"Sahara-y Shiharan" may sound like the title of a mystery novel, but this time the excitement is real and on two wheels. Renowned Everest conqueror and adventurer Malay Mukhopadhyay is set to begin a challenging 1,500-kilometre cycling expedition across Egypt, titled 'Cycling in the Sahara.' He will leave for Cairo on Saturday along with his teammates Debashis Chakraborty and Partha Pratim Hazra.
As part of this India-Egypt friendship tour, the three cyclists from Bengal will start their journey from Alexandria and ride along the banks of the Nile River. Their route will pass through the Sahara Desert and end at Lake Nasser, near the Sudan border. During the expedition, they will visit several ancient pyramids and explore the famous White Sand Desert of Bahariya.
A 1,500-Km ride through history and nature
The team plans to complete the 1,500-kilometre journey in just 10 days, cycling continuously through challenging terrain. Although Malay Mukhopadhyay is best known as a mountaineer, he is also a passionate adventure lover. A resident of Howrah, he has earlier walked from Ganga Sagar to Gangotri on foot and completed several international cycling expeditions.
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Mukhopadhyay has previously taken part in India-Bangladesh friendship cycling tours and recently completed long-distance cycling expeditions in Cambodia and Thailand, as well as in Vietnam. While those journeys covered 700 kilometres in Cambodia and 900 kilometres in Vietnam, this Egypt expedition is significantly longer and more demanding. According to the team, no Indian cyclist has previously attempted a cycling expedition on this route through the Sahara.
Explaining the purpose of the journey, Malay said the expedition has three key goals. "First, to connect with history and experience nature. Second, to strengthen friendship between countries. And third, to spread awareness about environmental protection," he said. He added that while many adventure tours are done using cars or motorbikes, cycling is eco-friendly and also promotes physical fitness.
Official support and high hopes
Malay Mukhopadhyay also shared why Egypt was chosen for this expedition. "The banks of the Nile hold the history of human civilisation. The pyramids are among the seven wonders of the world, and the Sahara Desert itself means adventure. After years of planning, we are finally going ahead with this expedition with the support of the Climb organisation," he said.
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The importance of the tour is reflected in the support it has received from the Kolkata Police. Police Commissioner Manoj Verma formally flagged off the expedition. Senior police officials Devendra Prakash Singh and Praveen Tripathi have also extended their encouragement. Additionally, support is being provided by Manoj De, a Bengali professional working in Cairo.
Calling the flag-off a proud moment, Malay said the encouragement has inspired the team to aim higher. If successful, 'Cycling in the Sahara' is expected to become a memorable chapter in India's adventure sports history.
