The White Desert is justifiably the most well-known desert destination in Egypt - and for a good reason. The quantity of unearthly and beautiful wind-carved rock formations shaped in the form of giant mushrooms or pebbles is unequalled in any desert in the world. Farafra is nearer than Bahariya to this 300 kilometres protectorate, yet it offers a more limited choice of tours and safaris. However, it is still the perfect starting point for an overnight journey into the infinite whiteness.
A desert safari takes you through an endless stunning range of desert landscapes coupled with scenic sunsets and starry night skies. Walk along mud houses and ancient ruins in Egyptian desert oases, shop for locally made crafts and rub shoulders with Bedouins carrying out century old traditions− the Egyptian Desert is one of those mystic places where regular living practices are suspended or absent, a place where water access is everything and land ownership is nothing.
Many people opt to spend a night camping in the desert with Bedouin guides, where they can observe the changing faces of chickens and mushrooms and monoliths as the bright sun of the afternoon sinks into a shadowy dusk. As the sun goes down, the calcium sea seems to reflect all the fuchsias and oranges of the sky. And while any night under the stars of the Western Desert is an experience not soon forgotten, the lucky few that catch a full moon will witness the desert giving off a ghostly, iridescent glow.
Location:
The White Desert begins about 28 miles north of Farafra. It is truly white, in clear contrast with the yellow desert elsewhere..
The rock formations of the desert are often quite dramatic, you should not miss out on the weird rock balancing, on top of a white pillar.Many of the organized trips here include overnight stay out in the desert. At night, it gets a character reminding of an Arctic landscape..
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