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2950 are the total kilometres of the 2008 edition of Total Pharaons International Cross Country Rally, which gets ready to start the 11th edition, scheduled from 4th to 12th October. Of these kilometres, only 270 will be dedicated to transfers, to go out and come back to Cairo and to finish the second stage, otherwise too long to cover. 2700 kilometres of special rounds, organized in seven stages starting Sunday 5th October from the usual and splendid frame of the Piana of Giza, in the presence of the well known Egyptian Pyramids.

If last year sand and dunes characterized the competition, this year the journey expects to be even more “sandy”, to start from the first stage, which will go through some majestic striking dunes in outstanding landscapes. The arrival will be in the Baharija oasis, where the bivouac stops for two nights as the second stage leaves from the oasis of 3.000 mummies towards Farafra. Then the caravan will come back to Baharija, after having gone through highly suggestive places and changeable landscapes. But it will be the third round, from Baharija to Sitra, the stage where the dunes will become more challenging. The stage will alternate fast rounds to “mountains” of sand, really difficult to surpass, where the journey requires the maximum attention from all the participants.

The fourth stage, scheduled on 8th October, will arrive to Siwa, the uncontaminated oasis keeping even today peculiar characteristics, moulded from millenniums of isolation. Siwa is surrounded by the Great Sea of Sand, which will be the protagonist of the fifth stage, all characterized by immense dunes, not excessively challenging, apart from a 80 kilometres round where the competitors have to surpass crosswise the cords of dunes of Great Sea of Sand, orientated from North to South.

Sand and dunes also in the first part of the sixth stage, which will carry back the caravan of Pharaons Rally to Baharija, after having crossed a long challenging stretch due to bumpy surface. Another day to go up on the podium of the Pyramids of Giza, Saturday 11th October: a stage not to undervalue, as in the past it has been able to change the final classifications.

Everything is ready for the Pharaons N° 11 that, on one hand doesn't leave the “Classic” journey of Egyptian Desert, on the other hand is able to renew continually and to present journeys making envy to all the other Rallies.

Pharaons Rally : The stages

Sunday 5th october     Le Caire - Baharija
Monday 6th october     Baharija - Baharija
Tuesday 7th october    Baharija - Sitra
Wednesday 8th october  Sitra - Siwa
Thursday  9th october  Siwa - Siwa
Friday 10th october    Siwa - Baharija
Saturday 11th october  Baharija - Le Caire

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