Facts: James Bond travel in Africa
Follow 007 to Ourzazate, Morocco and Luxor, Egypt.
In The Living Daylights and The Spy Who Loved Me, Roger Moore visits the Sahara, the Atlas mountains, the Pyramids and the Great Hypostle Hall at Karnak near Luxor.
Whilst James Bond has spent most of his time in Europe, Asia and the Americas, the Roger Moore version also managed to visit both Morocco and Egypt in Africa. Here’s what happened where.
Where: The Great Hypostle Hall, Luxor, Egypt.
The film: The Spy Who Loved Me.
What happens: Against all sane logic, Bond is chasing metal-toothed giant Jaws to get hold of the vital microfilm. Accompanied by the not entirely trustworthy Russian agent (and token eye candy) Major Asamova, they run furtively through a hall of pillars before getting into a big fight involving Bond narrowly escaping death and a lot of collapsed scaffolding.
How to get there: Despite the impression that this is all taking place in one of the pyramids, it’s actually nowhere near. The pillars are part of the Great Hypostle Hall at the Karnak temples, near Luxor, and they were just sandwiched into the pyramids sequence because it looked cool. The temple was built 3,500 years ago, and was once regarded as the most important place of worship in Egypt. Geckos Adventures (+ 613 8601 4444) run a 14 day trip that includes a Nile cruise, the Karnak temples and the Pyramids.
Where: Ourzazate, Morocco.
The film: The Living Daylights
What happens: Following an opium for diamonds deal in the Afghan desert, Bond heads off in the back of a Russian truck to the air base he was held in about half an hour ago. When there, he ends up hijacking a plane full of drugs, while his new ladyfriend and mujahideen fighters on horseback shoot lots of people. The dizzy blonde type manages to drive onto the back of the plane, and they take off towards the mountains.
How to get there: Given that Afghanistan has never really been the friendliest place to film, the edge of the Sahara had to substitute. The mountains they fly towards are the Atlas mountains in Morocco, and the setting was the bizarre mini-Hollywood of Ourzazate. Many films have been shot here, and it is famed for the nearby Ait Benhaddou Kasbah, which is as good an example as you’re going to get. Exodus (+44 870 240 5550) run an eight day trip that takes in the area, as well as Marrakesh and the Atlas Mountains.
More James Bond travel locations: Africa, Turkey
