DIGITAL DETOX IN THE SINAI

With flight routings reopening to Egypt’s Sharm el Sheikh resort, Secret Compass is thrilled that its expedition to cross the remote southern Sinai desert is now a confirmed departure for 2017.

A team of 12 individuals will set off to cross the Sinai in true bedouin style, supported by local Bedouin tribesmen and their camels and carrying little more than the shirts on their backs and a true sense of adventure.

As part of this pioneering expedition, each team member will receive a Bedouin cloak and blanket and a locally crafted water carrier in lieu of an exhaustive kit list, in efforts to carry out this journey in as traditional a fashion as possible.

Tom Bodkin, director of Secret Compass, said, “The expedition could not happen without the help of our local Bedouin guides, who’ll share their desert ways and wisdom with our team. Our minimalistic kit-list will let the team immerse itself in nomadic desert life without the clutter of technology and equipment.

“Our daily lives are bombarded with information from myriad sources; this unique expedition will provide a window of reflection and digital detox, illustrating how little we really need to survive.

“Despite years of political unrest in Egypt and catastrophic falls in visitor numbers as a result, locals could not be more welcoming to visitors. We look forward to this privileged insight into the fascinating Sinai region, in the company of those who know it best – and their camels!”

Sinai expedition highlights

• Trek 230km between the Gulfs of Aqaba and Suez.
• Summit Egypt’s highest peak plus other mountains.
• Travel in a nomadic, minimalistic manner.
• Buy food and trade camels with the Bedouin en route.
• Sleep beneath the desert stars.
• As featured in National Geographic online (Feb 2016)

The expedition is the brainchild of Dave Lucas; mountain guide, climbing author and founder of The Expedition Consultancy (partnering with Secret Compass for this unique adventure). Lucas has also made one of the two recorded crossings of this remote and harsh region.

Lucas said, “The particular purpose of any expedition should be the journey itself: the people you meet, the food you eat, the places you see and the unexpected events that elevate the experience. This expedition’s minimalist approach makes it the ideal way to explore and appreciate the Sinai.”

Kerry O’Neill, marketing director of Secret Compass, said, “This expedition appears to have captured the adventure zeitgeist, appealing to those seeking the stripped-back simplicity of classic adventure.”

With its military background, expedition company Secret Compass is renowned for offering adventurous and exploratory travel experiences to countries eschewed by most operators due to their remoteness, post-conflict reputations or inaccessibility.

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