Putting it simply, why would a person forgo the opportunity to spend a couple of days and a couple of hundred pounds learning the skills, which could help them save a friends life?

So we have decided to do something about this and, with the assistance of Medical Lifesigns, have designed a course that not only gives you the basic first aid skills for expeditions, but also takes it one step further giving you the knowledge that bridges the gap between a first aider and a medic.

We believe so strongly in this that completion of the C.E.F.A course is compulsory for anyone joining one of our expeditions.

The aim of this course is to deliver a syllabus, which is free from health and safety and PC restrictions often found in the first aid world. If it improves the chances of survival then we will teach it. Other advantages in completing this course include:

• It has been designed by climbers for climbers, which can be tailored to fit the expeditions environment and destination.

• You will be trained by a highly qualified instructor whose advice is born from years of first-hand experience.

• You will not only get advice on medical kit contents, but also potentially train with the actual kit that you and the team will be taking on expedition.

• You will gain the opportunity to train alongside your other team members, and learn each other’s strengths and weaknesses. This will give the team the peace of mind that if an accident was to happen everyone would be ready “singing the same song”.

• The course provides standards above those required by national governing bodies within outdoor sports and within the work place.

We are proud to be working alongside Medical Lifesigns in order to achieve the high standards necessary. They offer a variety of worldwide bespoke training solutions to the commercial and charity expedition sectors. From basic first aid through to advanced medical programs. Their training courses have been developed in conjunction with their clients in the respective fields. They are practical, effective and proven. Their consultants include specialists with decades of experience in both the expedition and exploration safety fields.

The dates of the next 2 climbing first aid courses are:

Course 1 – 5th and 6th of October 2013

Course 2 – 7th and 8th of December 2013

Due to the advanced nature of the C.E.F.A course there is a pre-requisite of a current entry-level wilderness/expedition first aid course. If you do not have this then you will be asked to complete Lifesigns ECP course first. The following course dates compliments those of the more advanced course.

Course 1 – 21st and 22nd of September 2013.

Course 2 – 23rd and 24th of November 2013.

If you have any questions regarding this course then please do not hesitate to contact us to learn more.

After the success of the 2012 expedition we have decided to run regular expeditions to the Ha Long Bay area to climb as much as the skin on our fingers can take. Last year the team of 7 of us were able to establish a whopping 103 new routes in 2 weeks of climbing. We left feeling satisfied, but the area is vast and there is seemingly endless rock just waiting to be climbed. So we need your help in joining us to continue this project.

Cost: £890 (Conditions apply)

Dates: are to be confirmed but they will be 15 days within April 2014

By describing last years expedition hopefully you will get an understanding of what you could expect if you did decide to join us.

Obviously I will start with food, as after all food is king (perhaps only rivalled by local knowledge). We were cooked three meals a day, with at least 4 or 5 dishes per meal. The meals normally consisted of whatever the crew had caught or on the unsuccessful days what they had brought from passing fishermen, padded out by what was kept fresh on ice. Oriental fragrances of coconut, ginger, lemon grass and chilli would drift throughout the mother ship and spill out onto the waters around. The captain’s screams of An Kum would scratch down the radio calling us back for food and we would stop climbing and climb back aboard the basket boat or kayaks and chug or paddle back to the ship. Plates of prawns, squid, fresh fish, fresh fruit, spring rolls, chicken, pork and veg would be spread waiting across the table.

Only after bellies were full would we talk of the morning heroics, splashdowns and near misses. Then proudly we would write up any new routes achieved and mark the crags position on the expedition charts. The only problem with being fed so well was that lunch was often followed by a civilized snooze on deck as food was digested and the ship gently rocked in the lapping waves. It would take a couple of cups of coffee to drag us out of sleep before we were once more gathering drying chalk bags, soggy climbing shoes, and our bravery onto the basket boat so as to once more head of into the fray.

The area is a deep-water solo venue (deeping or psycobloc depending on where you are from). There are some sport routes in the area, and there are some epic trad routes to be had. But the real gems are those solo lines above deep water.

San expertly operated our basket boat. On arrival to a new cliff we would do a sweep of the base of the cliff probing the depths of the water with 3m long bamboo poles checking the water was deep enough and there were no protruding rocks. Once satisfied the boat would become a frenzy of everyone scrabbling their shoes on so as to be the first to be ready and get their pick of the unclimbed lines. Those ready would direct San into their point of attack. San would manoeuvre the boat into the wall and would, once the climber was established on the rock, throw the boat into reverse and rev it out from under the climbers line of fall giving them an open splash zone to fall/jump into.

Now everything was down the climber. Who would constantly weigh up what they were doing with the consequences of falling. The elation of making a move, holding the crimp or sticking the sloper was always translated into a heart thumping beat as you knew you were now even higher above the waiting water below. Move after move you would climb further and further away, higher and higher with the inevitable fall becoming longer and longer. The real danger came on easy ground where before you knew it you were 15m+ above the beckoning tide below. The worst scenario was when you were able to gain a rest half way up the climb. Whether this was wedged between the wall and a tufa of

rock, or your legs clamped around a tufa or standing on a ledge the result was the same. You had time enough to look around you realize how high above the water you were. It was much easier to handle if you were forced into continuing or simply running out of steam and dropping down to the sea below.

Exchange rate 33,000VND to £1 and 20,800VND to $1

Hanoi

Transport: There are rickshaws, scooters and taxis that are easy to find around town. Do not bother with rickshaws unless you want to go very slowly. If you are by your self the best value is with a scooter. From the old town to Leung Yen bus station costs between 30,000VND and 40,000VND. A taxi will cost from 70,000 to 100,000 but has 4 seats and is easier to take luggage.

From and to the airport: Taxis are regulated from the airport and will cost 350,000VND. Hotel Rendezvous can organise a pick up at the price of $18, so a little more expensive. But do not expect the driver to wait for you if your flight is late. Best to get it your self on arrival. They can be organised on the curb outside arrivals. Travel during rush hour can take ages so leave plenty of time on your way back to the airport. If the roads are clear the journey will take 45minutes.

Leung Yen bus station: This is the station for buses to Haiphong and further to Cat Ba Island. There is a company called Hoang Long that will do a bus – bus – boat – bus combo to Cat Ba town. This is the best option for travel to Cat Ba. A ticket costs 190,000VND, the buses can get busy so buy the tickets the day before if travelling with a group. The buses from Hanoi leave at 05:20, 07:20, 11:20 and 13:20. Arrive at least 20 minutes early as we have seen the buses leave early. The first journey is around 2.5 hours on a coach. Then you are transferred onto a smaller coach for a 40minute ride to a harbor. The speedboat takes 30minutes and a waiting bus will take 45 minutes which takes you to the main town of Cat Ba. They will drop you outside the Hoang Long ticket office, which is where you can buy your return ticket. The return journey leaves at 07:15 (possibly stopped running), 09:15, 13:15, and 15:15. Expect at least 5hours for this journey.

Hotel Rendevous: It is a 10minute walk from the centre of the old town, which is a perfect location. The staff are polite and helpful. They have a 6-bed dorm room on the 6th floor (no lifts) for $7.50 a night. Breakfast is included and there are 3 computers for free internet access. Click here to visit their site.

Eating: There are numerous stalls around the old town and it is possible to eat for a little as a dollar. For an easy fun “cook your own beef” restaurant (not vege) visit Restaurant 47 just close to Hanoi Backpackers. Just past Hanoi back packers you can sit on the corner of the street and drink glasses of cold beer for 5,000VND a glass. If you are a coffee addict then buy your coffee in Hanoi for the duration of your expedition. It is possible to buy little metal coffee filters in Hanoi.

Massage: After the climbing trip then treat yourself to a massage. A lot of massage providers can be very seedy so shop around. One that we tried that was recommended was Yakushi Clinic (+84437191971 6, Alley 28 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho, Hanoi). You will need to make a booking. Taxi there from Old town will cost in area of 60,000VND and a 1-hour massage will cost 210,000VND

Money: There are numerous banks that will change up your hard currency. It is worth shopping around for the best exchange rate. US dollars seem to be the most widely accepted of the hard currencies. Try to get notes in denominations of 50,000VND and not bigger. 10,000VND are also handy.

Hospitals: The hospital recommended to us by our insurance company is: The Family Medical Practice. 298 I Kim Ma Road, Ba Dinh District
Hanoi, Vietnam 
http://www.vietnammedicalpractice.com/ 24 Hrs-Tel: +84 4 3843 0748. We did not use them, but they have told to us that they are able to do helicopter pick up. There are others in Hanoi and one other that was mentioned to us was The SOS Clinic Hanoi (+844439340666)

Mobile phones: It is possible to buy local sim cards to put into your mobile phone. The best for the Cat Ba Island area is Viettel. The SIM and plenty of credit for a 2-week trip cost 400,000VND. There is a stall at arrivals at the airport where one can be purchased.

Cat Ba Island

Maps: It is possible to buy local maps with islands labeled so that boat crew will know where you are talking about. It is also possible to get an admiralty chart to the area (number 3875). This shows Cat Ba and surrounding water in a 1:40,000 scale. Some of the lagoons are not marked but in general it is a good chart to have with you. They can be ordered at Stanfords map shop and cost in the area of £25 each.

The climbing: The first edition of the guidebook is ok, but is crying out for better images and more location information. There are about 100 routes in this guidebook. Asia Outdoor’s comprehensive list of known routes is at 186, and recently The Expedition Consultancy have added a further 103 routes to this list. The grades vary from 4+ to the 8s. To get the best of the area expect to deep water solo on steep limestone and climb mid 7s at a very minimum be prepared to deep water solo at 6b/c. There are some sport areas, but they are of mixed quality. The area of Butterfly Valley has the main concentration of sport routes, we did not go there and are unable to comment. You are unable to bolt in Ha Long Bay so expect to trad climb if you are not wanting to DWS. Be warned that if the rock is not steep then it has been eroded into razor sharp fins of dark grey limestone.

Permits and regulations: before August 2012 it was possible to pay for a “permit” to allow you to sleep in Ha Long Bay. Since then it has changed and fisherman are paid to try and catch people sleeping within the bay. It is possible to climb there during the day, but expect to pay around 90,000VND per person per day to do this. In general you do not need to pay to climb in Lang Ha Bay Area of islands closer to Cat Ba before heading into Ha Long Bay) or in and around Cat Ba. We were moved by police from Mekong and Fisherman’s Way area. We also had to pay off police at various points near Hang Ca Cave. In general if police want a drink or some money they will find something to charge you for. Be prepared to pay the odd 200,000VND here and there.

Asia Outdoors AKA Slo Pony: They have an office on the first floor of Noble House (Opposite the big yellow arch) In short you would be a fool not to use this company to assist with most aspects of the expedition. They will arrange food, boats and guides for you. Their knowledge is second to none and are in control of all existing route info and are in the process of bringing out a new guidebook. If you can believe it on top of this they are all lovely people. They are in the process of sending me a break down of the costs, but for the time being it is best to go to the web site and ask them for your selves. Click here to be redirected.

Hotel: The expedition stayed at Le Pont Hotel (62-64 Nui Ngoc St Cat Ba Town Cat Ba Island, Vietnam‎ +84 92 800 68 79. jim.lepontcatba@gmail.com. Mr Jim mobil +84928.00 68 79 – 0165.66 204 36. The hotel was good and cheap. The dorm rooms cost $4.5 and a triple room cost $15 for the room. The staff are helpful and the hotel felt secure. The best draw for this hotel is an American guy called Jim that works there and is very happy to help you. Asia outdoors (Was known as Slo Pony) also have a hotel it would be very well worth while enquiring about.

Food: There is a supermarket that can provide some options for buying food. It is called CT Mart and is on the same road as Le Pont hotel 100m from the sea front. Opposite CT mart is a small restaurant that sells great noodle soup for breakfast 30,000VND a bowl. If you take the first right as you walk up this street from the sea front you will find a series of small restaurants. Mr Zooms is highly recommended. Expect to pay 120,000VND for a full feed, but plates of fried noodles are 55,000VND each. 300m right (when looking at Noble House) along the sea front are two restaurants by each other the first is the green mango. This offers pancakes and more American style breakfasts, they are more expensive but a good place to go to at the end of the expedition. Then there is the green bamboo that is a fantastic place for dinner.

Bar: The bar in Noble House above the Asia Outdoors office is a great bar. They have a pool table and a cold local beer costs in the area of 20,000VND.

Hospital: There is a clinic on the island but it is not recommended to use: Cat Ba Health Center/ Hospital in 2012. 031-3888239(off). 031-3688838 (Emergency). 031-3688836(Internal Medicine). Doctor Hoang (Senior doctor): 0989 588 709. Doctor Hoa (best English) 0976 830693.

Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions or information to contribute to this page.

Have a look at the following destinations and then contact us if you have any questions or are keen to develop a trip for your company.

Montenegro

In 2007 the Expedition Consultancy first looked at Montenegro as a great destination for rock climbing expeditions. Since then we have advised many groups to go there, including adventurous hen parties. The country is geographically and biologically extraordinary; high alpine mountain ranges, the deepest gorge in Europe, and stunning Mediterranean Riviera. In fact Montenegro has the greatest biodiversity of all the European countries. During the last ice age it was so eroded by glaciers that it now boasts spectacular jagged mountain peaks perfect for trekking around. Montenegro is tiny but it packs a punch as a destination for unique corporate events.

Turkey

Turkey straddles both Europe and Asia and as a result is a great gateway into Asia’s cultural melting pot. The Anatolian peninsula, comprising most of modern Turkey, is one of the oldest continuously inhabited regions in the world, and is the area of Turkey that The Expedition Consultancy operates the most in. Dramatic limestone landscapes are a veritable playground for the adventurous. Canyoning, rafting, paragliding, kayaking, climbing, trekking, horse riding, sailing, mountain biking are to name but a few of the activities you find there. The weather provides a perfect retreat from the grey gloom and rain as winter closes in on the UK and gives an earlier boost of sunshine before the summer sun has found the UK soil. Without a doubt Turkey is your premium team-building destination. Whether you are testing the team physically in an exciting sport or mentally on a treasure hunt through the streets of Istanbul. Now is the time to contact us to find out what more we can offer.

Morocco

Morocco should not just be known for carpets and the souks around the central square in Marrakesh as it has so much more to offer. At the age of seventeen, Morocco was Dave Lucas’s first taste of life outside of Europe. He was blown away by how different the country was yet still so close to Europe and the UK. Massive sand dunes creep through the southern towns on the edge of The Sahara. The shores of The Atlantic pound the beaches with mighty surf. The many Oases surrounding the ruins of kasbahs and alongside flowing rivers, are lush with, amongst other fruits,peach trees and grape vines. While trekking between the mountain huts with everything he needed in his rucksack, it was most of all the Berber traditions high in the valleys of the Atlas Mountains that caught his imagination. So it is to no surprise that he has been back numerous times since and is enthusiastic to offer an equally memorable experience out to you and your company.

Greece, Santorini Island

OK so Greece has been a favorite destination for a long time. This is not surprising as Greece features a vast number of islands, in fact a staggering 6,000 of them, all having the sublime Mediterranean climate. So why are we including it here? Not only is Greece stunningly beautiful and can trace its roots to the civilization of ancient Greece, generally considered the cradle of Western civilization, but it is also currently going through economic stress. This is tragic for Greece but what it may mean for others is that the downturn will be creating some of the lowest prices for hotels and transport in a long time. So this may translate into an even more memorable and pleasant trip for you, but staying at a bargain price. Santorini is one of the few islands that have an international airport, but more importantly it is arguably one of the most picturesque islands in The Cyclades. The island has a central lagoon formed by one of the most powerful volcanic

eruptions in the last few thousand years. This eruption could have given the reason why Moses was able to part the “reed” sea and many believe that Thira is actually the lost city of Atlantis. Not bad claims to fame. The other minor details of it having a desert climate, being a gastronomic delight, owning a great night life and a perfect place to practice luxury boating or sea kayaking should not be ignored.

The Expedition Consultancy is currently researching this option. Keep an eye on this link to see what we have discovered.

Egypt

We consider ourselves experts with regards to travel within The Sinai Desert and we cannot stress enough how perfect it would be to host your corporate events there. Beautiful coastline, 5 star resorts, mountainous desert trekking, and incredible tropical diving. The Sinai Desert is an exciting cultural experience, in a fantastic landscape, with a healthy portion of opportunities to rest, relax and play.

If you have climbed a new route then please try and write up the route as soon as possible to prevent loss of information. Then try and gain the following information if you can.

• Image. Try and take a photo when there is no harsh shadow and light across the face. Often it is best to take the photo when not in the sun.

• GPS. Take a latitude and longitude reading of the bottom of the route. This is especially important if you have climbed on a new crag.

How to write up the route:

1)         Name, overall grade, overall length of climbing, number of stars allocated.

• Names of first ascentionists, date of first ascent.
• Qualitative sentence about the route also detailing any special equipment needed.

i)         Pitch one, pitch grade, pitch length, Pitch description.

ii)        Pitch two, pitch grade, pitch length, Pitch description.

Etc…

Descent: detail of descent including lengths of abseil and possible complications if done in the dark.

How to allocate stars to your route:

***                              A strong natural line, clean sound rock, appropriate protection for the grade and consistent climbing at the grade. Sound Belays.

**                                A good natural line, good rock, appropriate protection for the grade and some sustained climbing at the grade.

*                      At least two of the above with a reasonable line.

No Stars Not a bad or unworthy route, but one that can’t tick more then one of the main criteria.

• Stay away – loose rock, dubious protection, tedious climbing.

Other factors that add stars include great views, funky rock formations and whether or not the first ascentionist writes the route up.

Climbing in the Sinai is like an all you can eat buffet. You pick at lots of tasty morsels and then by the time the main course comes out you’re stuffed and can’t face any more.

Bolting ethics

There are bolts within The Sinai; mainly these routes are by the coast in the Dahab and Nuweiba areas. Some bolts have crept into the central highlands area. As this area is in such an early stage of development I hope to suggest that we control the placement of bolts within the highlands. Already there has been some very insensitive sport routes placed, one of which was only 4 bolts long on the very top of Mt Sinai itself. This is a very quick way to close down climbing in the area. Below are the ethics, which I would like to install within the area.

• Bolt bad belays and abseils.
• Hand drill on first ascents if you can stand there and drill.
• Occasional bolts on very run out sections, i.e. it stops you hitting the ground or ledge
• Only consider bolting on a first ascent.
• In general try and use trad where possible and if it looks to scary consider retreating and saving it for someone else to climb.

Of course there are loads of people out there who could provide a great service, but the people I am including in this section have been tested and are trusted by the Expedition Consultancy.

Getting to The Sinai from The UK.

You can fly to three airports within Egypt.

• Cairo. The capital city of Egypt is often convenient to fly to (BA and Egypt Air) but is still a 7-hour drive, 9 to 13-hour bus ride or a 45-minute flight to The Sinai. If flying with Egypt Air and getting another flight to Sharm make sure you leave loads of time to transit as you have to clear immigration, collect your baggage, change terminals and re check in at the domestic flight terminal.

• Sharm el Sheikh. This airport is the best to fly to. It is a 2 to 3 hour taxi ride to St Katherine’s and a 1:15 ride to Dahab. Always prearrange your taxi ride from here otherwise you will end up paying at least double for the journey. Easy Jet currently flies here but can be more expensive then BA.

• Taba. The Expedition Consultancy has never flown to this airport, but it is an airport that should be considered.

Traveling between towns and airport in the Sinai

There are many Police checks on the roads around the Sinai. There are five just between Dahab and St Katherine’s. So always travel with your passport in your pocket or day bag.

East Delta Travel used to run public buses to St Katherine’s from Dahab but in the last 5 years have stopped this service. East Delta buses do operate between Cairo and Sharm, Dahab and St Katherine’s, and from Sharm and Nuweiba. These prices are much cheaper then taxis and should be considered if you are on a tight budget.

The eaistest way to travel is by taxi. In my mind there is no better taxi driver then Hameed (+20103106228) He speaks passable English and understands the Sharm airport system so provided with your flight details will be able to meet you there. He drives fast but safely and does not mind being asked to slow down. He is also very trust worthy and knows most other people described in this section. The expedition Consultancy can contact him for you if need be.

There is also a bus that runs called the Bedouin Bus and is working well click here for prices and details of the timetable

Security

Click here for the latest UK FCO advice

Guides.

As soon as you stray away from the village you will be told that you need a guide. Some people think they are above this and try to avoid taking a guide. There are many reasons why you should take one (local employment, to avoid accident getting lost, avoid cultural and environment insensitivities, explanations of plants, animals and culture) and we at The Expedition Consultancy say you would be silly not to take one.

Part of Dave Lucas’ role whilst working in St Katherine’s was to help train a select group of guides up to a higher level to act as guides for an EU development project. These guides were trained and tested in first aid to the same level as the UK first

aid at work level. At the Expedition Consultancy we know which of these guides are the best cooks, who can speak which language and knows particular areas of the desert the best. If you require a specific skill set then please do not hesitate to contact us. Otherwise I really do think the best guide in the St Katherine’s area is Nasr Mansor +20129306533 (see right).

The South Sinai Desert is made up of 7 different tribes and if you are planning to explore an area away from the standard St Katherine’s highlands then you will need to employ a guide from that tribal area. Contact us for more information.

If you arrive at the Sheikh’s office and ask for a guide then he will give you one from the dor system. This is a rota that ensures all families get an equal opportunity for work. These guides cost 80LE a day and vary massively in standard. You may get lucky and get one of the best or you may get an old man who will tell you anything to get you to walk a shorter distance. That is of course if he speaks English. Often or not they will just walk 50m ahead of you and you will be left to talk to your self and just guess what you are walking past. We strongly recommend to organise your own guide. The dor system is very strict though so you may still have to pay the full 80LE a day for the guide you do not want. If you are lucky your guide may be able to convince them to stay home and only get paid 40LE a day.

Camels.

Each camel in general comes with their owner whom you will need to look after and feed. The camels also operate on the dor system and some camel owners are better then others. In 2011 a camel will set you back 80LE a day for a standard distance of up to 3 hours walking. If you want them to go further or do a return trip then be prepared to pay 120LE or even 160LE for the day.

The route the camels will take will most likely vary to the path you walk on, as they need a wide stable path to walk upon. They will also walk at their own pace and turn up when they turn up.

Tips

Only tip the guide or camel owners if you think they deserve it. Tipping is very personal and the amounts are up to you. If you think someone does not deserve a tip for any reason then make sure they understand why you are not tipping them.

The Sheikh

Sheikh Mousa (old and young, yes there are two of them) run the Bedouin Camp in the Village and are responsible for sourcing your camels and dor guide. For this and liasing with the police he will insist that you pay 80LE a day. This has most likely gone up to 100LE already. Some people do not like to pay him and creep off into the mountains without his help. If you do this bare in mind that if there is an accident he may just leave you to it and not help you in a rescue. If things go wrong he is someone you want on your side.

If you are staying at Fox Desert Camp and have arranged a trek there then Farrag will act as Sheikh and will ask for a similar payment. The image below show the two sheikhs with Farrag in the middle.

Accommodation

The camp owned by Sheikh Mousa is convenient to stay in. Click here for the contact details. There are many other options to look at and a comprehensive list can be seen here.

Money

The current exchange rate can be seen by clicking here. Never get Egyptian pounds from the UK as you will loose up to 20% on the exchange rate. The best option is to draw money out from the ATM on arrival or exchange hard currency (€ are best but most accept £). The only ATM at Sharm el Sheikh airport is before you go through immigration. The ATM at the St Katherine’s Monastery and in St Katherine’s village does not always work. The ATMs in Dahab are more reliable. The bank in St Katherine’s is willing you exchange hard currency although you will need your passport to do this.

Other sources of Information

Zoltan Matrahazi (see below) has been living in St Katherine’s Village and working with the Bedouinfor the past few years and has become a vast source of knowledge regarding the town and the local bedouin. He has developed various web sites and publications to advertise what The Sinai has to offer. Zoltan has agreed to write the cultural chapter for the rock climbing guidebook to the area.

• St Katherines net website is a great source of information regarding St Katherine’s Village. Click here to visit the site.
• Discover Sinai, also written by Zoltan, includes information on all sites within the Sinai. Click here to visit the site.
• Click here for Zoltan’s comprehensive list of books and suggested reading on The Sinai Desert.

A list of all the existing routes around St Katherine’s Village can be see here. Note that these do not include the other routes developed in the last 10 years in other areas on expeditions led by Dave Lucas. It has been reported that some of these topos and route descriptions do not match each other. The Expedition Consultancy will be spending March and April 2012 repeating as many of the routes as possible to improve the condition of the topos. These topos are hard to print if you wish to save some time then you can download a PDF of the topos of routes around St Katherine’s Village at the bottom of this page. Warning these files are large and are in 2 parts. An over view of the routes can also be downloaded there.

UPDATE 20/04/12

We have just spent the last month out in the Sinai Desert researching the area for the hopeful completion of the first Sinai climbing guidebook.

It was during this trip that we mapped the Abu Hsheb Canyon. This canyon has long been known about by the Israeli climbers, but it was not until 2008 that Dave Lucas first found it. (Click here to read an account of a trip he guided.) In that trip the canyon was dry as it was in June, but in this trip we were lucky enough to find water and we were forced to swim and abseil in our undies.

We also are pleased to discover that the local climbing scene is developing well. There are more climbers living permanently in the Sinai who are keen to help develop the local scene.

• Jenny Lord (+201099217029) and Jamie Browne (+201097951089) have started a climbing company together in Dahab called Above Sea Level that operates out of the Lighthouse at the northern end of Dahab Bay. They started in 2011 just after the Egyptian revolution.  They guide experienced climbers on the local routes around Dahab and in St Katherine, and teach beginners and those wanting to increase their grade. If you climb any new routes around the coast of The Sinai then please leave this route information with them.

• Misha (Михаил Хоменюк) (+201069479518) is a Russian climber and keen windsurfer with extreme levels of enthusiasm. He will be working alongside The Expedition Consultancy to help translate the guidebook into Russian once it is complete.

• Marco (+201283244016) is a Swiss man living in St Katherine who is very active in developing routes around the coast inland from Nuweiba

They are all happy for me to post their contact details and do not mind to be called in case of problems and the need of a rescue arises. In fact Jamie and Misha were part of a Bedouin requested goat rescue. Click here to read the full account, note that it is in Russian.

The climbing scene in Dahab is also going through the inevitable access confusion as other tour providers become confused about their role. if you do require instructional services then make sure you shop around as quality between companies does vary.Recently a company have tried to fence of the Waterfall area of Wadi Q’nai so as to charge an entrance fee. The statement I have been given from the owner of the company is that they are using the money to pay Bedouin to clean the area. They also want to “control” the climbing scene to prevent injury and death. These are both good intentions, which hopefully will remain true.

St Katherine’s

Sheikh Mousa has increased the prices for guide, camel and sheikh permission for the area to 120LE per day. Note that the term per day is often used as a day’s effort so expect to pay guides and camels double or 1.5 times the amount if you do long days.

The Bedouin Bus is running well and the best way to travel around the Sinai.

The Bedouin Camp in St Katherine’s is becoming a great place to stay. Their dorms are only 25LE per person. Their bathrooms are clean and new, the showers are good and hot. Saleh, the manager for the camp, has now realised that there is a demand for a kitchen to be used by climbers and backpackers to cook their own food in. This is a great idea especially if you need breakfast and a coffee before heading off on early starts.

We are doing our best to collect all the existing route information for the Sinai. If you are reading this and realise you have route info that is not known about then please send it to us. Also as a lot of the routes around St Katherine’s have bad route descriptions. So if you have climbed an existing route recently and have a better route description then please send that to us. Clicking here will take you to a page that describes the way that we would like routes recorded. It is also possible to read how to star your routes and also the bolting ethics for the area.

An account of a journey completed coast to coast across There Sinai by a team of climbers lead by Dave Lucas written by Geoff Hornby and published in the Alpine Club Journal can be seen here

UPDATE 28/04/12

Mobile phone network, signal and internet update:

If in recent months you have been trying to reach your contacts in Egypt you may have found that the phone numbers no longer work. This is because all the phone codes for mobiles have changed. Below shows how they have changed, replace the prefix with the following respective number:

010 – 0100

016 – 0106

019 – 0109

011 – 0111

014 – 0114

012 – 0122

017 – 0127

018 – 0128

0150 – 0120

0151 – 0101

0152 – 0112

It is still easy to get SIM cards within all phone shops within Egypt, but be prepared to leave a copy of your passport for the phone number to be registered to. You may not need to with some phone providers, but after a day or so your phone will stop working and you will need to take it back it the shop to register. This is done with varying effectiveness depending on the shop owner. The last few times they just registered it with a passport they kept in a draw.

The signal strength along the main roads in The Sinai has been dramatically improved with new aerials being installed in many new locations. St Katherine’s phone signal and Internet often drops, but once in the mountains it is possible to find signal from towers further a field. In general Mobilnil has been the best provider for signal within the mountains.

WiFi can be found in all the towns of The Sinai, even in small Bedouin beach camps. This had had a knock on effect on making internet cafes less in demand and there fore less frequent.

The Hand of Fatima AKA Kaga Tondo stands at 1,155m high and is Mali’s highest peak. More importantly it has some outstanding climbing and arguably Africa’s finest HVS (F5+).

Local Knowledge:

The one man you must contact if you climb on the hand of Fatima is a Spanish guy called Salvador Campillo. He has been climbing there extensively for the last 30 years. He speaks great Spanish, French and Italian with good English. He also speaks the local language.

His knowledge of routes and descents is obviously second to none and he is worth his weight in gold if you are planning to do new routes. His rate in 2011 was €100 per day for use of car and for him to cook and be on hand.

He is currently finishing the 3-volume guidebook to the area, which should be published in French and Spanish by 2012.

Contact details
Email: salva@hombori.com

Whilst in Burkina Faso:
01BP6355 Ouagadougou 01 address: Kouritenga Secteur 17. Tel: +226 76857755

Whilst in Mali:
Camping Bongujje, Daari, Hombori. c/Douentza r/Mopti. Tel +223 73061549

Other Mobile Phone number +223 75210804

When to go
The summer is far too hot to climb in; the rock will burn your skin. The standard climbing season starts any time from mid November to the end of December and will continue through to the end of Feb and possibly through to the end of March. During January and February you will find a massive difference between sun and shade and will want a wind proof jacket when climbing in the shade.

It is possible to climb in June as the rain cools the area, but climbing in the rain is dangerous as it dislodges loose rocks.

In August it is possible to climb on boulders and single pitch only.

Climbing grades and ability.
To have someone on your team happy to lead F7a and E4 is advisable. The classic North Pillar of Kaja Tondo is given F5+ and in some cases F6a, but as route finding is complex you can easily find your self in much deeper water and having to climb F6b+ in dwindling light.

Accommodation and food.

The Bongujje Camping at the foot of The hand of Fatima is the place to stay. The beds are on foam mattresses in straw huts. Each hut can sleep up to 3 people. They do not have secure doors, so consider padlocks on your bags. There are two long drop toilets and 1 shower from a black bag. The campsite does have a fridge, which is gas run and sometimes is switched on to cool down coke and other soft drinks. Water is collected from a well 4km away and does not need purification. The campsite staff will cook your food. Breakfast is just instant coffee and a stick of bread or a steam roll. Dinner varies between cous cous, rice, Yam, and spaghetti. There have been reports that the food is very boring and basic, in 2011 it was fine. A recent team took extra salami, herbs and spices to vary the taste, which was a good idea. The bigger issue is breakfast and those coffee snobs out there should take their own coffee. The campsite charges €10 per person per night, which includes breakfast and dinner. They were happy to cook meals that can be thrown into a dry bag and taken up on routes with you. Due to the simplicity of breakfast it can be prepared at any time you wish.

Climbing snacks:
The best snack you can get in Burkina Faso is a small bag of dry mango. Apart from that then peanuts are really the only other option. It is advisable to bring snacks for the wall with you from your home country.

Security situation

Click on here to see the latest UK FCO advice on Mali and Burkina Faso

Travel

It is much easier traveling to The Hand of Fatima from Ouagadougou 9 to 12 hours drive via four-wheel drive. From Bamako a car will take around 16 hours. If you decided to get the bus from Bamako then be prepared for a 40+ hour ride. Salvador can drive you from Ouagadougou and in 2011/2012 his cost was €300 for the 4×4 that can carry 4 people.

At the time of writing Air France were offering good flights via Paris to Ouagadougou that come with the added bonus of a check in baggage allowance of 2 bags each at 23kg.

Medical
You would be foolish to come climbing here with out a good first aid kit and training within the team. There is very little if not no medical support in the area and you will be forced to travel to Bamako for the best of the bad bunch of hospitals. Look on the FCO web site for their current “best of the bad bunch advice”. The link can be found under the security section above.

Insurance
At the time of writing the Hand of Fatima area was in the “advise against all travel to” part of the country and as a result most companies will not insure you. A recent expedition did use Bellwood and Prestbury to insure the team for medical repatriation. Click here for more information on Insurance companies.

Money
There are cash points within Ouagadougou and it was also easy to change and use Euros whilst in larger towns. Ensure you have enough cash for your duration of your stay around the climbing area. Click here for an up-to-date exchange rate.

Visas.
There is no consulate for Mali in the UK. The closest is in Belgium. It is possible to download the application form and send this completed with your passport through the post. The consulate does not return passports via the post, so you must collect these by courier or in person. The UK does have a Burkina Faso honorary consulate in the UK. The Burkina Faso multiple enrty visa cost £80 (October 2011) and was very easy and fast to obtain one. Click here to find out more.

The Visa on arrival at the airport is an option although in October 2011 this cost in the area of £120 with an extra trip back to the airport. This has changed drastically from The Lonely Planet advice.

It is possible to apply for your Mali visa in Ouagadougou. This is possible in the same day if you apply early enough. This will vary in cost between €25 and €45 depending on if they like you or not. It has been known that climbers can travel from Burkina Faso to The Hand of the Fatima without a Mali visa with no complication as there are no Mali border controls. This is illegal and bare in mid the best medical care in the area is in Bamako and obtaining a visa will just delay any medical repatriation.

A yellow Fever certificate is required to enter the country and is checked before having your visa stamped.

Communications.
There is an OK phone network around the hand of Fatima. There are a few odd patches with no network signal but in general it does not take long to find a signal. The general rule should be that if you can see the main road you should be able to get a signal. On the drive from Hombori to Ouagadougou there is only one area of signal near a town called Mondoro. Otherwise expect no mobile phone signal in the border area.

It was very easy to find a local SIM card that can be purchased for around 1,500CFA that comes with 500CFA credit. These can be purchased from kiosks or from men on the street. They are said to last 3 months after activation if you do not use them. They can operate internationally.

Hostels in Ouagadougou do have WiFi and there are occasional internet cafes in the city.

Sebe
An area 45 minutes south of Bamako called Sebe has recently been develop by some French Climbers. But little more is known about this area at the moment.

If you have more information that can be added in this section then please do not hesitate to contact us.