"It was a programme that rose above cliché through sheer verve
and the fact that if you ever get bored of the sight of a desert caravan of
several thousand camels crossing such profound emptiness, then you have lived
a life far more exciting than the rest of us."

Shane Hegarty, The Irish Times

This documentary follows Al Haj Alhassan, an old Tuareg caravaneer on his last journey across the Sahara, travelling one of the last remaining desert trade routes in West Africa: the salt run to Bilma.

Setting off across Niger's magnificent 'Sea of Tenere' with twenty salt-laden camels and a worn pair of plastic shoes, 72 year old Al Haji Alhasan leads the way through the vast labyrinth of dunes as he has done for the past 34 years. By his side is his son-in-law Ilies, the irrepressible life and soul of the caravan and Sulliman, his old travelling companion. Taking up the rear is Zerba, Al Haji's 16 year old grandson and apprentice to the trade. Together they will travel for the next three months on an epic journey that will take them over 1700 km from the salt mines of Bilma to the colourful sub-Saharan markets where their cargo is worth gold.

Filmed over four months on Digital Betacam in breathtaking locations, 'Last Chance Journeys: Sahara' is a visual feast ranging from the lush oases of Bilma and Fachi, through the exquisite sand dunes of the 'Sea of Ténéré' and onto the tropical gardens hidden deep in the Aïr Mountains. The caravan then veers South into the Sahel, following a string of wells, water holes and villages until it reaches the colourful and vibrant sub-Saharan markets where Al Haj finally sells his salt

Filmed by Ross Bartley, John Murray and Mick O'Rourke
Directed and Produced by John Murray

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