Visit to the Black and White Desert in Egypt

Visit to the Black and White Desert in Egypt

The Black and White Deserts in Egypt are two of the country's most beautiful hidden gems. The best part? They’re just a few hours away from Cairo.

While most visitors to Egypt have a long list of attractions to see—the Great Pyramids of Giza, the Red Sea, Luxor, or the ruins of Abu Simbel—I wanted to explore the country’s untouched beauty and take in the vast Sahara. Fortunately, the White and Black Deserts were perfect destinations to explore on a tour from Cairo.

Don’t get me wrong; I also visited the Pyramids, the Egyptian Museum, and other must-see spots in the city. However, after spending six days navigating tourist crowds and declining countless offers for pyramid replicas from street vendors, I was thrilled for a change of pace and the chance to reconnect with nature.

The Most Unusual Part of the Sahara

The White Desert lies in the Farafra Depression, a small part of Egypt's vast Western Desert, about 370 km southwest of Cairo. This area is renowned for its rare landscapes and geological formations. From green oases with palm trees and hot springs to dormant volcanoes surrounded by sand and crystal mountains, the scenery is breathtaking.

I discovered the White Desert through a social media post by a tour operator seeking two more participants. I had never heard of the place before, but after a quick Google search, I realized it might be one of the most stunning natural landscapes in Egypt.

Since I also wanted to camp overnight in the Sahara, this was a perfect opportunity. Overnight tours from Cairo are uncommon, and though reviews mentioned the ride could be bumpy and uncomfortable, I couldn’t pass up this adventure.

What to See in the Farafra Depression

After waking up at 5 AM and meeting my group at Cairo’s main bus station, we set off. First, we traveled in a minivan to Bahariya Oasis, a relatively popular stop for travelers heading to or from Siwa. After a six-hour drive, this was our first stop to grab a snack, stretch our legs, and take a dip in the 40°C (104°F) hot springs if we felt like it.

Like most oases in Egypt, Bahariya Oasis formed when a depression in the landscape reached the water table, creating natural springs. Over time, date palms, small ponds, and greenery turned it into a lush spot in the middle of nowhere.

When our 4x4 vehicles arrived, our group of 11 was crammed into two Toyota Land Cruisers, leaving barely any space for luggage. Including the guide and driver, we were seven people in one vehicle—far from comfortable.

The Black Desert

Our first major stop was the Black Desert, a place that feels like stepping onto another planet. Surrounded by postcard-worthy golden dunes, we entered a landscape filled with hills covered in black powder. It’s one of the most bizarre desert landscapes on Earth and truly awe-inspiring.

The dunes of the Black Desert were once ordinary sand dunes. Millions of years ago, they became coated with remnants of volcanic eruptions in the region.

Many hills are easy to climb and offer panoramic views of the surreal scenery. Our guide, however, took us to "English Mountain," the highest point in the Black Desert and a favorite spot for tourists to marvel at the view.

Crystal Mountain and the Agabat Valley

Our next stop was Crystal Mountain in the Agabat Valley, just 30 km from the Black Desert. While close to the volcanic hills, Agabat looks entirely different. Here, massive white and golden limestone rocks decorate the mostly flat landscape. Some multi-day tours explore this part of the Western Desert in depth, revealing unique flora and fauna.

Our driver pointed out the mountain we would climb to enjoy a full view. It was Crystal Mountain, a small rocky hill made of colorless crystals and large stalagmite-like formations.

Standing on a mountain of crystals was a surreal and unforgettable experience.

The White Desert

From Crystal Mountain, it was another 30-50 minutes to the White Desert. While we would have preferred to see it in full daylight, the twilight in the Agabat Valley was magical.

The White Desert is beautiful at any time. Its limestone formations, sculpted by centuries of sandstorms, are often called an "open-air museum of contemporary art." Visitors frequently spot figures resembling a sphinx, a person lying in the sand, a mushroom, a camel, or a chicken.

The White Desert is completely undeveloped for tourism. There are no facilities, vendors, or even toilets. The only rule is that everything brought into the desert must be taken back to Cairo. It’s truly nature at its purest. A visit to the White Desert is a once-in-a-lifetime experience every traveler to Egypt should have.

Camping in the White Desert

The highlight of a trip to Egypt’s Black and White Desert is the chance to camp overnight in the heart of it. Late at night, we parked in a flat area surrounded by massive limestone formations and dunes, far from other vehicles. Our drivers and guides set up a simple camp with chairs, a fire, and blankets for warmth.

The camp was basic: our walls were the two vehicles, and we slept side by side on the ground under the stars. Though it was a relatively uncomfortable night, opening my eyes to a starry sky or wandering in the moonlit desert was priceless.