A thousand-star catering and bivouacs
Two of the things our organisation is well-known for are the fine ambiance in superb desert bivouacs and the excellent catering. From the very beginning our kitchen brigade has earned a good reputation for their own Dessert Challenge, with top catering in a unique setting.
Bivouacs are a natural part of classic desert rally-raids. Spending the night under the sky spangled with thousands of stars, on a panoramic plain, on the edge of the oasis of Ksar Ghilane or at the legendary Star Wars filmset near Nefta is a never-to-be-forgotten experience. A little bit of a rough time is part of the adventure, but that doesn’t mean we smack you into the desert uncared for. At the start and at the finish of Tunisia Desert Challenge we will accommodate you in a luxury hotel, all together. The five days in between we have charming bivouacs on very special locations.
Our bivouacs are an authentic experience, equipped with spacious traditional Tunisian nomad tents where you can relax and have dinner. Every location has clean showers with hot water and European toilets.
At night, when the camp fire is lit, it is time for romancing the stories of the day’s adventures, time to play some music and time to have a drink. In our bar we have cold beer, good wines and refreshing sodas.
New standards: the lounge bar, first introduced during the 2018 edition of the Morocco Desert Challenge, was initially meant for the 10-year-edition only, but for most riders, rally riding is holiday as well. And during a good holiday, you need a good DJ, a party every now and then and a nice bar and servants. That is the reason why that is the new standard and we keep it that way!
Life is too short to drink bad wine and eat poor food. The Flemish joy de vivre is stated as a principle for us. That’s why catering in the Tunisia Desert Challenge is a real treat. No camp or army food nor couscous for seven days. Dinner is an important daily ritual.
Every day a team of professional cooks takes care of dishes to be proud of, prepared with European top class ingredients combined with carefully selected fresh local products.
Starters like smoked Norwegian salmon, tomates crevettes with grey North sea shrimps, and Italian buffalo mozzarella with Parma ham, main courses like home-made vol-au-vent with rosemary potatoes, a sumptuous barbecue and entrecote of black Angus beef are almost unreal in the middle of the desert.
Our desserts too are finger-licking: French cheeseboard, home-made chocolate mousse or crème brûlée, and stuffed cream puffs with melted chocolate.
It’s not just about dinner. Good food is important throughout the day. That’s why we serve an extensive breakfast. Not the French type, with a piece of bread, butter and jam, but a well assorted buffet with fresh bread, a variety of filling (cheese, ham, luncheon meat, pâté, chocolate spread, jam, honey), yoghurt, fruit and sometimes even bacon and eggs.
We don’t provide lunch packs with some muesli bars and nuts. In the Tunisia Desert Challenge lunch is served on the scene. ‘Our mum’ – rally director Gert Duson’s mother – and her crew are at one of the checkpoints in the stage, where everybody has to stop for fifteen minutes, to make fresh sandwiches. You can pick your own: smoked salmon, steak tartare or a healthy salad roll. Mum doesn’t let anyone leave on an empty stomach.
Don't limit your challenges. Challenge your limits.
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