Destination country: Egypt. Start and finish in Marsa
Alam, Egypt.
Next
schedules:
- 2012 TBA
Duration:
10 days. It is wise the book the flight tickets from Egypt
Air as it is simple and cheaper to book the international
and domestic flights from the same company. Extension
to southern egyptian pelagic
trip also available. To see some pictures
click
here and here!
Price:
Ask!
We are sorry, but exchange rates are so hectic, that we
can't give fix prices here.
Price includes: accommodations and meals
(lunch is typically picnic!), drinking water, vehicle hire
with fuel and driver guide, park entrance fees and ranger
guides. The
price exclude: bank transfer loss, international flight,
visa, tips, drinks, personal travel insurance and any other
activities of personal request e.g. laundry, toalet fees,
phone calls, etc.
Accommodation:
2 nights in Ecolodge, 8 nights in campings (tents).
Numbers:
Max 15 tour participants.
Transport:
Bus to Halaib. 4WDs from Halaib to Gebel Elba.
Recommended
link: Please read
Steve's trip report about our latest expedition!
Description:
"...The
trip is exploratory, due to travel restrictions in the region.
This is the first trip organized for explorers as it is
a virtually “terra incognita” from many points
of view.
Gebel Elba is a single mountain in the extreme SE of Egypt
in the so called Halaib Triangle, an unique area of Egypt
administered by the Sudanese Government.
The average annual rainfall due to some particularities
is up to 400 mm/year and mist clouds often shroud the mountain,
which allows a higher biodiversity than in any other region
of Egypt. Kassas and Zahran (1971) describes 458 plants
from the area, among them the superb Ombet tree (Dracaena
ombet); 23 mammals has been reported from the region, including
Aardwolf, Striped Hyena, Leopard, Wild Ass, Nubian Ibex,
Dorcas Gazelle, Ethiopian Hedgehog, Zorilla and Spotted
Genet; 24 reptiles and amphibians, some of them been endemic
species (Sharif Baha el Din, 2006): Dodson`s Toad (Bufo
dodsoni), Speckled Snad Snake (Psammophis punctulatus),
Theban Sand Boa (Eryx colubrinus colubrinus), Saharan Ocellated
Skink (Chalcides cf. humilis), Anseba Lizard (Acanthodactylus
mucronatus), Mount Elba Snake–eyed Lizard (Ophisops
elbanensis), Long-tailed Lizard (Lacerta longicaudata)...The
avifauna is unique if we are considering this area as the
part of the West Palearctic..."
Target birds:
Ostrich (Struthio camelus), Lammergeyer (Gypaetus barbatus),
Bateleur (Terathopius ecaudatus), Lapped-faced Vulture (Torgos
tracheliotos), Egyptian Vulture (Neophron precnopterus),
Verreaux’s Eagle (Aquila verreauxi), Pink-headed Dove
(Streptopelia riseiogrisea), Namaqua Dove (Oena capensis),
Blackstart (Cercomela melanura), Rosy-patched Shrike (Rodophoenus
cruentus), Black-bush Robin (Cercotrichas podobe), Long-billed
Pipit (Anthus similis), Shining Sunbird (Nectarinia habesinica),
Sudanese Golden Sparrow (Passer luteus), Arabian Warbler
(Sylvia leucomelanea), Fan-tailed Raven (Corvus riphydurus),
Fulvous Bubbler (Turdoides fulvus), Black-crowned Finch
Lark (Eremopterix nigriceps), Red-tailed Wheatear (Oenanthe
crysophigia), House Bunting (Emberiza striolata).
Itinerary:
Day
1. Arrival and meeting at Marsa
Alam International Airport, by a domestic flight
operated by Egypt Air. Overnight in a nearby 2* Hotel or
Ecolodge. After gathering, we`ll serve the dinner and discuss
the further detail of the next days.
Day
2. Departure to Halaib,
shopping of supply (food and water) on the way. Than, we`ll
say goodbye to the civilization and asphalted road, and
take the ancient camel track to the heart of the Eastern
Desert, heading to the foots of Gebel Elba.
As we arrive to the mouth of Wadi Adeib,
we`ll set up the camp in a selected place on the spot. (Lat.
22.205440° Long. 36.391826°).
Day 3.
In this first true day in Gebel Elba we
will walk upstream of the Wadi Aideib,
exploring the surroundings of the new habitat, looking for
animal tracks, rock paintings, caves in the surroundings
of the camp, and of course, keeping with our eyes and ears
open for the the local bird specialitys (Sudanese Golden
Sparrow, Rosy- Patched Shrike, and Shining Sunbird).
Day 4.
Exploring the whole length of end the Wadi Adeib
(Lat. 22.188647° Long36.368220°), focusing of the
rare local breeding Bateleur and on the larges
lacertid Lizard in Egypt: Long-tailed Lizard .
Day 5.
Car trip to Wadi Akamwatra in search of
the Sudanese Golden Sparrow, Egyptian Nightjar
and the tiny Nubian Nightjar, which has been reported
from here. (Lat. 22.194379° Long. 36.326683°) No
3 on the map.
Day 6.
Exploring Wadi Akau (Lat. 22.218598°
Long 36.321755°) the best place for Bonelli`s Eagle
and Verreaux`s Eagle.
Day 7.
Car trip to Wadi Serimat (Lat. 22.110376°
Long. 36.338968°) to the mist forest at the top of Gebel
Elba, to photograph the amazing Ombet Trees (Lat.
22.169801 Long 36.360084°).
Day 8. Car
trip to the place where the most birds were found (Wadi
Serimat, Wadi Akau, or Wadi Adeib)
Day 9.
Drive to the Red Sea Coast, for birding
at Gezirat (island) Halaib El-Kibir (Lat.
22.264953° Long 36.642031°). Swimming in the warm
and extremely clean waters of the Red Sea is somehow a must
after an exhausting week in the mountains. On the sand dunes
we can look for the extremely elusive Theban Sand Boa,
and the mangroves can reserve some surprises for us : Crab
Plovers, Goliath Herons and we`ll have the chance to
be the first to discover a population of the mangrove dweeling
African Reed Warblers (Acrocephalus avicienne)!
Departure to Marsa Alam, for overnight in a 2* hotel or
Ecolodge.
Day 10.
Departure to Cairo with Egypt Air.
The
price includes:
- Hotels Bed & breakfast (first and last day of the
trip).
- Full board in desert (food& water).
- Tent for camping in desert.
- A Diesel electricity generator will be provided (please
take the necessary converters with you)
- Transportation from Marsa Alam and back.
- Permissions to Gebel Elba National Park.
Not included:
- Flight ticket, medical insurance, tips for the drivers,
cook & the desert guide (local bedouins).
N.B.
- A police officer will join us for “security
reasons”.
