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6 days · Desert & oases
A White Desert tour and the oases
A White Desert tour west of the Nile: chalk formations, black volcanic hills, the oases, and a night camped out under the desert sky.
from € 740,- / per person
- Length
- 6 days
- Pace
- Moderate
- Type
- Desert & oases
- Style
- Small group
- Where
- Cairo
- From
- €740 pp
About this trip
What this White Desert tour is like
A White Desert tour west of the Nile: chalk formations, black volcanic hills, the oases, and a night camped out under the desert sky.
This is a desert & oases route through Cairo · Bahariya · Farafra, run privately unless you pick a group departure. Your guide is a licensed Egyptologist who lives on the route rather than flying in with the group.
Nothing here is fixed. Days can be added, dropped or reordered, and we will tell you honestly which optional sites are worth the extra ticket.
Your trip
Day by day
Open any day for the full description. Every day can be changed before anything is booked.
- Day 1
Cairo to Bahariya
Four hours southwest, arriving for lunch.Read the full day →
Four hours southwest, arriving for lunch.
- Day 2
Black Desert
Volcanic hills and the hot springs at sunset.Read the full day →
Volcanic hills and the hot springs at sunset.
- Day 3
Into the White Desert
Crystal Mountain, then camp among the chalk formations.Read the full day →
Crystal Mountain, then camp among the chalk formations.
- Day 4
Farafra
The oasis town and its palm gardens.Read the full day →
The oasis town and its palm gardens.
- Day 5
Back to Bahariya
A slow return with stops along the escarpment.Read the full day →
A slow return with stops along the escarpment.
- Day 6
Return to Cairo
Drive back, arriving mid-afternoon.Read the full day →
Drive back, arriving mid-afternoon.
Want this written up for your dates — travel times, what each day asks of you and where you would sleep? Ask us for the full 6-day plan. We send it before you commit to anything.
Included
What the price covers
- ✓Five nights, one of them camping
- ✓4×4 transport and desert guide
- ✓All meals in the desert
Not included
What to budget separately
- —Flights
- —Visa
- —Tipping
- —Sleeping bag hire
Good to know
Questions about this trip
What is the camping actually like?+
Basic. Mattresses and blankets in the open or in simple shelters, food cooked over a fire, no plumbing. The point is the setting rather than the comfort, and the desert sky at night is the reason to go.
How cold does the desert get at night?+
Cold enough to want a proper jacket, and in winter it can approach freezing. It catches people out because they packed for a hot country.
Is it suitable for children?+
Older children usually love it. Younger ones find the long 4x4 drives and the basic facilities harder. It is the least suitable of our routes for very young families.
When can you go?+
October to April. Summer daytime temperatures in the Western Desert make the drives and the camping genuinely unpleasant.
Official sources
Entry rules, opening hours, security advice and exchange rates all move. Check them at the source, not here.
- Egypt e-visa portal ↗The official government application site. Fees and eligibility change here first.
- UK FCDO travel advice for Egypt ↗It updates continuously, and most UK travel insurance follows it.
- Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities ↗The ministry lists which tombs and temples currently open.
What this trip looks like
Before you travel
What you can hold us to
No middlemen taking a cut
You are quoted by the local company that runs the trip. No booking fee and no surcharge at the airport.
A licensed Egyptologist, every site
Not a tour escort with a flag. Our partner uses guides who have spent twenty years on the same temples.
We say when something is not worth it
Some tickets are. Some are a queue in the heat. We will tell you which before you pay for them.
Private unless it says group
Your guide, your driver, your pace. Group departures are labelled clearly on the card and the page.
Someone answers the phone
Our partner is in Egypt, in Egyptian hours, and you are put in touch with them directly rather than through a chain.
Change it before you commit
Every itinerary is a starting point. Add days, drop sites, reorder — nothing is fixed until you say so.
Pace
How hard is moderate?
Longer days, some uneven ground and desert heat. Camping nights on the desert routes. A reasonable level of fitness helps.
Plan this trip
Tell us your dates and we will price it
A real itinerary with prices, usually within 24 hours. Nothing is booked and nothing is charged until you say yes.
from € 740,- / per person
Or message us on WhatsApp.
6 days · Desert & oases
from € 740,- · per person