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Watch the sunrise and sunset over the Sahara sand
dunes and Star Wars film sets. Enjoy a traditional
meal at a Bedouin camp. All that combined with an
original riding tour with long canters across the
wide open sand dunes, rocky canyons and dry salt
lakes on Barb horses.
This new Sahara and Mountain Oasis Trail is in the
southern interior of Tunisia, the smallest of the
five North African countries. You ride across wild
wind blown desert landscapes to welcoming oasis
towns which appear on the horizon. These include the
mountain oasis towns of Chebika, Tamerza and Mides
and the great desert oasis towns of Tozeur and Nefta.
In this arid desert, people can only live close to
the oases where underground water supplies allow
cultivation, the most notable being the famous date
palms of Nefta and Tozeur.
The area is famous as the backdrop for some of the
Star Wars films and also featured in the English
Patient.
The ride moves on each day and at night you stay in
and have two nights in a private Berber style camp.
 IT-TUN01
Included: Accommodations - 5 nights in hotel, 2
nights in desert camps, full board, 6 riding days.
8 days/ 7 nights $
1,625
Single : +$395
-- based on
€ 1,045 / € 240
2008 Dates:
10/10-10/17 10/24-10/31
11/07-11/14
11/21-11/28 12/05-12/12
12/26-01/02
2009 Dates:
01/09-01/16 01/23-01/30
02/06-02/13
02/20-02/27 03/06-03/13
03/20-03/27
04/03-04/10
Meeting: Tozeur
Airport:
Tozeur Nefta via Tunis or Paris
Transfer: Incl. from Tozeur Nefta
Level:
Intermediate
Tack:
English
Horses:
Barb, Arab-Barb - 14.2-15.2 h
(mostly stallions, but
easy
to handle)
Pace:
Moderate, trots and fast canters -- long hours in
the saddle - 5+ hrs in the saddle per riding day
Min/Max:
2-10 riders
Weight: Max 200
lb
Not included: Some lunches and bar bills at
the hotels; spa treatments; gratuities.
Note: You should be a fit and experienced
rider since much of the ride is at a fast pace and
you are riding forward going horses. There are also
times when you need to dismount and lead your horse
over rough mountainous terrain. It is not suitable
for nervous riders.
Accommodations: The hotels range from a
very comfortable three star hotel in Nefta to a
luxurious five star hotel, the Tamerza Palace. Good
quality hotels in Tozeur (3 nights), Tamerza (1
night) and Nefta (1 night). 2 nights in Berber
camps. In the very comfortable desert camp, each
Berber tent has a proper bed with bedding and towels
provided. There are also toilets and hot showers.
Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival in Tozeur
and transfer to your hotel. Settle into Tunisian
time and meet the rest of the group.
Day 2: Drive for about one hour across the
expanse of the Chott el-Gharsa salt lake to meet
your horses. The ride starts at Chebika, a mountain
oasis town not far from the Algerian border. Its
claim to fame now being that the area was used as
the setting for the film The English Patient. Ride
across open desert and later follow a narrow gorge
towards the oasis of Tamerza riding through palm
trees and tall grasses which grow alongside the
narrow stream. Overnight at the luxurious Tamerza
Palace hotel.
Day 3: Today is a challenging day as you
cross through the eastern point of the Atlas
mountains. At times it appears impassable to horses
and you have to dismount and lead your horse on foot
for about an hour. The 180 degree view of the desert
from the top of the mountain is worth all the
effort. Dinner and overnight in a private Berber
style camp.
Day 4: Ride from camp and take a southerly
direction away from the mountains. Very soon the
terrain is perfect for some long fast canters. The
horses are sure footed and go like the wind. You may
see some herds of camels and pass some Berber camps.
Arrive at the small oasis of Neflayett where camp
has been set up in the shade of the palm trees.
Day 5: Continue riding through the arid
desert landscape. At the end of the day you leave
the horses at a stone corral close to a water point.
The grooms will stay with them overnight. You are
transferred by vehicle (~ 20 minutes) to the hotel
in Tozeur.
Day 6: Return to where you left the horses.
The ride initially is in quite soft sand and so you
have to walk but very soon you reach the dried salt
lake of Chott El-Garsa. This completely flat surface
is perfect for the group to spread out for a fast
gallop. The horses run easily and fast. Later you
arrive at the amazing sight of Aariguet. Here is the
set of the Star Wars film and you have lunch amongst
the strange buildings. Afterwards continue riding to
Nefta where your guide will lead you on horseback
through the tiny twisting streets so you get the
best possible view of the interesting houses. These
are low houses built of sand bricks with ornamental
geometric patterns on the walls, a style found only
in this region (and also in Tozeur) and in parts of
Iran. Overnight Nefta.
Day 7: You cannot leave Nefta without tasting
its famous dates, reputed to be the finest in the
region, so time permitting, you ride into and
through the oasis and have a small tour of a palm
plantation with the possibility of buying some
dates. Later you ride on the outskirts of Nefta with
some long canters. Lunch is at a Berber family camp.
After lunch you continue in the direction of the
huge Chott El-Jerid. This is the second biggest salt
lake in the world (after Salt Lake, Utah). A final
canter through a palm tree forest and its time to
say good bye to your horses which have carried you
so faithfully all week. Transfer by car to the hotel
in Tozeur. Tonight visit a traditional dinner show
in Tozeur with traditional dancers and music.
Day 8: Depart after breakfast from the
airport in Tozeur.
Weather
In the southern interior near to Tozeur there
are daily extremes of temperature all year round.
The area can get high winds and has very little
rainfall. The Oasis Ride runs in the winter months
between October and March when day time temperatures
may reach 20C. If there is a strong wind it can feel
colder than this, even in the sunshine and warm
clothes are essential. |
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