabitants. In each section was a mosque, schools, markets and local leaders. In the 1960´s the Tuareg made new quarters when they gave up nomadic living. The oldest mosque of the city was bombed during WW2.
The houses have 2 storey´s and a central livingroom. The roof often served as a kitchen. Nice red interior of the houses. The outside of many houses is white.
In the oasis are many date palms and the space between them is used for growing vegetables and fruit.
Hotel: same as night before.
Day 10, Monday 20 October 2008:
On the following 3 days we will cross the desert towards Al Awaynat with a Tuareg desert guide. We will be on our own for three days. So no hotels and no restaurants, but our desert guides cook for us and we sleep under the stars of the
Route: A6 in the book of Reise Know How called Libyen; according to our Libyan guide. These three days we will cover about 685 km.
Hotel: none, bivouac somewhere in the Idhan Awbari.
Day 11, Tuesday 21 October 2008:
Desert track to Al Awaynat
Route: A6 in the book of Reise Know How called Libyen; according to our Libyan guide.
Hotel: none, bivouac somewhere in the Idhan Awbari.
Day 12, Wednesday 22 October 2008:
Desert track to Al Awaynat.
Route: according to our Libyan guide.
Hotel: none, Alfaw camping site.
Day 13, Thursday 23 October 2008
From Al Awaynat we enter the Sahara and the Acacus mountains, which are not the highest of the
From Al Awaynat we will go to the
Route: according to our Libyan guide. These 3 days we will cover about 521 km.
Hotel: none, bivouac somewhere in the Akakus Mountains.
Day 14, Friday 24 October 2008:
Akakus Mountains.
Route: according to our Libyan guide.
Hotel: none, bivouac somewhere in the Akakus Mountains
Day 15, Saturday 25 October 2008:
Today we will go via Wadi Mthendous to Germa. Just before Maknusa on your left side you will find petrified trees.Route: According to our Libyan guide.
Hotel: Dar Germa hotel in Germa
http://www.darsahara.com/default.asp?cat=2&sotto_cat=13&lang=eng
This is the day of the Ubari lakes.
From Germa we go to the Ubari lakes.
The Ubari lakes (at least 11 lakes) in this soft and big sand desert begin to dry up because the water level is decreasing. The saline content resembles the 
The Garamantic Empire was so strong that even the Romans could not defeat them.
Route: according to our Libyan guide.
Hotel: none, bivouac Mandra.
Day 17, Monday 27 October 2008:
We will leave the Ubari lake region and will go to Timsah.
The route of today goes to Timsah, a distance of 370
In Zuwaylah is an area with Islamic ruins. The first 7 disciples of Mohammed have died here in the defense of the city. Zuwaylah nowadays lives of agriulture and several thousands of date palms.
Route:
Hotel: none, bivouac.
Day 18, Tuesday 28 October 2008:
Today we start a 3 day route straight through the hart of the desert from Timsah via Waw an Namus to Tazirbu. The total distance to be covered in the next three days will be 713 km.
Waw an Namus lies deep in the 
Route: from Timsah with guide and permit via Waw al Kebir, Waw an Namus to Tazirbu, a total distance of 713
Hotel: Waw el Kebir military hotel resort on the Mehershema Plateau.
Day 19, Wednesday 29 October 2008:
After seeing the extinct volcano of Waw an Namous, we go on to Tazirbu.
Route: according to our guide.
Hotel: none, bivouac on the Jabal al Maruf.
Day 20, Thursday 30 October 2008:
Last part of the three days through the desert to Tazirbu.
Route: according to our guide.
Hotel: none, bivouac near Tazirbu
Day 21, Friday 31 October 2008:
This will be a long tarmac day driving from Tazirbu to Binghazi.
From Tazirbu we go to Jalu oasis, a distance of
From the Jalu Oasis we drive
Ajdabiya is a sad city with a lot of foreign workers. There has not been done a lot to make the city more attractive. There are some remains of an old mosque and some Roman remains
Banghazi is more exiting then
Route: from Tazirbu (fill up!)
Hotel: Hotel Tibesti www.rediscover.co.uk/libya_tibesti.html
Day 22, Saturday 1 November 2008:
Today we drive from Binghazi to Cyrene/Appolonia, 304
The Akhdar mountains (Arabic for Although Tukra was founded by the Greek in 510 B.C. mainly the Roman ruins, the Byzantine church and the Turkish fortress make the city interesting. The old city centre is interesting especially during the market day.
Tulmanthia is worth a visit. It was founded by Ptolemeus in the 4th century B.C. and kept important during the Roman period. When the Arabs came in the 7th century it fell into decline. A lot has to be excavated, but there is already a lot to see: the basilica from the 5th century, a Hellenistic palace, the forum, statues and lots of fountains.
There is a nice museum and you can swim at the deserted beaches.
Qasr
In Slonta (Sluntah or Salantah) ruins and statues made by the Libyans themselves before the Islam was introduced. Little has been done to show them to the public.
Al Bayda is a pretty city with colonial buildings and an influential Islamic University. 
Susa at the coast is founded by Muslim fugitives in the 19th century, who had fled from
To the east of
Ras al Hillal on a rocky peninsula together with Apollonia used to be the greater ports to serve
More to the east is El Athrun with a ma
Derna is a small and pretty city with old quarters. There is a covered suuq and a busy square with cafés around it. The beaches belong to the most beautiful of
Route: from Binghazi we drive to the north via Dariana
Hotel: Al Manarah Hotel at the entrance of the ruins of Apollonia http://www.sherwestravel.com/travellibya.asp?page=7&sub=516_el%20hotel%20apolloniaDay 23, Sunday 2 November 2008:
Today we will see many historic places with a lot of Greek and Roman remains. We can start with the ruins of Apollonia (now
Route: from our hotel 10
Hotel: Al Jaghbub Hotel
Day 24, Monday 3 November 2008:
We leave Tobruq and drive to Siwa in Egypt. Towards the border
Route: from Tobruq at first a few km to the south and then east via Al Qa’rah, Kambut, Qasr al Jad, Al Burdi and Amsaad to the border crossing to Egypt (a total of Hotel: Adrere Amellal http://www.adrereamellal.net/main.htm
Day 25, Tuesday 4 November 2008:
Today we have a rest day in Siwa, where you can see a lot. The best transport to do so is a (rental)bike! A one-gear hard-seated bike costs 10 Egyptian pound.
In the thousand years B.C. Siwa was famous for the Oracle. Kings and generals consulted the Oracle. Siwa was a prosperous city. During the Islamic times the number of inhabitants decreased to
Gebel al Mwata (=Mountain of the Dead) is a mountain that served as a burial place with tombs. They have wonderful wall paintings. The mountain looks perforated. Shali originates from the 13th century and was in use until a heavy rain of 3 days ruined it in 1926. the houses are build from Kershef, a mixture of salt and clay. Not very waterproof, it had to be fixed constantly. It lies on a
Alexander’s Oracle originates from the 6th century and here the answers to his questions were whispered in his ear. This Oracle is an extension of the 2 century’s older
Cleopatra’s pool has nothing to do with her, it is only mentioned after her because it looks so beautiful. There is a small café well protected against the sun; ideal for hot day’s.
Gebel Dakrur wit hits 3 peaks is a mountain on which you have a beautiful view on Siwa. It is quite a climb. It is near Birket Zeitrun. Every year there is a tourist festival in October or November at the foot of this mountain. This is not for the tourists as you would think but for the inhabitants self. Fatnis island lies
Alexander’s tomb is discovered in 1991 by a Greek women. She thought it was Alexander’s tomb, but it was not. It is the grave of a Greek general.
Birket Siwa is the most attractive of the 2 salt lakes in Siwa. The palms grow to where the water begins. There are some table top mountains at the lake. The biggest is Adrar al Milal (= white mountain). The lake is getting saltier by the year.
Birket Zeitrun is les visited because it is not that pretty as Birket Siwa. It is more quiet there.
The well of Abu Shuruf is a pool with a warm water well. There are many female donkeys there. Here they say: Have you been to Abu Shuruf? By this they mean: Did you have sex?
Sunset is beautiful out here in the desert.
Bir Wahed is a well in the middle of the desert
Hotel: same as yesterday
Day 26, Wednesday 5 November 2008:
We go through the desert to Bawiti, a distance of
Route: from Siwa to the east 380 km through the desert to Bawiti.Hotel: Minamar Hotel (www.minamar.com)
Day 27, Thursday 6 November 2008:
Today we will go to a famous spot with a lot of pyramids: Gizeh. That is a distance of
Gizeh is now a part of Cairo because of the expansion of The Khufu pyramid is the biggest of the World:
The solar boat was found as a construction box with 1224 parts. It took 14 year to put it all together. The boat is The three pyramids of the Queen lie east of Khufu’s pyramid. The southernmost is of Hensutsen, Khafre’s mother. The northernmost of the sister and wife of Khufu. The one in the middle is from Redjedef, Khufu’s wife.
Khafre was pharaoh of the 4th dynasty and ruled from 2588-2532 B.C. Khafre was the son of Khufu. He tried to exceed the complex of pyramids of his father. He succeeded although the pyramid
The mortuary temple at the foot of the temple is completely destroyed and robbed. There were 52 large statues of Khafre, but they have been moved to other temples. There were 5 boat pits next to the temple. From this temple there was a causeway of
The sphinx is Menkaure was farao from 2532-2503 B.C. his pyramid is much smaller then his predecessors. The Oracle had predicted only 6 years of government; so he had to build a smaller pyramid. However he ruled for 26 years. The pyramid is mainly made of granite, what they had to get from a long distance upstream. The other pyramids are made of limestone, which could be found locally. In the 12th century sultan Othman tried to destroy the pyramid. He gave up after 8 months.
Inside there are 4 chambers that do not look very specially. The black stone sarcophagus that used to be here, is now on the bottom of the sea near
At the foot of the pyramid there are 3 queen pyramids. The body of a young women was in the one in the middle.
Near to the pyramids you find the Mastabas. They were not used by the kings, but served as a grave for princes, princesses or notables. The inside is richly decorated by wall paintings. The graves were mostly underneath the mastabas. There are different mastabas to see:
-Seshemnufer 4, this one is the most visited, because he is positioned between the ticket sale and the pyramid of Khufu. The wall paintings have faded now. These are better in the other mastabas. Seshemnufer 4 lived approximately 200 years earlier then Khafre and Khufu. He was inspector at the building sites of the pyramids. -Neferbauptah is one of the most beautiful mastabas with beautiful wall paintings, an open court yard, a statue carved in the wall en an offering room. -Iymery: here too wonderful wall paintings and 19th century engraved names of tourists.
The tomb of Khentkawes.
The modern Gizeh is not beautiful nor ugly. Fortunately there are a few exceptions. In the river lie a lot of old wooden house boats. The are mostly converted into clubs and restaurants. The authorities do not like that.
Route: from Bawiti we go to the northeast Hotel: Mena House Oberoi Hotel www.oberoimenahouse.com/en-US/Hotel/Hotel-Overview.aspx
Day 28, Friday 7 November 2008:
Today is a rest day to visit the many pyramids.
Hotel: same as yesterday.
Day 29, Saturday 8 November 2008:
Today we drive from Gizeh to Alexandria via El Alamein. That is
On the way from Gizeh to
One of the monastery’s is Deir Anba Bishoi, named after Bishoi who died in 417. His body is still in a wooden casket on the altar in the monastery and is still intact as they say. This looks very much to the ideas of the old Egyptians. There were also Coptic popes here. The Copts had broken away from the Greek orthodox faith, because the Copts only believed in a divine and an earthly Jesus.
There is also Deir as-Suryani which is more attractive then the former. This one arose from Anba Bishoi after a dispute about the virgin Maria. In the 8th century they re
Deir Abu Maqar is less beautiful then the other 2, but the walls around it are impressive. The monks feel protected against the Muslim extremists this way. In 1969 there were left only 6 monks and now there are more then 100 monks and 600 workers on the fields of the monastery.
Deir al-Baramus (Coptic for 2 Romans) is the oldest of the 4 remaining monasteries and the most isolated. The 2 sons of the Roman emperor Valentinus were tested here for their faith and died because of that.
Alexandria, the endpoint of our trail through North Africa, has a long, exciting history and is a mixture of cultures.
It takes a lot of trouble to find and see nice things.
Egyptian fishing boats are very colourful and some decorations have their origin in superstition.
What more can you see here:
-the catacombs
-Roman amphitheatre is small: only 700-800 people could fit in it.. it is circularly instead of mostly oval.
-the Villa of the Birds north of the amphitheatre got his name because of the mosaics with 9 pictures of birds. There is also a picture of a panther.
-Pompey’s Pillar and Serapeum: it was a
-
-the library is a new and modern building.
-Graeco-Roman museum: has the oldest collections from the Classical era: juwels, sarcophagi, statues, textile and small objects. The museum shows the importance of the Serapis cult. This was a creation of Ptolemy 1 to merge the Egyptian and Greek religion. Serapis was a god with the qualities of Zeus and Poseidon married with the Egyptian goddess Isis. The crocodile mummy shows how Ptolemies adopted the Fayoumi cult of Sobek.
-the submarine ruins
-
-Coptic cathedral
-mosques
-synagogue
Route: from Gizeh we drive
Hotel: Cecil Hotel www.sofitel.com/sofitel/fichehotel/gb/sof/1726/fiche_hotel.shtml
Day 30, Sunday 9 November 2008:
Delivery of the cars and take a flight back home.
Information websites:
www.kitmax.com equipment and travel stories
www.libyaonline.com general information
www.algathafi.org opinions of Ghadafi on the world
www.darfpublishers.co.uk specialised in books of
www.tripolipost.com daily news from
www.gmmra.org site of
Books:
-Inside Guide
-Inside Guide The
-Everyman Guides
-Capitool Egypte ISBN 9041018689 (in Dutch)
-Sahara
-Capitool Tunesië ISBN 9041033874 (in Dutch)
-Découverte Libye ISBN 2880863260 (in French)
-100 Itineraires GPS dans le desert de Libye ISBN 2864104040 (in French)
-Lonely Planet
-DK Egypt Eyewitness Travel Guide ISBN 9781405320931 (in English)
-DK Tunisia Eyewitness Travel Guide ISBN 9781405308694 (in English)
-Lonely Planet
-Lonely Planet
-Ägypten individuell ISBN 3896624741 (in German)
-Libyen ISBN 383171567x (in German)
-Tunesien ISBN 3831715886 (in German)
-Durch Afrika Band 1 ISBN 3831711011 (in German)
Charts:
Freytag & Berndt:
-Tunesien 1:800.000 ISBN 3850842673
-Libia 1:1.500.000 ISBN 3707903311
-Egypte 1:1.000.000 ISBN 3850842304
Michelin:
-
-Africa North
International Travel Maps:
Map of the Socialist People’s Libyan Arab Jamahiriya 1:3.500.000 ISBN 0863510647
Maps from: www.reise-know-how.de :
-Tunesien 1:600.000 ISBN 3831771707 waterproof
-Ägypten 1:1.250.000 ISBN 3831771421 waterproof
Films/DVD:
-The English patient
-Lion of the desert (Anthony Quinn and Oliver Reed)
