Gilf Kebir from UK

[Trumpton]

I have just returned from a truly fantastic trip, driving to the Gilf from UK in my own Landcruiser, along with another LC and a landrover via France, Tunisia, Libya, into Egypt and then back.

Tunisia / Libya borders no problem, (there were 6 of us in the 3 vehicles), certified arabic passport translation essential.
Unable to get just transit visas

Our Libyan visas, paperwork, policeman etc etc was all arranged extremely efficiently by Alarbi of Sahara stars for both directions.
Even the beauracracy getting into Egypt with own vehicles wasnt too bad (approx 4hrs), with help from our excellent egyptian guide, Marius Budek & his contacts.
Tourist police escorts in Northern egypt were a pain as they dont have anything better to do, they just latch onto you at checkpoints & then your a bit stuck with them.

The gilf itself is still a bit volatile, plenty of evidence of fresh tracks & other fresh evidence etc from 'baddies'! who our guide thought may be looking for our tracks but some major probs with the landrover about 80k south of wadi sura may have thrown them off the scent as we had to alter our route / timings etc etc , so this misfortune may have been very fortunate (by the way we did manage to get the landrover out of the desert, alebeit with a considerably lightened load)
NO egyptian military presence in the area according to our accompanying army escort & we were apparently the only people legally there (south of Dakhla to the Gilf & up to Siwa).
Plenty of evidence of smugglers (& an encounter with armed, arms smugglers ).
A few pretty hairy moments, but we are back safe & sound & already raring to go again!
The Gilf is a very special place.
Andy