Egypt - Sidi-Abdel Rahmen

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Gott Mit Uns
Posts: 1919
Joined: Sun Mar 20, 2005 8:32 pm
Location: Worcestershire UK

Egypt - Sidi-Abdel Rahmen

Post by Gott Mit Uns »

Im planning some desert trecking either in the Easter period or end of May/June period around Sidi-Abdel Rahmen - which was the German front line in North Africa during the El-Alemein battle. Having google-earthed the area Ive highlighted some areas of interest and am plotting them on maps etc. My plan is to spend at least a week overall - with the first couple of days spent visiting the Commonwealth & Axis War-Graves, Hill 33 and a few sites within hiking distance from the Hotel in Sidi-Abdel Rahmen. After the first few days I am then planning on aquiring transport (camel or vehicle) to go and visit the German airfield and sites which are located further in-land in the desert.

My question really is, would anyone be interested in accompanying me? As with most things, the more people you have, the further reduced the overall costs are. Its a serious plan and offer - as Im intending it to be my graduation present to myself before certain commitmants kick-in in September 2010. If you have a reasonable physical fitness and are interested in the desert campaign (perhaps a chance to air those new dezzy boots) then drop me a line via PM.

Regards
Tom Stewart
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Quo Fas Et Gloria Ducunt
Gott Mit Uns
Posts: 1919
Joined: Sun Mar 20, 2005 8:32 pm
Location: Worcestershire UK

Re: Egypt - Sidi-Abdel Rahmen

Post by Gott Mit Uns »

Update for anyone interested.

Having contacted the PA to the head of Egyptian Tourism in the UK, a normal tourist visa is all that is required. These I can possibly sort out on en mass - but you may have to apply indiividually - cost is £18.

Flight tickets = £306 (to be affirmed - dates/times/offers pending).
Cost of Vehicle Hire = £270 - split between X3 at the moment.
Food = cheap and mostly picked up in Cairo once vehicle aquired.
Petrol = estimated £150 max

Having sat down and planned this with some other chaps, we'll be leaving Cairo at 1600 hours on the day of arrival, and heading to Bawiti. Arrive Bawiti by 2200 hours and sleep in the vehicles. Then its up early the next morning to take the LRDG/modern track accross the Quatarra Depression and into Siwa. This will take approximately 1 and a half days of pretty hard driving, allowing for the afternoon/evening of the third day being spent in Siwa - an LRDG supply deppo at one point. Its then on to Mursa Matruh and and back down towards Sidi-Abdul Rahmen which should take the entire day. We then have approximately 4 or 5 days of visiting specific points around Sidi-Abdul Rahmen and El-Alamein. The idea is to drive the vehicles out to specific locations, and then hike the distances to specific points (maximum of 10 miles - minimum of 3 miles). We then spend the afternoon of day 10 in a hotel getting cleaned up and relaxing before returning to Cairo on day 11 and leaving to blighty by 1700 hours.


so -

Day 1 - arrive, get vehicle, stock up, drive to Bawiti - arrive 2200 hours
Day 2 - 0500 hours start for Siwa along the LRDG / Modern dirt road
Day 3 - continue drive to Siwa - arrive Siwa by 1500 hours
Day 4 - 0800 hours move to Mursa Matruh along the metalled road - Arrive Mursa Matruh by 1500 hours - wonder round and head to Sidi Abdul Rahmen - arriving roughly 1900 hours. Lager up near the beach.
Day 5-10 - Head out into desert with vehicles to chosen points. Then trek out to specific points.
Day 10 - Hotel it in El-Alamein
Day 11 - 0900 drive to Cairo - offload kit and vehicles.Get to airport and extract.

Im trying to keep the costings down to £450 per person. But this simply wont be the case until I can get either funding or more people to attend.

Tom.
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Quo Fas Et Gloria Ducunt
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