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Deluxe Trips Egypt
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 The White Desert after dark, A Sinai Trail day, Sunrise on Mount Sinai
The White Desert after dark RemoveA Sinai Trail day RemoveSunrise on Mount Sinai Remove
Starting price
Starting priceUSD 99Per 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 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 65Per person on the small-group night climb.Your written quote confirms the price for your party, dates and choices.
Where it startsBahariyaSt CatherineSt Catherine, from Sharm El Sheikh or Dahab
ActivityCamps & night skyHiking & climbsHiking & climbs
Skill or certificationNone; comfort with a simple campA full day's hiking on rough groundA steady night climb; no technical skill
Minimum ageWe discuss it for familiesTeenagers used to hikingTeenagers used to walking
Time actually doing itSunset, the night and first lightMost of the day on footAbout 2.5–3 hours up and 1.5 hours down
Total timeOvernight from BahariyaFull dayOvernight, about 14 hours from Sharm El Sheikh
Best seasonOctober to April; nights are coldSpring and autumn; winter nights are cold at altitudeYear-round; the summit is freezing in winter
What you seeChalk formations, the night sky and dawnGranite wadis, Bedouin gardens and springsSunrise over the Sinai mountains, then St Catherine's Monastery
What it asksA long road transfer, a simple camp, cold desert hours after sunset and flexibility around wind and protected-area rules.A full day on rough ground, climbs at altitude, and heat or cold depending on the season.A night without sleep and a steady climb at altitude, then the descent. It is cold on the summit in every season, and freezing in winter.
What we confirm first
  • Permits, exact route, licensed vehicles, camp location and environmental practice
  • Sleeping equipment, meals, water, sanitation and dietary handling
  • Weather, communications, emergency plan and whether astronomical guidance is actually available
  • 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
  • A registered Bedouin guide for the climb
  • Warm layers, a torch and water; blankets can be hired near the top
  • The monastery's opening hours for your date, which change with religious holidays
  • The route to St Catherine, which stays outside the area the UK government advises against
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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.