The White Desert, a Wonder of Egypt Experience Bedoin Culture in the White Desert

Egypt definitely has a lot of world famous sights to see. Of course everyone should check out the Pyramids and the Antiquities Museum, the Nile and Luxor. Yet as exciting as these sites can be, a trip to the White Desert in central Egypt is one of the most exciting and rewarding experiences you will ever have. It is a unique experience that not many people even think of doing.

You can book your trip from any guest house downtown Cairo. Hotels probably book it too,but it will be far more expensive for the exact same experience. It costs $80 per person for a 2 night 3 day excursion including all of your meals, travel and accommodations. Activities like camping in the desert under stars like a true Bedouin and a 4X4 jeep ride in the sand dunes are included in the deal as well.

It is only a 5-hour bus trip from Cairo to Bahariya. You will be met by your organizer who will pick you up letting you relax and ignore the touts that wait at the station. It is not off to the desert yet, time to go back to your hotel where you will eat some lunch before the long journey ahead.

A traditional Bedoin meal consisting of rice, pita and sweet tea awaits you. Delicious. Not a lot of time to settle in though, because within the hour, you are back on the road to head to the main attraction.

It may sound a bit touristy, but you will be offered to buy a scarf before you leave. It is highly recommended that you buy one as they make a great souvenir, but because they are also very practical to keep the sand out of your eyes and to keep the heat in your head at night. The temperature drops greatly in the desert.

Hopping into the back of a 4X4 jeep, gives a real sense of adventure. Bumping along the road in the intense heat surrounded by sand makes you fell as though you are in an Indiana Jones Movie. It is not long until you enter The Black Desert, a nice prelude to the forthcoming White Desert. Climbing a high peak you will overlook an amazing desert vista. Black pebbles caused by erosion blowing in from the mountains cover the entire land, turning it to an ominous dark shade.

Don't be alarmed when you come to a guard booth. Seeing the armed guards can be a little unsettling, but that is the way of Egypt. It is simply a check point and since it is so difficult to get through any other way, you will feel safe sleeping in the deserted white desert. And it is after these check points that you enter it.

The white desert is like something from a science fiction movie. Pure white enormous formations are strewn across the desert landscape. At times it looks as if a blanket of snow has fallen, however it is the enormous statue like structures that are unbelievable. Jutting into the air these formations made of chalk are shaped in odd forms like camels, hawks, mushrooms and mountains. They were formed by centuries of erosion and it is hard to believe that one day the will no longer be around.

Bedouin guides prepare the camp putting up traditional walls made of thick material. They cover the ground with woolen blankets and start a fire to keep you warm. Three colorful walls surround the camp to block the wind with the front open to the fire. The shelter remains roofless to reveal the starry sky and everyone huddles together to settle in for a thrilling evening in the middle of the Sahara Desert.

Day two starts with a hearty breakfast and then it is back to Bahariya for an unforgettable 4X4 adventure through steep dunes. The ride is long and full of excitement as people are tossed about hitting heads on the roof, but laughing through the entire drive. The hot springs are a welcome change to the high-energy thrill ride. The day ends with a hike up to a high plateau for one final look at the desert landscape and to take in that final view of the mythical Sahara Desert.

Go ahead and see all of the amazing monuments that Egypt has to offer. They are ancient, incredible sights, but make sure to take the time to head out to the white desert to witness one of the most spectacular landscapes on the planet.

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