Discovery Tours Egypt
Day TourCairo

White Desert & Bahariya Oasis from Cairo – Private 2 Days, 4x4 & Desert Camp

2 days with a night in a desert camp, private vehicle and 4x4, lunch and dinner on day 1 and breakfast on day 2 included, pick-up at 07:00.

At a glance

Length
2 days · 1 nights
Departs
Daily

The short answer

A 2-day private trip from Cairo to Bahariya Oasis and the White Desert by 4x4, with a night in a simple desert camp, lunch and dinner on day 1 and breakfast on day 2. It is booked by request.
  • New
  • Private

Snapshot

Good to know

Duration
2 days
Destinations
Cairo · Bahariya Oasis · Black Desert · Crystal Mountain · White Desert
Includes
Private pick-up and drop-off at Cairo or Giza hotels · Private air-conditioned vehicle and driver between Cairo and Bahariya · 4x4 with a local desert driver-guide · One night in a simple desert camp: tent, mattress, sleeping bag and blankets · Meals: lunch and dinner on day 1, breakfast on day 2
Guide languages
English

Best time to go

October to April has the best temperatures for the days, but nights are cold, especially from December to February. In summer the days are very hot.

  • Arranged by Discovery Tours Egypt, an Egyptian tour operator working since 1988 with six offices
  • Travel licence ETAA 718 (Category A); IATA accredited agent

02Overview

A first look

This is a private two-day trip from Cairo into the Western Desert. A driver collects you at 07:00 from your Cairo or Giza hotel, and the drive to Bahariya Oasis takes about four to five hours. After lunch in Bahariya, you change to a 4x4 with a local desert driver-guide and visit the Black Desert and Crystal Mountain, then reach the White Desert for sunset among the chalk formations. You camp there for the night, with dinner by the fire. On day 2 you watch the sunrise, have breakfast at the camp, and drive back to Bahariya by 4x4, then on to Cairo, arriving in the late afternoon. The camping is simple: tents, mattresses, sleeping bags and blankets, no showers and a basic toilet arrangement. Nights are cold in winter. This trip is by request. You send us your dates, and our team confirms the camp, the 4x4 and the final price before any payment.

Background

The facts

Bahariya Oasis lies about four to five hours by road south-west of Cairo. The Black Desert, Crystal Mountain and the White Desert are reached from there by 4x4.

Named in this entry

Cairo·Bahariya Oasis·Black Desert·Crystal Mountain·White Desert

Suited to

Is this for you?

Yes, if

  • Travelers who want a night in the Western Desert and do not mind simple camping.

Maybe not, if

  • Not for anyone who needs showers, a hotel bed or warmth on a winter night, or who struggles with long drives and rough tracks.

What lingers

  • 01A private vehicle and driver from Cairo, then a local desert driver-guide in a 4x4
  • 02The Black Desert and Crystal Mountain
  • 03The chalk formations of the White Desert at sunset and again at sunrise
  • 04A night in a simple desert camp, with dinner by the fire
  • 05Lunch and dinner on day 1 and breakfast on day 2 included

Honest assessment

Real trade-offs from our experience managing this tour.

Highlights

  • A night among the chalk formations of the White Desert
  • Black Desert, Crystal Mountain and the White Desert in one trip
  • Meals as listed and protected-area fees included

Things to Consider

  • Simple camping with no showers and a basic toilet arrangement
  • Long drives, and the route can change with weather or permits

Stop by stop

Detailed itinerary

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The fine print

What's included – and what isn't

Included

  • Private pick-up and drop-off at Cairo or Giza hotels
  • Private air-conditioned vehicle and driver between Cairo and Bahariya
  • 4x4 with a local desert driver-guide
  • One night in a simple desert camp: tent, mattress, sleeping bag and blankets
  • Meals: lunch and dinner on day 1, breakfast on day 2
  • White Desert protected-area fees
  • Bottled water

Not included

  • Gratuities
  • Soft drinks
  • Personal expenses
  • A hotel room in Bahariya (the night is in tents)

Field notes

From our Egyptologists

  1. 01

    Bring warm layers and a head torch, because nights are cold and dark

  2. 02

    Carry your passport for the desert checkpoints

Before you go

What to pack & wear

Children & families

Children's prices are set from the ages you give in your request. The trip has a long drive each day, a rough 4x4 route and a night in a tent without showers, so we suggest it mainly for teenagers and older children who like camping. Tell us the ages in your party when you send your request.

Indicative rates only – pricing and departure fluctuate. Please enquire for live rates on your specific dates.

Asked & answered

Frequent questions

  1. 01How is this private trip priced?
    The price is per person, and it falls as the group grows, because the vehicles and drivers are shared among more people. It covers the transfers, the 4x4 and driver-guide, the camp, the meals listed and the protected-area fees. Our team confirms the final price before any payment.
  2. 02How do I book this trip?
    You send us a request with your dates, group size and where you are staying. Our team confirms the camp and the 4x4, and the final price, with you. You do not pay anything until that is agreed.
  3. 03What is the camp like?
    It is simple camping. You sleep in a tent on a mattress, with a sleeping bag and blankets. There are no showers and only a basic toilet arrangement. Nights are cold in winter, so bring warm layers and a head torch.
  4. 04Which meals are included?
    Lunch and dinner on day 1, and breakfast at the camp on day 2. Bottled water is included. Soft drinks and personal expenses are paid by you.
  5. 05Can the route change?
    Yes. The route can change with the weather or with permits, and passports are checked at desert checkpoints, so every traveler must carry their own. Your driver-guide decides what is safe, and we will tell you of any change.
  6. 06What is the cancellation policy?
    If you cancel three days or more before the trip, you get a full refund. If you cancel less than three days but more than 24 hours before, half is refunded. After that, or if you miss the pick-up, there is no refund.

If plans change

Plans change? We make it easy.

  • More than 72 hours before your tour: keep the full amount as credit toward future travel with us, or take a refund.
  • Between 72 and 24 hours: keep the full amount as credit, or take a partial refund.
  • Within 24 hours of the tour, or if you don't show up, we're unable to offer a refund or credit.
  • If we ever have to cancel, for weather or anything beyond our control, you lose nothing.

Credit is valid for 12 months from your original travel date and can be used on any tour, cruise or stay with us.Read our full cancellation and refund policy

Continue reading

From the archives

Product ID: EXC-CAI-626456

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