70 Download detailed itineraries from www.himalayankingdoms.com e: info@himalayankingdoms.com Bedouin Path in Wadi Rum Photo: Jordan Tourist Board Oman & Jordan For thousands of years Jordan has been at the crossroads of the Middle East, a bridge between Egypt and Syria, Arabia and the Mediterranean. Here caravans have criss-crossed the land since biblical times, leaving behind evidence of a rich past of ancient civilisations. The fertile Jordan valley contrasts strongly with classic sandy deserts, rugged mountains and stunning landscapes of rock and sand. Our exciting new itinerary in Jordan features what promises to become one of our classic treks, from the enchanting traditional village of Dana, over mountain and desert paths, to arrive at the stunning site of Petra, the ‘rose red city half as old as time’. We approach Petra by a rarely used route and enter from the back of the site and so get unusual views of the ruins not normally seen by tourists, but you will also be able to enter later by the traditional route so that you do not lose the impact of the first stunning views of the Treasury. The city of Petra, hidden away in encircling craggy mountains, is carved from the living rock over 2,000 years ago, and was totally unknown to the west until as late as the early 19th Century when it was ‘rediscovered’ by the explorer Johann Ludwig Burckhardt. There will be time to explore Petra before you journey south to the unique moonlike landscape of Wadi Rum. Here from your own tented Bedouin camp you can explore the desert and mountains and enjoy the panoramic landscapes. Your desert travels end with a night on the shores of the Dead Sea. Oman really is one of the undiscovered jewels of Arabia. Unlike its neighbours, glitzy Dubai and austere Saudi Arabia, Oman is an altogether more laid back and hospitable country. Oman has wonderfully varied landscapes of desert and mountains and 1,700km of beautiful coastline. The scenery is surprisingly impressive, with mountains rising to over 3,000m/10,000ft and terrain cut by the most spectacular gorges and canyons. Ancient villages cling to cliff sides, or nestle in remote wadis which are often unexpectedly lush and green due to ancient irrigation systems. Its natural beauty is matched by an ancient culture – for centuries it has been a cross-roads of the gulf region, with dhows trading throughout the region as well as further afield – the legend of Sinbad the Sailor is believed to originate here. This ancient culture is reflected in the rich heritage of the country, ancient villages, souqs, forts and watchtowers. Our new itinerary to Oman includes a two day crossing of the Wahiba Sands with camels and Bedouin guide and a dramatic trek through the Jabal Shams mountains visiting Oman’s own ‘Grand Canyon’ and other scenic highlights. A stunning trip indeed! Mountains & Deserts of Arabia – Trekking in Oman For our new and exciting trips to the Middle East we have designed two off-the-beaten track itineraries which include the kind of real trekking which we know our clients enjoy. Both Oman and Jordan offer dramatic landscapes of mountains and deserts – sweeping vistas by day and spectacularly starlit skies by night. You will be warmly welcomed in both countries – the Bedouin in Jordan are renowned for their hospitality, while the Omanis are probably the friendliest people in the Gulf region. £1,695 £1,295 Dates: Sun 16 Mar – Wed 26 Mar, Sun 16 Nov – Wed 26 Nov land only Grade: Moderate On Trek: 5 days In-country Leader Nights’ Accommodation: Hotels: 4 Camping: 5 Optional: Single Room £125 Insurance: £95 (Standard Policy) Days Itinerary Duration: 11 days 1–2 Fly to Muscat, sightseeing 3–4 Visit coastal region south of Muscat, day walks and sandy beaches 5–6 Wahiba Sands trek –7 Nizwa fort and souq 8–10 Jabal Shams Trek –11 Fly to London Guaranteed to run for a minimum of clients Bedouin Paths to Petra & Wadi Rum, Jordan New for 2008 6 £1,575 £1,230 Dates: Sun 13 Apr – Thu 24 Apr, Sun 23 Nov – Thu 04 Dec land only Grade: Moderate On Trek: 7 days In-country Leader Nights’ Accommodation: Hotels: 2 Guest House/Lodges: 2 Camping: 6 Optional: Single Room £115 Insurance: £95 (Standard Policy) Days Itinerary Duration: 12 days 1–2 Fly to Amman, sightseeing 3–8 Trek Dana to Petra –9 Visit Petra and drive to Wadi Rum 10 – 11 Trekking in Wadi Rum, drive to Dead Sea –12 Fly to London Guaranteed to run for a minimum of clients New for 2008 6

71 tel: 0845 330 8579 (local call rate, UK only) international tel: +44 1453 844 400 www.himalayankingdoms.com Overlanding Siân Pritchard-Jones & Bob Gibbons Siân and Bob have been travelling overland, leading treks and exploring as many unusual destinations as possible since the mid seventies. Bob has driven overland trucks across Asia, Africa and South America, as well as driving tour buses around India. It was easy for Siân to give up a ‘safe’ job in computers to travel with him! For some years they have also been engaged in writing guidebooks for Pilgrims Book House in Kathmandu, mainly about the Himalayan region. Writing a Cicerone Press walking guide to Mount Kailash in Tibet, and updating the Bradt guides to the Maldives and Cape Verde Islands, have also proved exciting projects. Following various overland trips in their rather ancient Land Rover, they wrote the Bradt Africa Overland guidebook. Africa Overland 4th Edition Bradt Travel Guides July 2005 ISBN: 978-1-84162-135-7 These two itineraries have been designed for us by Siân Pritchard-Jones and Bob Gibbons. The concept is to enjoy the comfort and flexibility that our two Land Cruisers provide, taste some wilderness camping, and use hotels of character in the townships Morocco to Mauritania – The West African Coast Three weeks to meander and marvel at the classic ancient cities of Morocco, drive through the High Atlas Mountains and enjoy some off-roading and camping on the edge of the Sahara, before heading down the coast to the capital of Mauritania, Nouakchott. There will be plenty of time to soak up the atmosphere of Fez and Marrakesh, and to relax in the old Atlantic coast, Portuguese town of Essouira. In Mauretania in some places, the only road is the beach! Grade: Overlanding Tour (recce) Days’ Driving: 10 days 1 or possibly 2 European Leaders/Drivers: tbc Nights’ Accommodation: Hotels: 10 Camping: 3 Optional: Single Room £tbc Insurance: £69 (Standard Policy) Days Itinerary Duration: 14 days 1–2 Fly to Marrakesh, at leisure 3–6 Drive to Essaouira, Taroudant, Tata and Ourzazate (hotels) 7–9 Drive to Agdz and Zagora, (camping) 10–12 Drive to Erfoud and Fez, sightseeing (hotels) 13–14 Drive to Tangiers, sightseeing, fly to London Designed by Siân Pritchard-Jones & Bob Gibbons – New for 2008 Morocco, Sahara – Road of the Kasbahs Two weeks to explore Morocco thoroughly, beginning with some great Sahara desert travel, and some real gems of towns and places. Look up Taroudant, Ouarzazate, Todra Gorge and Rissani on your browser and you will see what we mean! Fortified towns where the 21st Century has made little impact. All the sights, sounds and smells of the souks and kasbahs. North Africa as you have always imagined it. Sounds of a million years at the dreamy Atlantic town of Essouira. Morocco & Mauritania The Roof of the World Expedition Summer 2008 and Summer 2009 – Steven Berry It has always been my dream to drive to Kathmandu, but because the ‘normal’ route through Iran and Afghanistan is politically inadvisable these days, I decided to examine more northerly route. We will, therefore, journey through northern Europe, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Ukraine, Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Xinjiang, Tibet to Kathmandu, and then across India to ship the vehicles back from Mumbai. Roughly 10,000 miles, and besides the obvious attraction of wilderness travel between the Caspian and Aral Seas, the southern rim of the Takla Makhan desert, and the drive across the Tibetan plateau, we will spend time exploring many evocative cities. Names to entice include Kiev, Volgograd (formerly Stalingrad), Khiva, Bukhara, Samarkand, Tashkent, Osh, Kashgar, Lhasa, Gyantse, Shigatse and Kathmandu itself. We will mainly stay in hotels, but the vehicles are well-equipped for camping in the wild as well. Four people in each Land Cruiser, and the spirit of the adventure is that we share in the driving and camp work. At the time of going to print, two places remain for the Summer of 2008. Assuming the journey is viable success, I plan to offer it again in the Summer of 2009. For further details, e-mail: steve@himalayankingdoms.com or call Steve on 0845 330 8579 The Vehicles The 80 Series Toyota Land Cruisers, built between 1990 and 1998, have far fewer electronics to go wrong than the modern-day equivalent. Our two vehicles have 4.2 litre diesel engines, low mileage, and have been expedition prepared. Features include: • Air-conditioning • Long-range fuel tanks • Heavy-duty suspension • 60 litre filtered drinking-water tanks • Leather seats with canvas covers • CB radios, satellite phone and GPS • Expedition roof rack • Secret safe • Dual battery system • Winch • Fridge • iPod docking stations • Drawer system storage • Sand mats • Medical kit from £2,665 from £2,395 Dates: Sat 02 Feb – Sat 23 Feb ’08,* Sat 08 Dec – Sat 29 Dec ’08, Sat 31 Jan – Sat 21 Feb ’09 land only Grade: Overlanding Tour (recce) Days’ Driving: 15 days 1 or possibly 2 European Leaders/Drivers: Paul Franklin* Nights’ Accommodation: Hotels: 15 Camping: 5 Optional: Single Room £tbc Insurance: £75 (Standard Policy) Days Itinerary Duration: 22 days 1–3 Fly to Casablanca, drive to Fez, at leisure 4–8 Drive the ‘Road of the Kasbahs’, desert camping 9–11 Drive to Marrakesh, at leisure 12–13 Drive to Essouira, at leisure 14–19 Drive to Nouakchott, Mauretania 20–21 At leisure Nouakchott –22 Fly to Casablanca, rest, fly to London Guaranteed to run for a minimum of clients in one vehicle or a minimum of clients in 2 vehicles Designed by Siân Pritchard-Jones & Bob Gibbons – New for 2008 5 3 from £2,165 from £1,995 Dates: Sun 02 Mar – Sat 15 Mar ’08, Sun 06 Jan – Sat 19 Jan ’09, Sun 01 Mar – Sat 14 Mar ’09 land only Guaranteed to run for a minimum of clients in one vehicle or a minimum of clients in 2 vehicles 5 3