A: Quaint wooden bungalows, each with two single beds, sheets, blankets, and mosquito nets.  Accommodation is twin share.  If you book with a friend we are happy to place you in the same room.  Otherwise you will share with a room-mate of the same gender. Bathrooms are shared, and separated into women’s and men’s.

A: Truly delicious and healthy Middle Eastern, African, and Western dishes and drinks are served for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.  Vegetarian options are available.  Your breakfast and dinner is included.  A simple tab system operates for lunch and any snacks and drinks you order.  Trust us, the mango juice is the yummiest we’ve ever had!

A:  This journey is not about 5 star hotels, but 5 billion star hotels.  We sleep out in the open, under the stars.  Each evening the Bedouins set up camp at a protected place in the desert.  There, each person chooses where they want to sleep – out in the open, nestled between boulders, alone or in small groups, near the main Bedouin tent, or a little further away.   We roll out our sleeping mats, sleeping bags, and bivouac bags and begin the night of star-gazing.  Shooting stars guaranteed!

A: Each person receives safe drinking water in large bottles.  There is plenty of water for everyone.  We don’t recommend drinking directly from any streams or oases we might encounter.

A: Each person receives a large bottle of (non-drinking) water for washing each day. Used with wet wipes and soap and a hand flannel and creative splashing, you will be an expert at desert showering in no time.

A: We find a private spot behind a rock.  Each person is responsible for bringing their own toilet paper/wet wipes, which are either burned or put in the communal rubbish bag and taken back out of the desert.  To preserve this pristine environment, we leave no rubbish behind.  We encourage you to bring only natural and environmentally sustainable cosmetics and toiletries.  Christoph is a Ringana partner and can answer any questions about such products.

A:  When asked for tips for beginners, Lawrence of Arabia said: “It’s not difficult.  You get on and off the camel when it is kneeling down.  There is always a Bedouin to help you on and off your camel.  You just need to pay attention and hold the saddle pommel when the camel is going down onto its knees and getting up again.  The saddles are padded with blankets and are surprisingly comfortable.  You’ll rock gently in the saddle when the camel walks, it’s really quite a delightful sensation.”

A:  Daytime temperatures in November are typically 25-30 degrees centigrade and it is generally sunny and clear.  There can be wind, but rain is rare. At night it can get cold, so a warm sleeping bag and a fleece is recommended.

A: Only if you insult their mother or trash-talk them about their farting. Treat them with kindness and tell them they have lovely eyelashes and all will be well. 

A: A backpack or a duffel bag, but definitely not a suitcase.  You should also bring a small day-pack to carry your water, phone, camera, money, sunscreen and anything else you want to keep close to you.  Your main bag will be loaded onto the camel, so to minimize the possibility of finding out in real life what the expression “the straw that broke the camel’s back” actually means, we encourage you to pack as lightly as possible.  You can carry your day-pack with you on the camel, best hung over the saddle pommel or behind you.

A:  To avoid sunburn, we recommend long sleeved tops and long–legged trousers.  Sunglasses and a hat are essential. Light cool fabric such as linen does well in the desert.  For footwear, we recommend strong-soled shoes and/or trekking sandals.  There are occasionally acacia thorns which you don’t want to tread on.  We will give you a full packing list, lovingly curated from experience on previous journeys.

A: No.  No kangaroos in Austria, but lots in Australia.  Two completely different countries on opposite sides of the world.  We have very considerately included one Austrian and one Australian on your team to help clarify this ongoing conundrum.  (No kangaroos in the desert either, but lots of camels).