Siwa Oasis and White Desert Tour from Cairo or Hurghada

This desert trip combines two very different landscapes of Egypt's Western Desert: Siwa Oasis near the Libyan border and the White Desert near Farafra Oasis. Together they bring nature, culture and history into one journey, and the route between them often passes through Bahariya and other desert oases.

Siwa Oasis

Siwa is one of Egypt's most remote and culturally unique oases, in the far north-west of the Western Desert near the Libyan border, between the Qattara Depression and the Great Sand Sea. It is known for lush palm groves, olive trees, freshwater and salt lakes such as Lake Siwa, and hot springs such as Bir Wahid, with plenty of natural springs for swimming and relaxing.

• History: the ancient Oracle Temple of Amun, where Alexander the Great reportedly sought affirmation as the son of Zeus-Ammon, and the ruins of the Old Shali Fortress, an old clay-brick town with narrow alleys and traditional architecture.
• Culture: a distinct Amazigh (Berber) heritage, traditions and language, with local dates, olives and handmade crafts in the markets.
• Activities: floating in the salt lakes, which work like a natural spa, and desert safaris into the surrounding dunes and the Great Sand Sea.

Accommodation in Siwa includes eco-lodges and traditional guesthouses.

White Desert

The White Desert (Arabic Sahara el Beyda) is a protected area and national park about 45 km north of Qasr El Farafra in the New Valley Governorate, famous for its white chalk rock formations. Wind and sand have carved the rocks over millions of years into shapes that resemble mushrooms, animals and other surreal forms, like a natural sculpture gallery. At sunrise and sunset the rocks and sand take on striking colors and shadows, ideal for photography.

• Jeep safari through the desert dunes
• Camping under the stars, which in the protected area usually requires a local guide and sometimes a permit
• Crystal Mountain, a nearby ridge with sparkling quartz crystals

Despite its barren look, the White Desert is home to wildlife adapted to extreme conditions, including foxes and gazelles.

Getting there and when to go

Siwa is approximately 10–12 hours by road from Cairo and about 3 hours from the coastal city of Marsa Matrouh. The White Desert lies around 500 km southwest of Cairo (approximately 5–6 hours by road) and is usually visited on a multi-day desert safari from Cairo or from the nearby Bahariya or Farafra oases. The best time to visit Siwa is the cooler months from October to March; for the White Desert it is October to April.