DESERT THERAPY FOR ALL
To those who think they can’t do it, to those who think they are not in good enough shape, to those who think they have never been athletic, to those who believe they can’t hike, or withstand the fatigue, or simply the heat…we want to dedicate our attention to you. Because we want to let you know that Desert Therapy is a therapy, not a trekking, not a challenge, not a athletic race. Desert Therapy is a therapy of the body and spirit. Therefore how could it be presented as stressful? It is true we walk. But think about how many kilometers you walk everyday, when you go to work, when, even for those who work in a more sedentary world, go from place to place at work when you need a copy, or when you just have to stretch your legs! Not to mention the thousands of commitments we have at home. And this is not pleasurable walking, but a necessity. Think, instead, what it is like to walk in the desert, just for a part of the day, in the morning, when the sun is slowly rising from the horizon, feeling the sand beneath your feet, surrounded by a vast and boundless space with your eyes captured by the beauty of the landscape. A landscape that changes every day during Desert Therapy, never the same, and never dull, because there is no desert, but the desert! Don’t be afraid then that you won’t make it, because everyone has made it; young, less young and people over sixty. And then, if you just have to overcome laziness, there’s always the caravan of camels following us. Why not try the experience, for many it is totally new, to ride these useful and gentile animals.
The embrace of Desert Therapy
If the desert represents a surprise, also for those who think they know it perfectly, Desert Therapy continues to amaze. We must not imagine it as a path, a journey, a walk, but rather a “top hat” from which “little bunnies” emerge for all guests. It holds personal, useful surprises, that create well-being, and we all know how important this is. A stay during which you need comfortable clothing and adjustable equipment. As far as equipment is concerned, the participants are given a complete list of the articles they need to bring and where they can buy them near by. In participation with Desert Therapy there is a great supplier who sells a complete kit at a discounted price. Desert does rhyme with thirst. But not for Desert Therapy, which assures continued water reinforcements to those walking, without having to carry it all on your shoulders. The ritual of mint and herbal teas served at the camp help to maintain the water equilibrium of the body. And what about our cook? He is able to create delicious dishes, better than in a restaurant even without the necessary support of equipment, since the vehicles are not with us. And then there is the balance of the soul, which is contributed to the daily yoga practice. Yes, because an integral part of the caravan is a yoga teacher who relaxes our muscles and mind at sunrise and sunset with simple exercises in a striking environment. The camp is comfortable. And true; it is relocated everyday, but the participants will find it already set-up and organized, with cushions, sheets and mattresses beside the special tents from which inside it is possible to admire the marvelous star-filled sky that only the absence of artificial light allows as in the desert, and illuminated by typical beduine candle lanterns. A caravan of camels follows the participants, in this way if someone needs a break from the fatigue of walking they may find it nice to ride for a while.
PROGRAM
Day 1 Everyone meets together directly at Malpensa Airport (Milano). We embark and depart for Cairo, drive to the hotel, and get situated in our rooms. Dinner and overnight in the hotel.
Day 2 After breakfast, we depart for the desert and arrive in the afternoon in the oasis of Baharya where we get the last supplies need to live. We head south and in the evening arrive at the fixed camp. Dinner is at camp and we stay overnight in tents furnished with beds, blankets and sheets.
Days 3 to 6
Four days of full immersion in the white desert with its white pinnacles (of all different sizes), one of the most fascinating deserts in the world. You walk accompanied by a caravan of camels together with Carla Perrotti to talk about and look for your inner equilibrium and well-being, with the help of this fantastic environment. You try to create a rhythm in the activities of the day: breakfast, the departure and the walk until lunch when you reach camp and the afternoon dedicated to excursions with the camels. Fundamental are the moments of yoga and meditation at sunrise and sunset. There are for sure free moments where you can individually appreciate the desert. The journey goes from south to north for a total of about 55 km. Sleeping arrangements are in igloo-like tents with transparent tops to see the stars.
Day 7
After breakfast, the jeeps take us out of the desert and towards Baharya. On the way, we visit the Crystal Mountain, a particular site of geological interest where you find real blocks of quarts, pure as the clear sky. A little before the oasis you leave the asphalt street again to reach the Great Sand Dunes, where we have lunch. In the afternoon, we arrive in the oasis and get situated in the best, yet modest local hotel. There is time for shopping in the bazaar of the village or for taking a bath in the thermal hot spring near the hotel.
Overnight in the hotel
Day 8
After breakfast, we visit the Museum of Decorated Mummies and two tombs that date back to the Greco-Romano period. The last lunch in the desert and then we return to Cairo. Arrive and get situated in the hotel. In the afternoon whomever desires may visit the market or the museum.
Day 9
After breakfast, we go to the airport, board the plane and return to Italy.