Africa Travel Guides

Posts Tagged ‘Libya’

And that’s the landscape we discovered in the morning: the dream! (The cliffs in the background are part of the forbidden zone).

We market the next morning only when accompanied by a Bedouin in the logistics team: our guide did not see fit to come with us. Still, I was quite shocked to the casualness of it, someone very young who thought primarily to party. Nor had he bothered to greet us at the airport, he will move for us to say goodbye on the last day.

We are moving to the new White Desert where we will hike the afternoon. The training that we find in this part are even more beautiful than those of the former White Desert. Read the rest of this entry »

The White Desert is a limestone region invaded by the sand, probably the site of an ancient sea It consists of two zones, the old and the new White Desert, the first being the oldest geologically and the new, more spectacular.

Before turning to the White Desert itself, we stopped in a small oasis, a rarity in this particularly dry (there is virtually no vegetation in the desert, not even at the bottom of the wadi where there is no acacia). It is not far away the traces of graves which our guide told us that they are Roman (or at least to Roman times). Read the rest of this entry »

We finished the evening with a stroll through the oasis, in which we were able to see an operation which we often hear about but rarely see it (if not there at the right time): fertilization palm trees by the female flowers of palms males.

The next morning we leave for the desert. And before the White Desert, the Black Desert in which we stopped after a few miles drive away. These pinnacles (the photo is taken from the highest of them) are apparently of volcanic origin there. Read the rest of this entry »

The photograph allows time to realize how urbanization encircles the site.

After this introduction, towards the desert. Indeed, we have 400 km of road to go to the oasis of Bahariya – I failed to mention that this trip is not exactly a ‘journey on foot. ” It must be an hour’s drive before leaving the greater Cairo (the modern residential area of Oct. 6 – a reference to the “victory” against Israel in Egypt in 1973 – on the horizon which we still see dawn, miles during the peak of the pyramid of Chephren). Can you pass along a railway cutting the iron ore produced near the oasis of Bahariya, and some oil wells. This portion of the desert is not the most entertaining as can be seen on the next picture.

And contrary to what I know in Algeria, Niger and Mauritania, the desert of Egypt is an absolute desert, virtually devoid of vegetation!

Our destination for tonight is the oasis of Bahariya, or more precisely the location of Baouiti in the latter. This site contains some curiosities Read the rest of this entry »

Egypt has become a commoditized destination, but it is still possible to visit it differently. For proof, this ten day trip I made in April 2005, and mainly devoted to the desert: the unique White Desert first, a central region of the country combining immaculate sand and chalk. And also a series of oases, and a few temples and archaeological sites located outside the Nile Valley. And still to finish, the monuments of Luxor traveled visitor free.

The journey is obviously on the charter flight, bound for Cairo. Several surprises await us in the descent flight: first our guide did not see fit to greet us on arrival. He just called me through the driver’s mobile phone to give us the start time of the morning. We were rather surprised by the cold call, as I have not used cell phones, and also the focus of my interlocutor, Read the rest of this entry »

* Mauritania

To cross the border of Mauritania visa is required without exception. To get it will need a passport valid for at least six months after the date of entry into the country, two passport photos and fill in the form of visa. The visa must be requested well in the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania in Madrid or the Consulate General of the RIM in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (Quintana Street, n º 14 – Ciudad Jardin – 35 005 Las Palmas de Gran Canaria – Telefs.: 928/23.48.33 and 928/23.45.00 – Fax: 928/29.31.66). You can also get at the border for a price of around 60 euros.

* Algeria

The Algerian authorities also require visas. The consular fee charged for issuing visas for tourists is around 25 Euros (for employers and employees of Spanish companies have superior consular fees). You must have a passport with a minimum of six months of operation, complete the form and two passport size photographs. The embassy is on the streets of Madrid General Oraá 12 and there is a consulate in the Eusebio Sempere Calle Alicante 14. Read the rest of this entry »

One of my unfinished business, as travel is concerned, is Africa.

I have not set foot on this fascinating continent where our species began to evolve. I have heard and read stories of travelers who have not done more than fan the flame of adventure that runs inside and increase the desire to step on that land chaotic, breathtaking landscapes, unstable governments – and, unfortunately, often bloody and cruel – temperatures and extreme conditions, people of thousands of ethnic groups, cultures and religions, and wild nature. In fact, my current book nightstand is The Long Way Down, written by Ewan McGregor – Obi Wan Kenobi for Star Wars freaks like me – and Charlie Boorman – the kid from La Selva Esmeralda for big film fans like me, I am fan of Antonio Gasset and Film Days program. In the book recount the bike ride from the northern tip of Scotland to the southernmost point of the African continent Cape Agulhas). For now I recommend it.

So if you too are you in love with Africa, or simply think you are curious and visit soon: here’s information on the requirements for entry and stay in some of the countries of the African mosaic. Soon we will try to cover the entire continent by facilitating the work to travelers. Read the rest of this entry »