1^st Day:

We will pick you up in the early morning directly from the entrance door of your hotel in Cairo; you will recognize our driver by a sign with your name in his hand.

Al Bahariya Oasis is situated around 350 km south-west of the capital Cairo. It is a depression covering surface of around 2,000 km², surrounded by the Libyan Desert and the mountains, and watered by numerous springs. Several settlement can be found here, among them Al-Bawiti, the administrative center. Amidst the arid landscape you can find fruit and olive trees, date palms and lively villages. The area has been settled since the Neolithic many thousands of years ago, and some interesting archaeological founds were made here.

In 1999 scientists made one of the most important discoveries of the last years when they excavated a necropolis of the Greco-Roman era in a valley; its tombs contained countless different mummies, among them numerous gold-plated ones, the so-called ‘Golden Mummies’. Some of them can be visited here in the museum!

Further you can see the remains of Ain Al-Tibniya, a temple dating back to the reign of Alexander the Great who is said to have passed by this oasis, the tomb of Banentiu where you can see well preserved colored hieroglyphs and paintings that will remind you of the Valley of the Kings in Luxor, and the temple area of Ain Al-Muftella, where you can visit four around 2,600 years old chapels whose walls are preserved up to a height of around two meters, showing various beautiful decorations.

Now it`s time for lunch; you will eat in a local restaurant in Al-Bawiti. Then you will enter a 4×4 jeep and your trip to the desert begins.

Your first stop will be in the Black Desert where you will find countless rock formations and witness buttes covered by basalt, a volcanic rock of grey or black color which gave the region its name. Due to erosion damaging the rocks you can see bizarre shapes, and also a lot of splitters fell from the hills and cover now the ground like a black carpet.

After this visit you will travel southwards to the White Desert National Park where you will spend the night in a camp. Enjoy the splendid sunset over the desert and a tasty meal under the great starry sky, and then go sleeping in your tent.

2^nd Day:

The White Desert was once the seabed of an ocean; when the water disappeared, it left countless remains of plankton, marine animals, plants, corals and shells behind. They turned into white chalk sediments, and the rough desert weathers with its winds and sandstorms formed them to spectacular shapes such as mushrooms or animals. But you cannot find here only ragged rocks, but also some vivid springs surrounded by green plants, small oases where you can have a calm rest; maybe you can even observe some animals doing the same…

After a rich breakfast you will make a jeep tour through this wonderful unique landscape, and you will not only see the chalk rocks, but also the scenic Valley of Al-Agabat where white cliffs meet sand dunes and yellow limestone rocks, and the famous Crystal Mountain. This ridge consisting of several layers of different colors is penetrated by a big hole, possibly once the entry to a meanwhile collapsed cave, and laced with sparkling crystals of all sizes.

On the way back to Al-Bawiti you will pass by the Valley of Al-Heiz with its hot springs surrounded by gardens, and the sand dunes area, where you can climb onto one of the huge dunes. In Al-Bawiti you will enjoy lunch before you will finally return to Cairo.

Included:

• All mentioned transfers in high-class vehicles with A/C
• Entrance fees
• Guide assistance
• One night in a desert camp
• Dinner on the 1^stand breakfast on the 2^nd day in your desert camp
• Lunch on the 1^stand on the 2^nd day in local restaurants
• Mineral water and soft drinks

Not included:

• Gratuity (tips) for drivers and guides
• Personal items, meals, drinks or services not mentioned
• International and domestic flights
• Visa