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A sand dune near 'Areg in the Siwa depression, on the edge of the Great Sand Sea.

Experiences · Desert & sand

Sand, rock and a night sky with nothing in the way.

About these experiences

From a quad on the desert edge near the pyramids to a night among the White Desert's chalk: choose how you want to move through the desert, and compare how long you spend doing it, what it asks of you and what we check first.

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Starting prices are the lowest to expect; times are our planning estimates. Every detail is confirmed before anything is arranged.

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Comparison of A Sinai Trail day, Saqqara by quad and dirt bike, A telescope night in the Eastern Desert
A Sinai Trail day RemoveSaqqara by quad and dirt bike RemoveA telescope night in the Eastern Desert Remove
Starting price
Starting priceUSD 65Per person in a small group with a Bedouin guide; a private guide costs more.Your written quote confirms the price for your party, dates and choices.
Starting priceUSD 100Per person at the lowest group rate; solo travellers and couples pay more.Your written quote confirms the price for your party, dates and choices.
Starting priceUSD 30Per person on a shared evening.Your written quote confirms the price for your party, dates and choices.
Where it startsSt CatherineSaqqara, from Cairo or GizaHurghada
ActivityHiking & climbsQuad & ATVCamps & night sky
Skill or certificationA full day's hiking on rough groundNone; a briefing and practice come firstNone
Minimum ageTeenagers used to hikingSet by the operator; younger children ride as passengers where allowedAll ages; children need to stay up late
Time actually doing itMost of the day on footAbout two to three hours of ridingAbout two hours under the sky
Total timeFull dayAbout 5 hours with hotel transfersAbout 4 hours
Best seasonSpring and autumn; winter nights are cold at altitudeYear-round; ride early or late in summerYear-round; best near the new Moon
What you seeGranite wadis, Bedouin gardens and springsOpen desert with the Step Pyramid of Djoser on the skylineMoon, planets or star clusters when visible; the Milky Way is a naked-eye target, not a guaranteed telescope view
What it asksA full day on rough ground, climbs at altitude, and heat or cold depending on the season.Dust, heat, vibration and the balance to control a machine. Closed shoes, long trousers and eye protection matter. Not suitable where a medical condition, age or confidence makes control uncertain.Nothing but patience and a warm layer: desert nights are cold from November to March.
What we confirm first
  • A registered guide from the tribe whose section you walk
  • That the section lies outside the area north of the St Catherine–Nuweiba road, where the UK government advises against all but essential travel
  • The section, its length and height gain
  • Season, water and a way down if the weather turns
  • The exact riding area and its permissions, outside the archaeological enclosures
  • A correctly fitting helmet, goggles, a briefing and practice time before the ride
  • Actual riding minutes, the leader-to-rider ratio and what happens if someone wants to stop
  • That tips are settled in advance, so nobody asks for one halfway through the desert
  • An astronomy guide and telescope, not only a campfire and binoculars
  • Moon phase, target visibility, cloud conditions and the weather-change policy for your date
  • Supper, dietary needs and the return time
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  • 4×4 & dunes · Siwa

    The edge of the Great Sand Sea

    From Siwa into the dunes by four-wheel drive, a board down a slope, and dusk at a spring.

    Time
    Half day to sunset
    Needs
    None; a taste for thrills
    Starting priceUSD 50
    Read more : The edge of the Great Sand Sea
    What we confirm before you go
    • A licensed local driver and a vehicle in sound condition
    • That the route lies within the areas the UK government's travel advice excepts: Siwa and the Marsa Matruh–Siwa road are named; the open desert beyond is not
    • Any desert permit needed for the route
    • Water, shade and a safe return time
    Comparison full (3) Add to my trip: The edge of the Great Sand Sea

Tours

Desert tours and overnight trips

Guided days with transport and the arrangements taken care of, each on request.
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Photography credits (4)

Ahmed Yousry Mahfouz, CC BY-SA 4.0; Bilal Detailz, CC BY-SA 4.0; Ibrahim El-Mezayen, CC BY-SA 4.0; Bernd Out, CC BY-SA 3.0. Resized and cropped for display.

Questions?

Not sure which desert & sand experience fits?

Tell us where you are staying, when, and who is coming. We reply with what fits, the price for your party and what we confirm first. Nothing is booked until you accept.

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Photography credits (8)

Roland Unger, CC BY-SA 3.0; Berthold Werner, CC BY 3.0; Norhan Elmaghrabi, CC BY-SA 4.0; Egy2030, CC BY-SA 4.0; Sara Nabih, CC BY-SA 4.0; Fadyhesham0, CC BY-SA 3.0; Ahmed Yousry Mahfouz, CC BY-SA 4.0; Mohamed kamal 1984, CC BY-SA 4.0. Resized and cropped for display.