Sahara & Oasis Trail

Introduction
Tunisia Tunisia

Galloping on an Arabian steed alongside wild camels in the Saharan sand dunes may sound very "Lawrence of Arabia' but then again, so much of this weeklong horseback ride seems straight out of a movie: from pausing at an oasis to watching the sunset from your perch in the Atlas mountains to sitting down to mint tea and couscous at a traditional Berber camp. 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.

Accomodation
The ride moves on each day and at night you stay in good quality hotels in Tozeur (3 nights), Tamerza (1 night) and Nefta (1 night) and have 1 night in a private Berber style camp. The hotels range from a very comfortable three star hotel in Nefta to a luxurious five star hotel, the Tamerza Palace.

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. 

Electric power is 220 voltage. Plugs used in Tunisia are two pin plugs, same as Europe. English customers need adapters (3 pin plug to 2 pin plug).

The riding itinerary gives a full day and there is little time for other activities. However this area is famous for its spa treatments and the hotel in Tozeur has an extensive spa and treatment facility so you may wish to have a massage after a day in the saddle. You may also wish to experience a Hammam (steam room).

Breakfast and dinner are taken at your hotels and the buffets offer a selection of Tunisian and European style dishes. At lunch time and at dinner on the two nights in camp, you will have the opportunity to taste the best of Tunisian cuisine prepared by the camp staff and enjoy delicious sweet dates and oranges.

Water: Tap water is generally safe to drink, but just to be cautious; you may purchase mineral water from the hotel or local grocery shops.

This trip includes and can accommodate special dietary requests.

Riding
The horses are Barb Arab, ranging in height from 14.2hh to 15.2hh. They are fit and as lean and lithe as race-horses. There is a weight limit of 13stone. The horses are either mares or geldings. You will be impressed at their overall fitness and stamina for both the sand and mountaineous terrain. You can only marvel at the ability of the Arabian horse to withstand the daytime heat of the desert and the extreme cold of the night.

The pace varies according to the terrain. You walk where the terrain is soft sand, stony or full of marmot holes. Each day there are opportunities for fast canters and gallops over flat salt pans or dried up river beds and this is a ride for experienced confident riders.

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.

Itinerary

Day 1: Tozeur
Arrival in Tozeur. Transfer by minibus to the city center of Tozeur. Check in at the Dar Chraiet hotel (5*) - a true 1001 Arabian night's palace. Enjoy a welcome cocktail according to the schedule of arrival. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Day 2: Chebika - Tamerza
Breakfast at the hotel. After breakfast we leave for a transfer of approximately one hour which takes us to the first mountain oasis, Chebika.  We meet our horses and get used to our equipment before we set off on the first ride.

Beginning with a warm up, we cross along the mountains of the eastern Atlas which allows us to discover the tremendous skills of our sure-footed horses. After a few gallops in the desert, we enter the mountains by following the course of a river, down a beautiful canyon to the waterfall Tamerza. Turning a curve we find a magnificent hotel on the mountainside, the Tamerza Palace hotel (5*). Dinner and overnight at the hotel.  Distance: approximately 19km.

Day 3: Tamerza/Jebel Redaieff/Tamerza 
Breakfast at the hotel. We cross the SELJA Jebel Redaieff hills and mountains. This day is a true day of adventure as we go up to 950m altitude throughout the mass of the Atlas, in a landscape with fantastic colors. We eventually reach a point where we enjoy 180 degree views of the Sahara desert and salt lakes. A breathtaking landscape!  Overnight at Tamerza Palace 5*. Distance: about 26km

Day 4: Chekmous - Oasis Neflayett
Breakfast then we head south to the Sahara. We cross Ergs and Jebels towards the oasis of Chekmou where we have lunch.  The day is full of canters. After lunch we set off towards the oasis of Neflayett. Back to the Tozeur by 4x4 (20 minutes).  Dinner and overnight at Raz el Ain Hotel (4*). Distance: about 32km.

Day 5: Neflayett - Oasis of Ibn Chabat
Today we depart towards the east with plenty of opportunities for magnificent gallops on the sand until the oasis of Ibn Chabat, a true desert oasis. En route we pass by many herds of wild camels.  We leave the horses and go back by minibus to Tozeur where we spend the night at the Hotel Ras El Ain (4*) or similar. Traditional dinner in palm groves of Tozeur and overnight stay.  Distance: approximately 35km.

Day 6: Oasis Ibn Chabat - Aariguet dunes
Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer 20 minutes to Ibn Chabat oasis where we find the horses. This morning we cross the salt lake of Chott El Garsa known for its beautiful mirages then we find the sand dunes of the desert to reach Aariguet - whose natural scenery was made famous in the movie Star Wars. We have lunch at Aariguet before setting off again in the afternoon towards the dunes of Nafta, where we reach our luxury Berber Camp. Distance: about 32km. Overnight and dinner in a tent in the dunes of Nafta.

Day 7: Nafta - Chott El Jerid
Breakfast then transfer to Nafta where we meet the horses.  We embark in the direction of the Chott El Jerid, the second largest salt lake in the world (after Salt Lake City, USA). We cross the oasis until it reaches its extreme edge. As we ride the hoofs of our horses go deep into the crust of this sometimes wet salt lake. We finish this last day galloping towards the oasis of Tozeur. Farewell to the horses. Distance: about 24km. Dinner and overnight at Raz el Ain.

Day 8: Tozeur
Breakfast at the hotel. Departures.

Subject to change

Rates and Dates for Sahara & Oasis Trail

Dates Note:

Other Info
Meeting: Tozeur
Airport: Tozeur Nefta via Tunis or Paris
Transfer: Tozeur Airport

Climate:

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.

Temperatures can be very cold at night in the Sahara Desert. You should bring warm clothes with you for the evenings.

Clothing: In winter, plan for half season outfits and one warm item of clothing. From June till September, you can use light summer clothes