Bahariya Oasis – واحة البحرية
Approximately 360 km south-west of Cairo, Bahariya is its closest oasis. It is no longer isolated either, being a mere four-hour drive from Cairo. Ancient ruins dot the area, as do the natural springs.

Bahariya Oasis sits in a depression and consists of several villages, the largest is Bawiti. They are all surrounded by black hills, desert dunes, natural springs and a picturesque world of expansive palm groves. There are many interesting excursions available, most famously to the recently discovered Valley of the Golden Mummies, as well as the remains of a small Temple of Alexander, the Chapels of Ain al-Muftillah and the well-preserved tombs of Qarat Qasr Salim. Visit the Heritage Oasis Museum, where some of the finds from the surrounding monuments are on display, including golden treasures from the Valley of the Golden Mummies.

Bir el-Ghaba and Bir el-Matar are two of the best hot and cold springs in the area and are popular bathing spots for the locals. For wonderful views climb nearby English Mountain, ‘Gebel el-Ingleez’, an idyllic spot to watch the sunset, and the highest point in the oasis. End your day with a swim. There is nothing quite like a moonlit hot bath on the edge of the desert, followed by a delicious Bedouin-style dinner around a campfire under twinkling stars.

Bahariya is the ideal base from which to explore the natural rock and sand formations of the White Desert, the Black Desert and Crystal Mountain.

White & Black Deserts – الصحراء البيضاء
A barren region that occupies the entire western half of Egypt, but which is split into sub-deserts. The mesmerizing White Desert and the Black Desert, each other’s opposites, are two amazing geological wonders.

The White desert: A natural phenomenon 45 kilometres to the north-east of the Farafra oasis, roughly mid-way between Bahariya and Dakhla. A unique landscape filled with wind-eroded rock formations. The mixture of chalk and white limestone outcrops have been sculpted by the wind into weird and suggestive shapes, rising up from the sand. All bear clear witness to the presence of water and an ocean seabed in the distant past. The White Desert is not called surreal for nothing.

The Black Desert: The Black Desert: A massive area marked by black mountains, renowned for its spectacular charcoal-coloured basalt canyons. Cliffs rise above dark-tipped sand dunes covered with a layer of black powder and iron rocks. Waking up amongst the mountainous plateaus is one of the highlights of any trip into the desert. Allow plenty of time for stops to get up close to this spectacular scenery.

There are more natural wonders in the White Desert protectorate, including the Djara Cave, located approximately 150 kilometres west of Farafra and the White Desert. This dripstone cave was first recorded in 1873 by the German explorer Gerhard Rohlfs and contains prehistoric cave paintings and incised rock art.

Crystal Mountain & Aqabat Valley – جبل الكريستال  و وادى العقبــــات
The road to the White Desert can be traversed on 4WD desert safaris from Bahariya Oasis or Farafra Oasis. This truly remote region has a rugged beauty, with extraordinary sand dunes at the base of dramatic mountains and wadis.

Crystal Mountain: a small hill by the side of the road, with arch-like rock formations that have lumps of quartz rocks shining like crystals in the sun. En route to the White Desert, the road curves through the bedrock cliffs of the Aqabat Valley, known as the ‘Desert Rose’.

To make a desert trip even more epic in scale, we suggest travelling further off-road to Farafra. For an overnight stop at the Karawien Sand Dunes, near the El-Mufid lake. The road traverses a vast panorama of dunes at the base of rock formations, and then passes the springs of Ain Khadra and Ain el Serw, known as the ‘magic spring’. These springs date back to Roman era and still provide natural bathing pools. Experience the silent of the desert with a campfire under a starlit night sky.

Farafra Oasis – واحة الفرافرة
Beautiful Farafra is the smallest and least visited oasis in the Western Desert, located near the spectacular wind and sand-sculpted rocks of the White Desert, roughly midway between Bahariya and Dakhla. The medieval town of Qasr-al Farafra has domed doorways and old houses around a huge mud-brick fortress, all surrounded by breathtaking countryside scenery of lush palm groves.

Farafra nestles gently among many natural springs and life-giving wells. A short journey in any direction from the oasis will take you to beautiful irrigated agricultural areas and palm groves. A favourite excursion is to Farafra’s nicest hot springs at Bir Sitta and Ain Bishay. These springs sit among the dunes; all offer water heated by nature alone, and amazing sunsets are guaranteed.

Another highlight is the Badr Museum. Badr is a local Bedouin artist who paints and sculpts along traditional themes. The small Badr Museum is in a traditional house that displays different aspects of Bedouin social life. The walls of many Farafra houses are beautifully decorated with his work, a lively combination of traditional Islamic themes and local Egyptian folk art.

Dakhla Oasis – واحة الداخلة
The large Dakhla oasis lies about 195 km to the northwest of Kharga and 260 km southeast of Farafra and is Egypt’s most historically interesting oasis. It is home to Pharaonic, Roman, Coptic and early Islamic antiquities, which contrast perfectly with the desert’s beautiful landscape. With its 14 villages, dozens hot and cold springs, thousands of acres of palm trees, Dakhla is considered to be one of the most beautiful of the Egyptian oases. Despite its increase in size and population of the villages, it has retained its charming natural beauty and heritage.

The region is home to several medieval villages and fortresses, including Mut, Qasr, Bashendi and Balat, with a backdrop of shimmering dunes that roll away as far as the eye can see. Each has its own unique atmosphere, with what are said to be the oldest surviving early Islamic quarters. Domed doorways, mud-brick walls and old houses that are still inhabited, unexpectedly well preserved, and little changed since medieval times. Wander through these villages and admire the historical buildings that reflect the Islamic architectural style, and climb to the rooftop of the Ayyubid madrassa for beautiful views of the surroundings.

Not only is Dakhla home to natural beauties, it has also a spectacular series of ancient sites. Even its capital, Mut, is named after the ancient goddess of the Theban Triad. A few kilometres north of Mut lie the Amheida cemeteries, comprising the Roman tombs of Qaret al-Muzawaka and the Roman sandstone temple of Deir al-Haggar.

Visit the ancient necropolis of Qila el-Daba and the ruins of the Old Kingdom settlement at Ain Asil, close to the village of Balat. Along with the ancient remains of Dakhla, there is also the brick-domed Tomb of Pasha Hindi, ancient mastabas and cemeteries around the medieval villages of Bashendi and Tineida on the eastern edge of the oasis. Archaeologists have been working at Dakhla for years, but the oasis still has many more treasures hidden beneath its sands.

Kharga Oasis – واحة الخارجة
Kharga is the oasis closest to the Nile Valley, approximately 285 km west of Luxor and 700 km south of Cairo. Lying in a wide natural depression, it is surrounded by outstanding desert scenery and many ancient sites.

The area around Kharga contains many archaeological sites, mainly deserted forts, monasteries and temples dating from the Roman period, such as the temple of Ain-Nadura and the monastery of Al-Kashef. Near the modern city of Kharga lies the 2700-year-old temple of Amon at Hibis, one of the few surviving Persian monuments in Egypt; its rich reliefs are well preserved. One kilometre north of Hibis lies the Bagawat Christian cemetery, where mudbrick tombs are painted with biblical scenes, there are the ruins of an early mudbrick basilica and hundreds of unexcavated chapels.

For an overview of antiquities found in excavations throughout the Western Desert Oases, nothing can beat a visit to the recently constructed Kharga Heritage Museum, which houses artefacts ranging from Pharaonic times right through to the Islamic period.

As you journey between Luxor and Kharga, following the ancient ‘Forty-Day Caravan Road’, you’ll pass a number of Pharaonic ruins and deserted forts, such as Qasr el-Ghueita and Qasr el-Zayyan, both situated strategically on hilltops, surrounded by sand dunes – pitch a tent at one of the camping areas around the deserted forts, and amazing sunsets are guaranteed.

Faiyum – الفيوم
Sandwiched between the fertile Nile Valley and the unspoilt wilderness of the Western Desert, Faiyum is not a true oasis. It’s watered by a channel of the Nile running into a natural desert depression. It is hard to believe that this tranquil paradise of unspoiled beauty with lush fields, waterwheels, a large salty lake, hundreds of kilometres of flowing sand dunes and thousands of hectares of lakes is located less than 100 kilometres southwest of Cairo.

Archaeological Sites Faiyum’s history stretches all the way back to Pharaonic times. The road from Cairo to Faiyum City leads you past pyramids, Ptolemaic and Graeco-Roman temples, ruined ancient towns and historic churches and monasteries.

Lake Qarun A large salt-water lake surrounded by breath-taking natural beauty in which it’s possible to swim – a desert can sometimes feel like a beach gone wrong. It is a tranquil spot, perfect for relaxing and watching the abundant bird life, best viewed during a boat trip on the lake. If you don’t mind getting some sand in your food, there’s never a problem finding a quiet spot for your picnic rug.

Exploring Wadi Rayyan is an adventure in itself, with the waterfall its star attraction. There are plenty of opportunities for jumping off rocks and sliding down waterslides before floating downstream under the desert sun. You’re never too far away from great campsites beneath a vast midnight-blue sky illuminated by twinkling stars, with sand in every direction.

Wadi al-Hittan Out in the middle of the desert, and only accessible by 4WD vehicle, there is the man-made natural haven of Wadi Rayyan and the Valley of the Whales, a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site. This area is rich in wildlife and geology with the fossilized remains of Prehistoric whales and other marine life that stretch back some 40 million years.