12 day desert safari to Gilf El Kebir

Day 1 – Cairo to Dakhla Oasis by bus. Overnight at the Dakhla Desert Lodge

Day 2 –Dakhla Oasis to Sugar Loaf
Visit El Kasr (The Fortress), a medieval Ayyubid Islamic City founded circa 1100AD. Highlights include a landmark 21M mudbrick minaret of the Nasr El Din mosque, and the house of Abu Nafir with its heavy carved door. It is said to be built over remains of a Ptolemaic period temple  as the door jambs depict hieroglyphs, perhaps from re-used blocks. Overnight near Sugar Loaf, a memorial to one of the prioneer modern-day explorers, Samir Lama

Day 3 – Sugar Loaf to Mud Pan & The Crater
Continue our drive southwest toward the Gilf Plateau, we will stop by Mud Pan (Neolithic lake) and pass by The Crater – the largest prehistoric meteor crater in Africa. We will be passing many vehicle and war relics leftover from the military activity during World War II.

Day 4 : Eight Bells  to Wadi Wassa
We enter the Gilf. One of our stops is a WWII landing strip at Eight Bells, so named as there are 8 significant hills along this way.

Day 5 : Wadi Wassa to Wadi Sora
We will then enter Wadi el Forak where we will view the Cave of the Swimmers and other rock art discovered in the same area. Also visit the majestic abundance of cave art in the Foggini/ Mestikawi cave recovered in 2004

Day 6 : Wadi el-Forak to Wadi Hamra
We will then enter Wadi el Forak where we will view the Cave of the Swimmers and other rock art discovered in the same area. Also visit the majestic abundance of cave art in the Foggini/ Mestikawi cave recovered in 2004  

Day 07: Wadi Hamra – Wadi Sora
At Wadi Hamra, acacia trees and desert greenery dot the landscape, we will be visiting some prehistoric rock art. Possibly preceding the Neolithic cave art seen in Qantara and Wadi Sora.

Day 08 : Gilf Kebir – Great Sand Sea
We continue north and start descending the Gilf Plateau towards the Great Sand Sea passing through el-Seleka where the natural phenomenon of pure silica has formed. These may be found on the soft sands of El-Seleka.

Day 09: Great Sand Sea
Continuing northeast we pass through Baher el-Ramla towards Ain Dallah through the Great Sand Sea. The great sand dunes are ideal for sandboarding and mesmerizing to walk through.

Day 10:  Western Desert   
We will exit the Great Sand Sea towards the Western White Desert where dazzling white calcite and limestone formations among the beige desert sands will amaze you. Option : exit the western white desert on asphalt road to a natural hot spring in Farafra Oasis. (Exercising this option will cut short your time in the Western White Desert)

Day 11: Western Desert –Bahariyya Oasis
We continue through the White Desert towards Bahariya through Akabet and over night in the Black Desert. Experience the contrasting desert landscapes and differences in the terrain through these places.

Day 12 : Bahariyya – Cairo
After breakfast, we head into Bahariyya Oasis and continue our 4hour trip back to Cairo on asphalt. (480km) Option (time permitting): visit to the Museum of Golden Mummies and Greco Roman Tombs of Bahariyya. These will require separate entrance fees.