Climbing Kilimanjaro
Routes

Arrive at Bodø airport and transfer you to your accommodation. Depending on your arrival time there may be some free time to explore Bodø, the northernmost point of the Kystriksveien Coastal Route.

We will walk 10 minutes to the ferry terminal with our bags (rucksacks recommended for this journey). For those of us who don't want to walk a taxi can be arranged from our hotel for this journey. We then board our early morning ferry to the Lofoten Archipelago. We arrive into Moskenes and in the sheltered fjord of Fredvang we will take to the water in our kayaks. This is a great opportunity to familiarise ourselves with our boats and to practice handling them.
We will paddle between the rocky islets and sandy beaches of this superb fjord and set up our first camp in the Fredvang area, facing the midnight sun - we will camp here for two nights.

In the morning we will start walking through the moorland towards the ridges which overlook Selfjord. It is a spectacular hike to the top of Ryten with views of the white sands of Kvalvika and the dramatic peaks of Moskenesøya Island.
In the afternoon we will head back to our camp and can go kayak fishing in the ocean currents that stir at the entrance to Fredvang. Hopefully we will catch plenty of fish to add to our evening meal!

This morning we will break camp, load up our kayaks and take to the sea. We will paddle to Fredvang village, stopping at the spectacular Ramberg beach for a picnic on the white sands surrounded by jagged peaks.
We reach Flakstad later in the afternoon and set up camp for the night. To end the day we can enjoy a lovely short coastal hike.

A beautiful day awaits us in the heart of the Dana Nature Reserve, with its impressive sandstone monoliths and Mediterranean vegetation, that contrasts with the surrounding deserts. We will witness the spectacle of the Dana Mountains stretching from the Jordanian Rift Valley to the desert plains of Wadi Araba and let ourselves be fascinated by the plains of gravel mixed with amber sand dunes. Whilst we discover a very diverse fauna including a whole series of rare plants and animals. We have a traditional dinner in camp and again spend a night under the stars.

This morning we take a short drive to Shawback Castle; an impressive, solitary castle dating from the glory of the Crusaders. It was built on top of a mountain and crowns a cone of rocks that rises regally above a wild, rugged landscape. Marvel at it's presence before continuing on to Little Petra, part of the Nabataean necropolis enclosed in the Beidha Mountains. Here we have time to appreciate the spectacular view of the mountains of Beidha and get a taste of what remains to be discovered in Petra.

Petra, the triumph of the Nabataean culture. This rich, caravan city which transited myrrh, frankincense, cinnamon and diamonds, shelters more than 800 monuments cut into the chiselled sandstone. More than its architecture, it's the colour that fulfils Petra, between purple and gold, each sandstone has its own nuance. We begin the discovery of Petra by its forgotten paths, entering through the small door from the Neolithic village of Beidha and "Little Petra", we follow the mountain by a magnificent aerial path. Arriving at Deir - "the Monastery", a former place of pilgrimage for the Nabataeans, there is a great sense of importance. We then descend the 800 steps that connect the plateau to Petra site.

We start early in the morning with the "official" entrance to the Siq. The crossing of this narrow gorge is awe inspiring and crescendos at the discovery of the Khazneh - "the Treasury", undoubtedly the iconic masterpeice of Petra. After visiting the Royal Tombs, we then gain height, going from discovery to discovery along Wadi Farasa, to the High Place of Sacrifice. From here the view is extraordinary. We revel in it before returning via the forgotten paths.

We begin the morning with a short transfer to the outcrops of the Wadi Rum, also called "Valley of the Moon". Of the Wadi Rum, Lawrence of Arabia famously said: "Rum, the marvel...vast and resonant...a processional way beyond imagination". Here we meet our local camel drivers and depart on our trek into the remote desert wilderness.