The Desert at Leisure - Two Versions of Bliss in the Desert

Version 1:
Four days, three nights with a spectacular Bedouin healing treatment day

From your hotel in Luxor and back to it, with visits to:

The oases of:
• Baris
• Kharga
• Dakhla

The sites of:
Dush – the impressive Roman fortress and temple guarding the infamous Darb Al Arbayin
Hibis – the temple to Amun with intriguing reliefs
Bagawat – one of the oldest Christian cemeteries with tombs dating back to the 2nd century CE (=Common Era = AD) and possibly the oldest remaining Christian basilica structure in existence
Kharga Museum – a lovely little museum with treasures from all over the Western Desert
Balat – the oldest tombs found in the desert so far, dating back to the 5th dynasty
Bashendi – home to some interesting Roman/Egyptian tombs
Qasr – a deserted medieval Islamic town, with its winding alleys and main houses fascinatingly preserved
Deir el Hagar (Monastery of the Stones) – a beautifully preserved Roman temple, part of the immense Roman presence in Dakhla oasis

And of course:
Long (air conditioned :-)) drives through desert landscapes
A sunset camel ride into the desert (and back, I promise :-))
A splash in one of the many hot, healing springs of the desert (bring a dark bathing costume as the metals and minerals in the water can stain lighter ones!)

And also:
A fabulous day trying out the Bedouin healing methods:
In Dakhla, a healer is carrying on his ancient family tradition, and offering full-day treatments, consisting of:
• Hot springs (and believe me, they are HOT!)
• Diagnosis of possible ailments in the hot spring
• Water massage in the spring
• Oil massage in a special tent next to the spring
• Sand treatment (consisting of being buried in special, hot, healing sands for one hour, which pulls out all of the toxins in your body)
• If needed, a sand massage as well
This day includes all the treatments and a lovely picnic lunch (the other tradition this healer is continuing is the restaurant business, and his cooking is healing too, trust me!) and it can be extended with a night in the desert too.

Price for four days, three nights: 550 euros per person, all-inclusive

Includes: set-up, transport, tickets, super treatment day with all the trimmings, 3 nights hotel based on double occupancy in a double room (single supplement applies if single room required), facilitation, explanation, all meals, drinks (except for alcoholic beverages and drinks while in the hotel), baksheesh (driver, temple guardians etc)

A discount applies to every group of over 4 people and for children under 12, unless they are the second person in the party. All groups must have a minimum of two full paying travellers.

Please note: as our trips are more geared towards exploring the sights of the oases, we travel by air-conditioned minibus and not by 4x4. So our trips do not, as a rule, include driving over the desert dunes etc. We can refer you to other companies who do that kind of desert trip, but we do have to point out that however adventurous such desert rides may be, they are actually quite damaging to the fragile desert eco-system, which is another reason we prefer not to do it this way. The desert and its oases need to be treated with respect if they are to be able to benefit from any kind of sustainable tourism.

Version 2:
Four days, three nights with a star-spangled overnight stay in the White Desert

From your hotel in Luxor and back to it, with visits to:

The oases of:
• Baris
• Kharga
• Dakhla
• Farafra (White Desert)

The sites of:
Dush – the impressive Roman fortress and temple guarding the infamous Darb Al Arbayin
Hibis – the temple to Amun with intriguing reliefs
Bagawat – one of the oldest Christian cemeteries with tombs dating back to the 2nd century CE (=Common Era = AD) and possibly the oldest remaining Christian basilica structure in existence
Kharga Museum – a lovely little museum with treasures from all over the Western Desert
Balat – the oldest tombs found in the desert so far, dating back to the 5th dynasty
Bashendi – home to some interesting Roman/Egyptian tombs
Qasr – a deserted medieval Islamic town, with its winding alleys and main houses fascinatingly preserved
Deir el Hagar (Monastery of the Stones) – a beautifully preserved Roman temple, part of the immense Roman presence in Dakhla oasis

And of course:
Long (air conditioned :-)) drives through desert landscapes
A sunset camel ride into the desert (and back, I promise :-))
A splash in one of the many hot, healing springs of the desert (bring a dark bathing costume as the metals and minerals in the water can stain lighter ones!)

And also:
A beautiful drive to the White Desert to camp there overnight in the open air, taking advantage of the moon and stars that turn this already beautiful landscape into a place of true magic! A lovely dinner cooked over a campfire makes this true desert experience complete.

Price for four days, three nights: 525 euros per person, all-inclusive
Includes: set-up, transport, tickets, over-night stay in de desert including camp-fire dinner under the stars, 2 nights hotel based on double occupancy in a double room (single supplement applies if single room required), facilitation, explanation, all meals, drinks (except for alcoholic beverages and drinks while in the hotel), baksheesh (driver, temple guardians etc)

A discount applies to every group of over 4 people and for children under 12, unless they are the second person in the party. All groups must have a minimum of two full paying travellers.

Please note: as our trips are geared towards exploring the sights of the oases, we travel by air-conditioned minibus and not by 4x4. So our trips do not, as a rule, include driving over the desert dunes etc. We can refer you to other companies who do that kind of desert trip, but we do have to point out that however adventurous such desert rides may be, they are actually quite damaging to the fragile desert eco-system, which is another reason we prefer not to do it this way. The desert and its oases need to be treated with respect if they are to be able to benefit from any kind of sustainable tourism.

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