For many who dream to travel to the moon, but can’t, the lunar landscape of Egypt’s White Desert, is no less than a trip to the Earth‘s natural satellite. By Tanvi Jain
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Egypt’s White Desert National Park is a completely different planet in itself. Located in the Farafra depression — the second biggest depression in western Egypt — this place is just a five-hour drive from Cairo. Dune bashing, sandboarding, mountain biking, and kayaking in the nearby Bahariya Oasis, are some of the activities you can engage in on your trip to this wonderland.
The adventurous journey to this beautiful desert starts with the Black Desert, located towards the south beyond the Bahariya oasis. The Black deserts are a bunch of unique mountain ranges carrying a coat of black stones, which came out from volcanoes millions of years ago.
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As soon as you hike to one of its peaks, you realise that the area is devoid of any life, and there’s just one road, which by the way doesn’t take you to the White Desert National Park. Instead, you have to dune bash across the desert, and after experiencing the adrenaline rush, while zigzagging down the rolling dunes, you finally get a chance to witness the picturesque White Desert.
The place gives a gentle reminder of the impact of climate change on our planet. A collection of calcified limestone rocks, sculpted over time due to sand and wind, proves the fact that the desert was once a sea or an ocean.
The colour of the rocks can also be seen changing its shade during the course of the day — from white to creamy and then to golden brown. At night, the depth of the landscape and the zero-light pollution, allow the stars to shine bright and make the place, one of the best spots to observe the Milky Way. Moreover, the brightness of the moon reflecting on the rocks, give the desert a blueish glow.
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Other popular attractions that deserve your attention include the Chicken and Mushroom sculptures, named after their shapes; and the English Mountains called so because of the ruins of British World War I.
While a challenging ride to the top gives you a 360-degree view of the entire oasis, the thrilling cycle ride to the bottom takes you to the calm therapeutic Bahariya Salt Lake – ideal for Kayakers to capture the sunset.
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