Egypt - White Desert / Cairo

Egypt is famous for the wonders of Pharaonic civilization and the Nile Valley. But it should not be forgotten that the country is mostly covered with deserts, often overlooked as the Lybian desert, especially the White Desert whose landscapes are unique ... Located in Farafra depression 500 km from Cairo, the Desert white was formed in the Cretaceous: there is approximately 70 million years, the sea invaded the area and put layers of limestone on the existing sandstone. Today, the main rock of the desert is a chalk worked by erosion.

 

Lyon after a flight to Cairo via Vienna, I still had a little time to explore the city. I went on foot to the area of Islamic Cairo (fatimique) for a stroll through the narrow streets between the Al-Azhar mosque and El-Hakim before returning to the very touristy souk Khan el-Khalili.
The next morning I joined the group Terres d'Aventure for a hike of about 80 km over 4-5 days in the White Desert. Leaving Cairo we conducted a (too ...) Quick visit to the site of the majestic pyramids of Giza and then take the road to the Bahariya Oasis. Our hike began at night to reach the first camp.
The first two days have led us to the discovery of a mysterious world of stalactites pristine white mushrooms and obelisks of chalk cliffs ... The third day we walked along the edges of the depression of Farafra to achieve Agabat Asphalt, White Desert area consisting of large domes that emerge from the sand, instead of our fourth camp. After crossing a deserted oasis, we made a stop at the Ein Khodra, small green area lost in the sand. We then continued our march towards the most characteristic landscapes of the desert for our last camp at a place called El Kheyam which extend to infinity domes chalk. A short walk allowed us the next day to find the road to Bahariya.
We visited the museum hangar golden mummies and subterranean tombs Bannentiu and Zed Amun Ankh IUF adorned with beautiful paintings, then return to Cairo after a long afternoon drive.
The next day allowed me to discover more of the city of Cairo, the Coptic neighborhood (Old Cairo), mosques (Sultan Hassan El Rifai, Ibn Tulun ...) and randomly wandering the streets and small markets. On the last day before flying out in the afternoon, I hired a taxi to make the "tour of the pyramids!" Back at the site of Giza to spend a little more time, then drive to the necropolis of Saqqara and the Step Pyramid of Djoser. Finally I discovered the site of Dahshur, much less frequented by tourists (I was almost alone ...) and its amazing pyramids as romboïdale Pyramid and the Red Pyramid.

Finally a trip very balanced between the bustle of the largest city in Africa, peace and aesthetics of the White Desert and explore the Pharaonic archaeological sites.