The Saharan Challenge October 2017 CHALLENGE MANUAL 1
The Saharan Challenge 12 th 16 th Oct 2017 CHALLENGE MANUAL Introduction Congratulations! You have signed up to the Saharan Challenge! This is your chance to be part of something big, a Challenge that is really the first of its kind, where you can push yourself to the absolute limit all within the stunning setting of Morocco s Saharan landscapes. This guide should give you an overview of what you can expect on the Challenge, and combined with the Participant s Area of the website, you will have access to all of the information you need to fully prepare yourself. Our route takes us along the spectacular Drâa Valley, covering a distance of nearly two marathons past ancient mudbrick villages and fortresses, dry mountain plateaus, lush desert oases, camels and sand dunes. This will be a real test of stamina and adaptability from the start all the way to the finish line, two days later. This is no walk in the park the scenery will be awe inspiring but you will need grit and determination to complete it in challenging heat. This may well be one of the biggest challenges you ve ever taken on - but with good preparation, some focused training and the right clothing and equipment you can do it! Event Overview The Drâa Valley is situated in Southern Morocco. It has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage area and is famed for its stunning Saharan landscape and varied terrain. You will be taking on this supported challenge with approximately 200 other like-minded participants who all share the same goal. On the event you will be supported by a team of UK and Moroccan staff which includes event support, doctors, mountain leaders, cooks and logistics crew. This is a tough challenge and you should expect very long days with early morning starts and late finishes, but our team will be there to support you every step of the way! 2
Itinerary Day 1 Thursday 12 th October - Arrival If you have booked your flights through us then you will meet the group and Action Challenge staff at one of two London airports ready for roughly a 6am departure time you will need to be at check-in three hours beforehand. Flights have not yet been allocated, but you will be sent details of your flight allocation within 12 weeks of the Challenge departure, with the flight itinerary re-confirmed at 6 weeks before. Once you have met the group, you will then board your flight to Marrakesh Airport in Morocco followed by an 4 hour coach transfer (with a stop for lunch) to our first overnight hotel in Ouarzazate on arrival in-country. If you have not booked your flights with us then you will need to meet at a specified time at Marrakesh Menara Airport. Please ensure that if you are booking your own flights you provide us with your flight details by logging back into your Registration Form. We will have transfers running to the hotel at a set time, which will be confirmed to you in February. Lunch will be provided en-route. On arrival at the hotel there will be a full briefing and kit check before dinner and an early night, so that you are well rested for the start of the Challenge tomorrow! Meals Provided: Lunch and Dinner Accommodation: Hotel, Ouarzazate Day 2 Friday 13 th October Trekking Day 1 Afra to Akhellouf Today we start early and have roughly a two hour transfer to the start line, where we have a group warm up and final briefing. The Challenge now begins! The route is split into four legs, with two rest stops and a lunch stop before arriving at the campsite for the night. The morning starts with incredible lunar landscapes as you make your way across the desert to the first rest stop, with the landscape changing as the route rejoins the river and crosses through date plantations. After lunch we enter a narrow valley surrounded by towering peaks, before the landscape opens out again and we arrive at our traditional Bedouin Campsite for the night. Here you will have a briefing ahead of the next day along with a well deserved hot meal and even a shower before heading to the tents for some much needed rest. 3
The table below illustrates Day 1 of the Challenge an equivalent distance of the London Marathon (26 miles). Please note that these distances can vary from different GPS devices and to maintain accuracy of GPS devices it is always best to turn them OFF at rest stops or when stationary. Meals Provided: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner Accommodation: Campsite, Akhellouf Day 3 Saturday 14 th October Trekking Day 2 Akhellouf to Nakhla Dunes Today there is another early start, as the group sets off to tackle a second tough day of 26 mile distance. The route passes through traditonal villages and palm plantations before arriving at the first rest stop, where you can stock up on snacks and water before heading into the desert to the ancient fortress of Beni Zoli - the site for our lunch stop. With the finish now drawing closer, we trek through lush fields filled with fruits and vegetables before arriving at the final rest stop. We now head into the sand dunes for a tough six miles to the finish line, set deep within the desert. Feel exhilirated as you finally cross the line and celebrate with a glass of bubbly, before taking a short transfer to the hotel for that night in Zagora. Tonight you can rest and recuperate after a seriously tough couple of days. Meals Provided: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner Accommodation: Hotel, Zagora Day 4 Sunday 23 rd October Marrakesh After breakfast we set off for the eight hour drive back to our hotel in Marrakesh, stopping for lunch en-route. On arrival there will be time to freshen up before we all celebrate together with a three course meal of local Moroccan dishes, and the chance for the whole group to get together and reflect on the tremendous achievements of the past few days. Breakfast, lunch and the dinner are all included today. Meals Provided: Breakfast, Lunch and Celebratory Dinner Accommodation: Hotel, Marrakesh 4
Day 5 Monday After a welcome sleep and breakfast, buses will depart for the airport early, in time for your flight back to London. Please note that if you have not booked flights with us you will be responsible for making your own arrangements to the airport. Meals Provided: Breakfast What to Expect Flights If you have booked your flights through us, your final flight details including precise meeting time and location will be confirmed in the Final Event Manual. On arrival at your departure London airport you will meet the Action Challenge team where you will be provided with your e-ticket. You will have a main baggage weight limit of 15kg - and this will also be the maximum weight limit of luggage that you will be allowed on the Challenge. Your main bag should be in a large soft shell duffle bag or rucksack (no wheels or small ones only) so that it can be easily transported on the Challenge. Please refer to the kit list in the Participant s Area for further details. Facilities Overnight Camp At the overnight camp you will be provided with tents and sleeping mats there will be no need to set these up as our Event Support Team will have everything all ready for you when you arrive. Unless you have paid for a single supplement, you will be sharing a two person tent - if you are travelling in a group and would like to share with someone in particular please let us know by logging back into your Registration Form. There will be a dining marquee where you will be able to get hot drinks, and this will also be where you have your breakfast and dinner. There will be drinking water as well as toilets, and showers available. All UK and Moroccan staff will be at the campsites should you have any questions as well as our UK doctors who will be holding an open surgery should you have any problems or medical concerns. AM/PM Rest Stops There will be one morning and one afternoon stop on each day, these stops will be manned by our UK staff who are all First Aid qualified. There will be toilets at these stops as well as a selection of fruit, snacks and water. Lunch Stops Typically larger than the morning and afternoon stops, lunch will be located approximately half way through the route. There will be mess tents where you will be provided with your lunch, as well as drinking water and toilets. Safety and Support Route: The route is well trodden and where necessary signed. You will be given a route card for each day as well as advised as to how you can download the route on your smart phone. Medics: On all of our challenges participant safety and welfare is taken very seriously. On this challenge there will be 2 UK doctors, who are practicing GPs and have had experience on a number of International Expeditions. They will be on the route and at the Rest Stops as well as the campsite and at the hotels in the evening. Guides: There will be guides spread out across the route who will be there to help and support you, and will be a mix of local trek leaders with experience of this particular route, as well as our own UK qualified Mountain Leaders. There will be one front marker guide and one rear marker guide, with the rest walking among the group. Safety Vehicles: There will be safety vehicles throughout the event that can be called upon if necessary. Cut Off Times: All participants must adhere to stated cut-off times and on the first day you will be expected to complete the route in no longer than 11 hours. Communication: All participants must carry a mobile phone. Check with your mobile provider that your phone will work in Morocco and if they can offer you any deals. We also recommend a battery pack to ensure that you are able to charge your phone over the Challenge. 5
Walking Groups: If the weather is good you will be expected to walk in groups of three at all times. If the weather is bad, you will be walking in larger groups led by our Mountain Leaders. Catering We will cater for most dietary requirements but to do so you must tell us what your requirements are in advance. You can do this by logging back into your Registration Form on the Participant s Area. During the Challenge all meals will be included unless otherwise specified. Below is an example of what you can expect to eat on a typical day of trekking: Breakfast Porridge, toast, eggs, fruit, hot drinks Lunch Stop Buffet/Sandwiches and water Dinner Soup, tagine, couscous, desert Snacks Cereal bars, crisps, chocolate, sweets and fruit Environment You should expect beautiful views, warm temperatures and clear skies. The average temperature during the day at this time of year is 30 C although it drops to 12 C at night. Please ensure that you have looked at the kit list in the Participant s Area of the website and come well prepared. Keeping fully hydrated and cool is vitally important as heat exhaustion and dehydration can come on very quickly and can be potentially life threatening. You must ensure that you wear a hat which keeps your head out of the sun, and that you wear a strong SPF sun lotion. Water will be available at all our rest stops, and at the start and finish line, along with tents to allow you to get out the sun and into some much needed shade! Terrain The terrain on the Challenge is varied, but for the majority of the route you will be walking along tracks of compact sand and dirt. In places the path becomes slightly rocky, and towards the finish line you will find yourself walking across dunes and loose sand, which can be tough going, but worth it to reach the end. 6
Preparation Personal Details All participants must complete and update their Registration Form with their flight details (land only), medical, insurance and passport details no later than by the 11 th August. You can find out how to complete these details in the Participant Area on the Updating your Details page. Payment and Fundraising As the challenge draws closer you will need to prepare for either paying off your final balance if you are a self funder, or if you are fundraising you need to make sure you have met 80% of your initial fundraising target in order to secure your place on the challenge. You can find more information about your payment options below: Self-Funding You will have paid a 200 deposit on registration, along with an additional 50 if you requested a single supplement. Your remaining balance will be invoiced to you 12 weeks before the start of the Challenge, with 2 weeks to make payment. The deadline to make this payment is the 3 rd August 2017 Please note that failure to pay by this deadline will result in the cancellation of your place on the Challenge so make sure it is a date in your diary! You will be sent an invoice by e-mail, and will be able to make payment by bank transfer, cheque, or by calling the office but please note there is a 3.4% charge for us to take payment over the phone. Minimum Sponsorship You will have paid a 200 deposit on registration, along with an additional 50 if you requested a single supplement. Your chosen charity will have a deadline of 10 weeks before the start of the challenge to pay the remaining balance for the cost of your place, so you need to make sure you have reached 80% of your fundraising target by then. The deadline to have 80% of your fundraising is the 3 rd August 2017 Please note that failure to have reached the target by this deadline will result in the cancellation of your place on the Challenge so make sure it is a date in your diary, and get in contact with the charity well in advance if you are concerned about your fundraising! The remaining 20% of your target is due at 4 weeks after the trip returns. Kit Correct clothing and equipment for this challenge is essential. If you do not have the kit that you need we recommend borrowing or hiring it if keeping the cost down is important. We have a number of discount codes as well as recommended hire companies - all of these details can be found on the Kit List. We recommend that you wear your walking boots and carry your day bag with your essential clothing and equipment on the flight. This means that in the unlikely event your luggage goes missing, you will still be able to take part in the Challenge. Comfortable and well worn-in walking boots or trail shoes with good ankle support are essential for this challenge, and will ensure that your challenge is more enjoyable. Your day bag should be a 30-35 litre rucksack - please check the kit list for further details. Before the event we will carry out a kit check to ensure that everyone has the correct clothing and equipment. Baggage For your larger bag you will all have a strict weight limit of 15kg. This bag will be transported from the start to the finish location of each day and will not be accessible to you at any time other than these, so make sure all your essentials for the trail (such as water, sun cream and snacks) are with you in your day bag! The duffel bag or rucksack should not have wheels (or very small ones) and should be waterproof in order to protect your clothing. We will be weighing 7
everyone s bag to ensure that the weight limit is adhered to. If you have any particular favourite snacks or energy bars then we recommend that you bring some with you. Electrolyte type tablets are also a good choice for an extra energy boost. Medical and Insurance We recommend that you consult with your doctor 6-8 weeks before departure about which vaccinations may be required. Hepatitis A, Tetanus and Typhoid are normally advised, but advice is ever changing so please do consult a health professional. You can also follow this link to the NHS Travel Website for further information. It is essential that you disclose ANY previous or current medical issues. If requested by us then you will need your GP to complete a form, this form can be downloaded in the Participant s Area. We must have this form no later than 10 weeks before the Challenge. All participants MUST have adequate travel insurance, and should cover trekking, the costs of medical repatriation, trip curtailment and emergency transport to the nearest medical facility this includes helicopter evacuation. We recommend Campbell Irvine Direct Travel Insurance. You can find out the details of their cover online at http://www.campbellirvinedirect.com/cidirect_home.htm. We require all of your insurance details 8 weeks prior to the event, please ensure that you have updated this information on your Registration Form. 8
Training As you are aware this is a very tough challenge - where physical fitness, a strong mind, and good kit will be crucial. You should aim to start your training no later than 3 months before the Challenge, if not sooner. Your training should include varying terrain while carrying your backpack. In order to complete this challenge you will need good aerobic fitness, strength and stamina to make sure that you are able to achieve a minimum of 4kmph for 26 miles a day over two days. You have plenty of time to prepare, so don t panic! Why not sign up for a new fitness class, join a walking group, or find a training partner? There are loads of ways to motivate yourself to get in training, and if you have a smart phone then downloading a training and fitness app is a great idea. With so many to choose from, you are bound to find something that suits you, and they are the perfect way to track your progress and keep yourself motivated. Make sure that you sign up and claim your free 50km Ultra Challenge place! This is the perfect way to push yourself and your kit to the limit ahead of the Saharan Challenge. We will also be posting details of various training walks in the Challenge Participant Area, so keep checking back! These are a great opportunity to meet like-minded adventurers, try out your kit and test your fitness. You can also sign up through the Action Challenge website. Social Media Join our Facebook Page, exclusively for this Challenge! Meet other people on the trip, get your questions answered, and keep up to date on all the latest news for the Saharan Challenge. Click here to join our Facebook Page >>> What next... Timeline SOUTH DOWNS TRAINING WALK 1st April 2017 Invoiced for Final Balance 18 th July 2017 80% of Min Fundraising Due 18 th July 2017 Remaining Balance Due 3 rd August 2017 Passport and Insurance Details Completed 3 rd August 2017 Registration Pack and Final Event Information Sent 1 st September 2017 Online Challenge Briefing 12 th September 2017 Good Luck Message and Final Updates 3 rd October 2017 THE SAHARAN CHALLENGE 12 TH 16 TH OCTOBER 2017 Don t forget to keep looking back to the Participant s Area for important challenge updates in the build up to the event... If you have any questions then you can contact the team on 0207 609 6695 or by emailing info@thesaharanchallenge.com 9