Egypt 2004: The White Desert
Luxor – Cairo – Bahariya – Farafra – Dakhla – Kharga – Luxor – Hurghada (october 28 – november 25, 2004)
Along the Nile into the Western Desert
Luxor – Bahariya
After a beautiful train journey along the Nile Valley, we gaze as dwarfs to the impressive pyramids of Gizeh, the starting place of our route into the Western Desert. We cycle along huge building projects and it takes almost a day before we have left the outskirts of Cairo. Finally we ride trough a desolate brown plain, along a railway. We set up our first camp. The pleasant feeling of that first desert night changes into bewilderment the following morning. The wind, that has been our friend gently blowing us forward, blows our tent away during breakfast. Because there is a dew each morning, we sleep in deserted train houses, empty water reservoirs and other buildings the following nights.
The beautiful al-Bahr depression is a nice change in the rather monotonous landscape. Further down the road, some lonely train workers wave us down. It is ramadan and the sun is high in the sky, but the gentlemen want to make us tea. Then the iron ore train arrives at the little station. Three dirty men step out and offer us a lift with the train. A few hours later, we jump out of the wagon in the mine of Managim. We are at the Bahariya oasis.
The Black and White Deserts
Bahariya – Farafra
In Bawiti, capital of the Bahariya oasis, we enjoy the hotsprings before we continue our route. Between Bahariya and Farafra, the Lybian desert shows all her beauty. Black-topped mountains rise from the yellow and brown sand, followed by strange white lime sculptures. Even the cursed wind, that has become our enemy, can’t disturb the fun. A police patrol tries it also, they insist to guide us, “for our security”. Their only task however seems to beg for water and cigarettes. In Qasr Farafra they leave us alone and we enjoy the surprisingly authentic oasis.
The call of the Pharaos
Farafra – Hurghada
Now follows the long road to Abu Minqar and Dakhla. After an extended exploration of the oasis we head east to Kharga. A checkpoint blocks the road to Baris so, having enough of that same asphalt road and with the wind pestering us, we take the weekly train to the Nile Valley. Our journey ends with a visit to the pharaonic heritage of Luxor and a deserved dive in the Red Sea in Hurghada (of all places…).
