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Overnight White Desert Safari Camping from Cairo

Recommended by 92% of travelers

Badge of Excellence

Cairo, Egypt

2 days (approx.)
Pickup offered
Mobile ticket

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Overview

Get out of the city and into the desert on this overnight trip. Explore the capital city of Bawiti, Bahariya, with its lush palm groves and giant dunes. See hot springs, the Black Desert, Crystal Mountain, Agabat Valley, and White Desert National Park. In the evening, enjoy a barbecue dinner under the stars before drifting off to sleep in your tent. After breakfast in the camp, head back to Cairo.

Overnight trip to Bahariya from Cairo
Explore the natural wonders of the region
Spend the night in a desert camp
Hotel pickup and drop-off included

What's Included

Dinner
Lunch
Breakfast
Hotel pickup and drop-off in Cairo or Giza (Centrally located points)
Bedouin Driver in the desert
Transfer to and from Bahariya by sharing bus / car
4x4 travel from Bahariya to the White and Black Deserts and back - sharing other tourists
1 night of accommodation in a tented desert camp (own tent)

Any additional services and visits not mentioned in itinerary
Entrance fees to sites listed in itinerary
Food and drinks, unless specified
Personal items
Gratuities
Any transfer to Cairo airport or any other far location at the end of the tour
Any food special requests will be subject to availability, please tell us upon arrival there
The extra charge of Pick up from the hotels and points outside the city
Starting from 7 Years old the child will be charged as an adult in the desert trip
The tour itinerary may be changed without prior notice due to bad weather or security restrictions.

Meeting and Pickup

Pickup point

Steigenberger Hotel El Tahrir Cairo
2 Kasr El Nile, Cairo 11511 Egypt

Operating hours
.6:30 am

Itinerary

Spend a night under the stars in Egypt’s White Desert on this small-group camping trip. All of the details are taken care of for you, so you can enjoy a hassle-free experience.

Your tour begins with hotel-pickup in either Cairo or Giza to keep things simple, and then you’ll head out to your desert camp. Lunch and a barbeque dinner are served the first day, and the following morning breakfast is served.

Wander around the desert and the Bahariya Oasis, exploring palm groves, dunes, and the views of Crystal Mountain, learning all about the area from your Bedouin guide and driver.

Day 1

Cairo - Bahariya - White Desert (L, D)

1 Stop

Bahariya Oasis Guide

10 hours • Admission Ticket Not Included

Accommodation: Camping at white desert

Meals: Lunch, Dinner

Day 2

White Desert - Bahariya - Cairo

1 Stop

White Desert

3 hours • Admission Ticket Not Included

Accommodation: Not included

Meals: Breakfast

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received within 48 hours of booking, subject to availability
Not recommended for travelers with back problems
Not wheelchair accessible
A customer nationality is required at the time of booking
Please wear comfortable walking shoes and light clothing. Spring and summer are hot in the desert and winter is cold at night
Please sunscreen and sun hat

A current valid passport is required on the day of travel
Near public transportation
Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
Toilet wipes (there is no toilet in the desert)
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 15 travelers

Supplied by

Frequently Asked Question (1)

Q:What time can we expect to return after the experience?

A:The group typically returns around 4:30 PM. Please note, this time is approximate and may vary.

May 2023

The answers provided are based on answers previously given by the tour provider to customers’ questions.

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

Traveler Photos

Gallery picture 1 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 2 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 3 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 4 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 5 (from a traveler's review)

Reviews

4.7

based on 93 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

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Sort by: Most insightful

The trip was amazing!...

Judith_S, Dec 2025

The trip was amazing! Wonderful landscape and our guide hazem was very funny and answered all our questions. We have seen beautiful sunrise, sunset and starry sky!

My 3 friends and I just...

allison_a, Jun 2025

My 3 friends and I just returned for our camp trip and we had an AMAZING TIME!! from seeing all sorts of different sites to sandboarding to sleeping under the stars everything was delightful! Food was very yummy and the guides were all so nice and fun to talk to. Def recommend this to get out of the city for a night and have an adventure!

Stunning views

Scott_L, Mar 2025

It was great, people were friendly the only issue was the long drive to the desert from Cairo, the driver was sleepy and we had to constantly watch and make noise or shake his seat to keep him awake.

Awesome trip, great...

Corey_H, Feb 2025

Awesome trip, great views, fun 4x4 driving. We loved our guide, super chill and authentic experience

An Amazing Experience!!

Jack_D, Sep 2023

This was such an amazing experience that I would recommend to anybody visiting Egypt, our tour guide was Asam who was amazing, very kind and clearly enjoyed and had a passion for his job. The views are amazing and Asam knew all the best spots for the best pictures!! Our camp was very cosy and the view of the stars at night when your in the middle of the desert is truly something you need to experience for yourself!!!

White Desert camping trip was amazing!

Thomas_F, Mar 2023

This was a great trip! The drive from Cairo to Bahariya was a bit long but well worth it. The Black Desert was very cool as was Crystal Mountain. We went sand boarding which is really sledding on sand. The night camping in the white desert was great. The rock formations were really cool. Our Bedouin driver/guide cooked up a very good dinner. He also had a very nice camp setup. 5 stars all the way.

It's a place where you...

MITSUGU_I, Jan 2023

It's a place where you can't go alone, so I participated in the tour this time, but I'm satisfied because I was able to enjoy the fantastic scenery.

Unique and well worth the price

Liam_L, Jan 2023

Did not expect how stunning this tour would be, it was the perfect adventure and a break from busy Cairo and regular tourist activities. Definitely original and the scenery is incredible. Amir greeted us at the Oasis and then Mahmoud was our driver and guide for the rest of the trip. Very friendly and accomodating. I won't spoil everything included in the tour but there are some surprises and it's a brilliant experience, definetely my highlight of my time in Egypt! Could not reccomend more.

Great place and experience. Not so great service.

Hector_S, Dec 2022

The experience was amazing, mostly because the dessert is wonderful and the night sky was amazing. In the other hand the service received was not so great. The driver didn't explain anything from the sites, he just take us there. A couple of times he stopped in some places and got out the ban for 15 min without saying anything to the group. we just had to wait for him until he came back. The truck we had was quite old and damaged, without seatbelts, so it was quite dangerous. We had to pay extra money for the "entrance fee" to the dessert but we never got any ticket and never saw anyone charging any fee, so I guess they keep that extra money.

Amazing night view

Cynthia_T, Oct 2022

The sky at night was amazing. I have never seen so many stars before. The dinner was delicious and plentiful. Management was very precessional. The hot spring was disappointing though.

Nice!

Fabio_P, Oct 2022

What an experience. Definitely worth doing. It's a very long 2 days that lie ahead. Tons of driving. Make sure you have a lot of data and battery life on your phone. Our driver 'Miguel ' was very friendly and funny .... also a very slow driver. Would have been a lot easier if he drove faster than 80kms. White and black deserts we're wonderful. Definite see. Camp set up was in the white desert and was literally a bunch of mats on the ground and one wall. It's sleeping under the stars. Blankets/sleeping bags are provided. No pillows! Food was delicious and abundant. Hand cooked by Miguel on site. FYI, the desert is your toilet. Onesies and twosies! So be prepared. Thanks for the memories

Amazing desert, appalling transportation

Lauren_M, Sep 2022

So, overall we had a really good time, the white desert itself was absolutely magnificent and really was the highlight of my trip to Egypt! It was really excellent and one of the most impressive landscapes I have ever encountered! Why 3 stars instead of 5? We requested vegetarian food and were served chicken for lunch, that wasnt the end of the world. The transport was absolutely appalling. The trip both to and from Cairo to the oasis hotel was really bad. We were jammed into an extremely uncomfortable car and the driver on both trips was on the phone non stop to someone makeing loud calls, our safety being compromised as a result and was really unpleasant. The driver in the desert was nice enough bit the truck was unbelievably uncomfortable, my husband and I are still in pain. The driver here was also making non stop phone calls whole driving and texting, again, compromising our safety, and was smoking in the truck which was really awful - I felt sick breathing in his smoke. The worst part was when I was alone the driver gave an inappropriate comment to me that really made me feel uncomfortable.

Response from Host, Sep 2022

Dear valued customer, Thank you for taking the time to review your experience on VIATOR. We apologize for any inconvenience that has happened during your trip. All your comments are taken into consideration and required action will take place.

An unforgetabble tour

Nedim_T, Sep 2022

An unforgetabble tour. Everything was perfectly organized. Our guide Bedra was very kind and helpful. Scenery of the white desert - unique. Dinner in the desert and sleeping under the open sky was a reallly unique experience. Highly recommendations.

Amazing trip, with amazing guide that exceeds expectations at all times!

Jagdish_M, May 2022

If you like the outdoors, or an adventure, this is a must-do trip, and probably the highlight of our 2 weeks to Egypt. The organisers were great, and our Bedouin guide who took us into the desert, Mahmoud, was simply the best. He prepared a dinner better than what we ate at high end restaurants in Cairo, all on his own using the desert campfire and simple ingredients. The desert atmosphere is surreal - from the black volcanic desert to the white desert with its unwordly rock formations. The silence and solitude of the desert, the opportunity to see a clear night sky (we saw Mars, Venus, consetellations) and the landscape is fantasitc. The trip is professionaly organised and much more comfortable than what one would expect when one thinks of 'camping in the desert'.

Amazing

Martine_R, Apr 2022

Simply amazing and a must to do :) Our guide was always super helpful and dinner that he prepared was delicious.

Wow! The highlight of your trip

mel_Q, Apr 2022

Out of all the things we did in Egypt, this was the highlight. Words honestly cannot do justice to the experience. Absolute silence in the desert, incredible sights and to top it all off, sleeping under the stars was just sublime. Our keep driver and tour guide Miguel was great. A veteran jeep driver who drove the Land Rover through extremely difficult terrain with ease, cooked us an incredible meal and made us feel safe throughout the whole trip. 10/10 would recommend!

Magical Gem in the Sahara

Leonie_S, Mar 2022

Magical experience! This was definitely the highlight of my time spent in Egypt. Breath taking scenery, evening campfire, delicious barbecue meal, and tented overnight camping under the stars, , 'in the middle of nowhere'. I feel so privileged that I could experience this Gem in the Desert! 10/10! Thank you!

Spectacular

Martina_J, Dec 2021

Great experience camping in the White Desert. We went in December so it was freezing but we were provided with sleeping bags and woollen blankets. Bedouin BBQ dinner was so delicious. I'd recommend bringing wood fire snacks and hot chocolate for a cosy experience. Also byo pillows!

SUPERB EXPERIENCE

Ioannis_A, Oct 2021

One of the most beautiful experiences I’ve ever had in my life. This is a must do. Everything was perfectly organized. Everyone was very kind. As a photographer I was stunned by the views and the landscapes that we were lucky to enjoy. Totally recommended.

Highly recommend

Alice_M, Jul 2021

Great organization and guide! Very cool itinerary and sights. The only thing to be aware of is that from Cairo to bahariya it’s on a Shared Public bus but it was no problem…

Outstanding

CosminIonut_P, Apr 2021

Aliady was our guide an driver and he was amazing in all aspects. We had an amazing trip and night in the desert accompanied by music played by them, food and tents. He’s also a great driver and entertainer. 10/10 would recommend!! Much love from Romanian friends!!

Great area of Egypt!

Sarah_P, Feb 2021

Mohammed and Miguel were awesome hosts on our trip out. The food at the campsite was incredible, the desert is stunning and the silence in the desert with the glow of the white rock formations was magical at night. The sand boarding was so fun I could have done it half the day and I wish we had more time just to sand board! The off roading was exciting and a blast! I definitely recommend this trip, but I do recommend doing more than 1 day. It’s a long drive out there and if you use the public bus it’s a bit confusing as to what’s going on so having more than 1 night to really take your time exploring would have been the best. Despite having limited time we enjoyed an incredible sunset and sunrise, had great views of the desert and got up close to the formations. When we woke up in the morning there were fox prints everywhere and we had fun looking at them with a hot cup of delicious tea!

Must do in Egypt

Kyle_H, Jan 2021

The safari was amazing, the bus ride out is a bit long but it’s completely worth every second. Once we arrived we were greeting with lunch and tea before we started our journey into the desert. We saw all kinds of dunes and mountains. Dinner and cooked right in front of us and it was one of the best meals I have ever had. Pack all of the with the option to sleep under the stars it was a trip we will never forget!

Great trip in the magnific desert

Mamdouh_A, Jul 2020

This trip was magnific. Hamada is a very kind man. We will forget never this excursion. Thank you everything!

a night to remember

Shraddha_P, Mar 2020

We did a girls trip to Egypt and I will say one of the best experiences I've had in my traveling. I wont lie, we were all hesitant to book this trip as there were few reviews, and quite frankly thought it'd be a boring trip. The initial leg of the ride from Cairo to the camp hotel was long and not as expected. However, when we got there and met our desert guide (Michael, can't for the life of me remember his Arabic name), the experience was great. The number of stars you see in a dark sky; the silence you get to enjoy without the hustle and bustle of city life. A time that my entire group enjoyed and will cherish. Don't forget to bring wipes/TP, as the desert will be your bathroom. Also be sure to pack layers of clothing, we traveled in early March, it was warm during the day, but the night under the stars was quite cold. Also- approx 110 Egyptian Pounds (not included in the tour) for entry into the desert. The only reason I did not give it five stars was because we were told our 4 hour ride from Cairo to the desert hotel camp was going to be in a comfortable Jeep. It was actually the opposite. We spent the entire ride, 7 total passengers, crammed (with bags) into what would have been best for six people.

Response from Host, Mar 2020

Dear valued customer, Thank you very much for taking from your time to review your email experience with Deluxe Travel on Viator. Firstly we are glad that you enjoyed your tour and overall it was a nice experience. One point I want to clarify concerning the itinerary it states transfer from Cairo to Baharia by public sharing minivan and not 4x4 Jeep. We apologize if you missed that info or it was not clear for you. We hope that you give us another opportunity to serve you as our guest and offer you a memorable experience.

Beatiful places and excellent staff

Peter, Mar 2020

I was very positively surprised about the whole trip. First, the communication with the organizer and driver was smooth and clear. In Bahariya itself, we were given detailed instructions about what followed. The main guide was very experienced and willing to explain everything about the life in the desert and how the people cope with local conditions. The places such as Black Desert, Crystal Mountain, White Desert were beautiful and I had no idea such places exist in Sahara desert. The night itself was amazing, with Bedouin songs after the dinner next to a fire. Value for money for this trip is great.

Out of this world

Jorge_A, Oct 2019

My title best describes this adventure. Climbing black desert mountains, skiing down mountains of sand, trekking thru the white desert is like walking on another planet. So remote, so quiet, so desolate. We were fortunate enough to be there for a full moon. The night walk was as close to walking on another planet as anything I could ever imagine. The outpost station was great, the food was outstanding. If you take this trip you'll truly will never regret or forget it, if you dont, you just might regret it. Badar our guide made this adventure that much better. Be sure to ask for Badar

Sleeping under the stars

Michelle_S, Jan 2019

Excellent, your choice of sleeping under the stars or in a tent, I choose under the star and seen also a spectacular sunrise. Food was delicious and the rock formations amazing.

Gaie Luron en vadrouille

RicardAlexis_N, Nov 2023

Tout était parfait l acceuil nos deux chauffeur l ambiance la nuit à la belle étoile et la soirée Merci

Incroyable expérience

Lucas_S, Sep 2023

Incroyable expérience. Beaucoup de route mais à la fin on est très satisfaits: des paysages à couper le souffle, un repas excellent le soir, une nuit à la belle étoile sous un ciel magnifique ! Je recommande !!