White Desert National Park is located in Egypt's Farafra depression just slightly northwest of Egypt's central point. The national park is well known for its white sands, oases, and white sand rock formations.

The white sand looks like scattered snow in the scorching desert. The various rock formations as well as the sand are made of white calcium, limestone or quartz crystals and form picturesque rugged features.

While Egypt's Pyramids and Nile region has been popular for centuries, the strange formations in the white desert make an adventure deep into the Sahara desert worthwhile.

Activities

While visiting White Desert National Park in Egypt, you can take part in any of the following activities.

  • Exploring the white sand & rock formations
  • Visiting Crystal Mountain
  • Hiking
  • Wildlife spotting
  • Visiting Oases
  • Photography
  • Camping

When To Visit

The best time to visit White Desert National Park in Egypt is in December and January when the temperatures are very low and you can easily explore the landscape. It is still a desert and temperatures will be quite high, but not like the period between the months of April and September.

The 6 months between October and March are quite cooler and if your schedule allows for those months, you can still visit and explore. The temperatures will be quite high (as you would expect in the Sahara Desert) and the coolest of months will be December and January.

Related article: Best time to visit Egypt

Getting There

Going to the White Desert National Park requires prior planning since it is quite far from Cairo or Luxor. The drive from either Cairo or Luxor will take at least 8 hours through several parts of the Sahara desert as well as some green oases along the way.

Having a capable 4x4 car is crucial and we advise getting a local guide or driver who will easily navigate the desert. 

Where To Stay

On your visit to the White Desert, you will have plenty of accommodation options to choose from. Whether you are budget conscious or you want luxury options, you will have choices to pick from.