The 202km Camel trail “bir Mabrouka” (bir in arab means well, and takes its name from Mabrouka, one tunisian girl) is not only an extreme running (and nordic walking on 101km distance) event, but should be considered as a journey, one unique mix of running, orienteering, ethnic meetings, family feeling, outdoor living and pure adventure. Be sure you will not find this mix in any other ultra trail in the desert. One of the reasons is that this event is reserved for a very little number of runners, so that after the first day, you will already know each other by name, eat at the same table. The support and the logistic will be small, simple and effective. From our point of view, to make a run of hundreds of athletes in the desert, with trucks, helicopter, electric generators is like to enter in a glasses’ shop with a drove of elephants… this is far away from our philosophy.
We want that You can run and sleep in the silence, feeling the magnitude of the desert, and feeling how is to run lonely in the great spaces. With the 202km, this dream will become real.
The event.
The 202km is one running (or Nordic walking) event, not competitive. It takes place in the Tunisian Sahara, maximum 40 runners/walkers can subscribe to this run. It is approved to get 2 points for the MontBlanc Ultra trail. The 4 laps of 50km each (25km x 4 for Nordic walkers) will allow you to discover, in a safe way, the most beautiful spots of tunisian sahara: the mountais of the central tunisia, the salt lake and its wonderful big white dunes, and the “classic” golden dunes of the desert.
The Organizer
Camelus Ltd is a small but active tour operator (License for organizing events/tours: HR-AB-52-130041700) specialized in the tunisian sahara. The owner of Camelus is dr. Francesco “Franz” Meriani Merlo, that you will see at the event, driving one of the Land Rover’s of the logistic service. Our webite is www.tunisialternativa.it
Program
27.10
Meeting at the Tunis international airport. Transfer to Gafsa with the vehicles of the Organization. Timetable from Tunisi: depending from the flight(s) arrival time.
Dinner and overnight stay at the 3*** Hotel.
28.10: ± 60,5 km (± @ 38th km: refreshment)
Breakfast at the Hotel. At 8 a.m. starting of the first lap from the Hotel. Running thru the suburbs of this little city, soon you get to the desert environment. Going south, the streets become unpaved, the houses become less and less, and soon you are alone in the desert. You will run among Mdilla mountain, Shib Mountain (558m) and Al’Atra Mountain (454m). Then you get to the Askar Moutain, a chain with east-west direction, that you can cross only in one point. Once you get to the valley (south), you are to the end of the first lap! NORDIC WALKING LAP STARTS AS THE REFRESHMENT POINT
29.10: ± 46,4 km (± @21,5th km: refreshment)
Brekafast at the camp. H. 07.30 departure of the second lap.
Today you will run to east, in one corridor that on your left (north) has the mountains and on your right (south) the banks of the big salt lake named Chott el Fejij. In the afternoon, after having passed some hills, before entering the (dry) lake, there is the camp.
NORDIC WALKING LAP STARTS AS THE REFRESHMENT POINT
30.10: ± 61,5 km (± at 34th km: refreshment)
Breakfast. H. 07.30 departure of the second lap.
The lap starts with the spectacular crossing of the salt lake Chott el Fejij, that on its south banks has the wonderful big white sand dunes, and the strange hard-sand sculptures, modeled by the wind in hundreds years. Once crossed the salt lake, You will come up against an asphalt road (east-west), but will continue heading south to the hard Jebel Tebaga.
NORDIC WALKING LAP STARTS AS THE REFRESHMENT POINT
Once you crossed the Jebel (not so easy but with wonderful panorama to the desert) you have to reach bir Agareb (the scorpions’ well) where is the camp for the overnight stay.
31.10: ± 42,5 km (± @ 19th km: refreshment)
Breakfast. H. 07.30 departure of the second lap.
The last lap of the 202km will bring you to the sand dunes of the Grand Erg of Tunisia. The lap is run without a track to be followed, so will be pure orienteering, running along the ideal straight line that joins the two wells, bir Agared and bir Mabrouka. Before Bir Mabrouka, following the gps track, the runner reach “the door of the Desert” and enter the small town of Douz, finish of the run. Dinner and overnight stay at the 4**** Hotel. NORDIC WALKING LAP STARTS AS THE REFRESHMENT POINT
01.11
Relax at the 4**** Hotel with swimming pool.
02.11
Breakfast. Transfer to Hammamet. Dinner and overnight stay in 4**** Hotel with swimming pool.
03.11
Breakfast. Transfer to Tunis international airport.
Rules
a) The 202km is a not-competive, without balises, orienteering (gsp) run, open to all runners over 18 years old. The run is composed by 4 laps of, more or less, 50 km each, in a desertic or pre-desertic environment. FOR THE NORDIC WALKERS, THE LAPS ARE 50% (25 km each lap).
b) Every athlete runs under his own responsibility about orienteering, about reaching the refreshment point and the camp at the end of the lap.
c) At the end of every lap there is a “camp” (tents) and a simple but good catering service, one tent to change cloche, personal tents to rest and sleep (1 every 2 persons), chairs, tables, water and food.
d) The runner brings his own sleeping bag and pillow, and the personal stuff (clothes, special foods or beverages and so on). All the other equipments (tent, food, water and logistic/s) are provided-
e) The run is made in semi-independence. In every lap (more or less at the 25th km) there is refreshment point where the athlete can find food and water.
f) The runners must follow the Gps tracks.
g) Every runner must provide for his own safety kit.
h) The Organization will provide 0,5 l of water, sealed, for emergency use. Every runner must keep this bottle with him during every lap. It is forbidden to open/empty the bottle to unburden the weight that the runner have to keep with himself. In case the bottle is opened, the runner will be disqualified.
i) There is not a doctor or paramedic within the Staff. In case of medical problems, we must count on Tunisian Health System (public or private) and on the private insurances that the runners may subscribe in their homeland.
l) The Organization is NOT responsible for any runner NOT arriving to the end of the lap, so any expense related to his research is up to him.
m) How to behave in case of emergency (illness/accident) or GPS breakdown:
1) EMERGENCY IN A ZONE WITH GSM COVERAGE
Call and send sms to the Staff, sending GPS coordinates, the problem you have and your number/surname. Then DO NOT MOVE from your position!
IF THE EMERGENCY CONSISTS IN THE GPS BREAKDOWN: wait for other runners and run with them. If you are the last one, phone the Staff. They will come back to search for you. DO NOT GO ON WITHOUT A GPS: IF YOU ARE AWAY FROM THE GPS TRACK, IT WILL BE DIFFICULT TO FIND YOU!
2) EMERGENCY IN A ZONE WITHOUT GSM COVERAGE
Wait for another runner, and give him your Gps position. One he reaches one covered zone, he will contact the Staff. DO NOT MOVE from your position!
IT THE EMERGENCY CONSISTS IN THE GPS BREAKDOWN: wait for other runners and run with them. If you are the last one, wait. The Staff will come back to search for you. DO NOT GO ON WITHOUT A GPS: IF YOU ARE AWAY FROM THE GPS TRACK, IT WILL BE DIFFICULT TO FIND YOU!
Mandatory equipment:
* GPS (Garmin or compatible) with batteries fully charged
* 0,5 liter of emergency water.
* Emergency whistle, compass
* first aid kit (like for mountain use) + aluminium thermic cover
* GSM phone (you will get a tunisian SIM) BUT THERE IS NOT COVERAGE EVERYWHERE
* “camel bag” with at least 2,0 liters of water (COMPULSORY refill 100% at refreshment point)
* head lamp
Subscription
Price: € 750,00 €
Includes:
* logistics/transfer on the 4×4 or minibus of the organization in Tunisia
* full-board deal during the run, water for the camel-bags
* overnight staying in tent or Hotel 4****, as in program
* Queucha 3″ tents (one every 2 runners)
Does not include:
* sleeping mattress and sleeping bag, special foods/ beverages
Contacts and info:
Dr. Francesco Meriani Merlo, Head of Camelus tour operator
Web: tunisialternativa.it, Phone: +385 98 9976290, Email: info@tunisialternativa.it
Skype: merianifranz
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