London to Timbuktu overland tour across the Sahara Desert

Using Toyota Landcruisers - the great and preferred mechanical beasts of the Sahara - we will make the fabled journey “from here to Timbuktu”.

Route: From London, across France to Marseilles, ferry to Tunis and straight across Tunisia to Algeria. At the border we pick up an Algerian guide who will accompany us on a great desert exploration. Algeria has some of the most astounding Saharan landscapes which we will explore - the Hoggar mountains, the area around Djanet and on to Tamanghasset.

We will then go south to the border with Mali and on to Aguelhoc and the Adrar Des Iforas mountains and a community of Tuaregs with whom I have a strong affiliation before completing our journey at the edge of the Sahara, the river Niger and the fabled city of Timbuktu.

On the 20th of Dec you can join my Xmas Tuareg Festival Safari Tour for Xmas festivities, a camel trek and the Festival of Camels or the Festival Ténéré over New Year.

Please note as this is an overland trip the itinerary is very open to change.

Day 1:	Leave London 6am for Paris.
Day 2:	Paris, on to Lyon or the south coast of France depending on time.
Day 3:	To Genoa, board ferry for Tunis.
Day 4:	Ferry, arrive Tunis 1800, drive on 200kms before stopping off for the night.
Day 5:	Crossing the Chott Djerid salt lake, which marks the edge of the Sahara desert, lunch in Tozeur and on to Nefta for the night.
Day 6:	Cross the border and on to Touggourt.
Day 7:	Long day's drive along the valley of Gassi Touil and across the Grand Erg Oriental, a large sand dune field to Bordj Omar Driss.
Day 8:	On through the Djebel Essaoui Moulana along the edge of the great Erg Issaouane dunes. On to somewhere on the Plateau du Fadnoun - perhaps Iherir.
Day 9:	Across the Tassili N”Ajer mountains to the city of Djanet, one of the great centres of Tuareg culture.
Day 10:	A day in Djanet, explore the town.
Day 11:	In and around Djanet, exploring the rock paintings and the Tassili mountains to stay in the village of Assakao.
Day 12:	Begin 2 day trip across the desert and the great Hoggar mountains, one of the great landscapes of the Sahara, camping out in the desert.
Day 13:	On through the Hoggar to Tamanrasset another great centre for Tuareg culture.
Day 14:	Explore the ancient sites that surround Tammanrasset, old Tuareg settlements, rock paintings depicting a Sahara teeming with animals, the site of Assekremand the Akar Akar pass.
Day 15:	Continue through the mountains around Tamanrasset.
Day 16:	All day drive across the desert to the Mali border and Bordj Moktar.
Day 17:	Cross border, visit the oasis town of Tessalit and on to Aguelhoc and my community of Tuaregs in the Adrar des Iforas mountains.
Day 18:	Rest day in the Tuareg camp outside Aguelhoc. Visit the Guelta, an azure blue pool of fresh mountain water.
Day 19:	Towards Timbuktu, camping in the dunes.
Day 20:	Arrive Timbuktu, end of tour.