My 2025 Day Trip to the White & Black Deserts: An Honest Look

So, you’re thinking about a trip to Egypt’s deserts, right? At the end of the day, it’s a location that is almost from another world. I mean, I recently took the 2025 overday safari that takes in both the White Desert and the Black Desert, and seriously, it’s really something else. We are just going to chat about what that day was really like from my point of view. This is, you know, just my frank opinion on the entire experience.

Kicking Things Off from Bahariya Oasis

Okay, so our big day really started in the Bahariya Oasis. This spot is, like, the very last bit of green you’re going to see for quite a long time. You pretty much get into a 4×4, and to be honest, that’s the point it all feels very real. The guide we had with us, a local Bedouin fellow named Ahmed, was pretty much the heart of the whole thing. He knew the desert, you know, like the palm of his own hand. It’s almost as if the dips and rises of the sandy ground were talking to him directly.

Leaving the town in the distance is actually a little bit of a strange sensation. One moment you’re seeing palm trees everywhere, and the next, it is just this huge, wide-open area, you know? The jeep was a bit more comfortable than I expected, at least for a rugged off-road vehicle. Basically, the whole vehicle is prepared to handle the tough terrain out there. We were just sort of bouncing along on our way, seeing the whole world turn a dusty yellow color, which was honestly a pretty amazing sight.

First Stop: The Volcanic Feel of the Black Desert

Anyway, the first big destination was the Black Desert. And wow, it definitely is what it says it is. You know, you are suddenly in the middle of these dozens of tiny, black-topped mounds of earth. Ahmed let us know that, as a matter of fact, these are composed of dolerite, which is sort of like a rock from a volcano. So, apparently, millions of years back, volcanoes were just popping off all over this area. It’s almost like you have landed on a totally different planet.

We then got out of the car to walk around a bit, and honestly, the ground is just covered with these little dark pebbles. When you pick one up, you can really feel how very smooth yet sharp some of them are in your hand. There is a specific place where you can go up one of the bigger mounds, and you should totally make the effort. The panorama from the peak is, frankly, something you have to see to believe. You just look out over this big sweep of golden sand dotted with black cones, and it is seriously quiet up at the top.

The Sparkle of Crystal Mountain

Okay, so next on the list was a place they call Crystal Mountain. And it’s literally what it seems like it would be. By the way, this isn’t some huge mountain in the way you might think. It is more of a very big ridge, you know, made nearly all from quartz crystals. As a matter of fact, when the sun’s rays hit it in the right way, the entire thing just sort of shines and glitters.

You can walk right up to the natural structures and just see the crystals sticking out from the rock. They are pretty much everywhere, really. Some of them are just small and sparkly, and others are like, much larger chunks. Obviously, it is extremely tempting to grab a piece to take home with you. Our guide Ahmed, however, let us know that this is a protected place, so you know, you should just look with your eyes and not take anything. It is actually a pretty magical short stop, particularly after the empty feeling of the Black Desert, since it sort of mixes up the views a little.

The Main Show: Wandering the White Desert

And finally, we made it to the star of the whole outing: the White Desert, or Sahara el Beyda. To be honest, this location is just completely different from anything else. You know, you come over a rise in the ground, and suddenly the earth is not a sand color any more. It is this incredibly bright, chalky kind of white. It’s almost as if you’ve walked into a snowy area, but it’s like, extremely hot outside.

The ground here is full of calcium, and it’s basically what stayed behind from an ancient ocean bed. The most famous part of it is, of course, the stunning rock formations. These are absolutely huge chalk rocks that wind and water have slowly carved over many years into some really interesting shapes. There is one formation that, you know, every person calls the ‘chicken and mushroom’. And honestly, it really, really does look like one. You can just sort of stroll among these giant white figures, and it is a very odd feeling. Your own mind kind of starts to see all sorts of different shapes in the rocks, for instance, faces or creatures and stuff.

Ahmed mentioned to us, “At night, you know, the desert shows you other things. The figures you see in the light now… they just don’t look the same with the moon overhead.” Even though this was a day trip for us, that thought really made me look at the place in a new way, sort of.

As the afternoon started to fade, the light just altered everything. The pure white rocks began to get these very soft, pink and orange glows from the sun as it went down. Honestly, this part of the day was the most photogenic of all. You can just find a comfortable spot, sit down on the soft ground, and take in the natural light show. It is incredibly calm, and the quietness is nearly total. You really get the impression that you are a million miles from anywhere, and in some ways, you pretty much are.

A Bedouin-Style Lunch in the Middle of Nowhere

So, right in the middle of all this exploring, we made a stop for our lunch. And this really was not just any old kind of packed meal. Our guide, Ahmed, located a very nice shady spot right near one of the giant rock shapes. He then put out some carpets on the ground and, you know, got a little fire going to prepare some tea. To be honest with you, drinking sweet Bedouin tea out in the center of the White Desert is a type of experience all by itself.

The meal was sort of simple but actually very, very good. We ate some grilled chicken, a side of rice, tahini, some salad, and fresh flatbread. At the end of the day, it was really just what we needed to keep going. Having a good meal and seeing that sort of scenery is just something you will not forget. The whole thing had a genuine feel to it, not like a tourist trap thing or something similar. It was just a meal, but you know, eaten in one of the most stunning dining rooms you could ever find in the world.

Practical Stuff You Should Know

Okay, so let us talk for a minute about some practical details. First, your clothing. You should definitely wear very light, loose-fitting clothes. For example, things made of cotton or linen are really perfect. You actually want to keep your skin covered up from the sun, so you should think about long sleeves and long pants. A hat and a pair of sunglasses are, like, totally not optional. Seriously, the sun out there is really quite strong.

And speaking of the sun, you should bring your own sunscreen. A lot of it, in fact. And you know, remember to put more on every few hours. Next, carry a camera with some extra batteries, since, trust me on this one, you will probably be taking a huge number of pictures. A little bit of money for a tip for your guide is a very good idea if you believe they did a wonderful job, and frankly, our guide definitely did. Finally, just be prepared for a long day inside a car. There is quite a bit of driving, but obviously, it’s absolutely worth the time for the amazing sights you will see.