Desert Tours
Bawiti is teeming with desert safari operators, so you won’t have to go far to find them; more likely, they’ll find you. Touts and guides await arriving buses and service taxis from Cairo, funneling passengers into four-wheel-drive vehicles that spirit them off to the desert or “safari camps” on the edge of town. The competition is fierce and prices negotiable.
A good starting point is Bawiti's Tourist Information Office, where Mohamed ‘Abd al-Qader (012/373–6567) can explain your tour options and help with pricing them. Expect him to plug his own crew, who run vanilla half-day tours to the desert sites near Bawiti for £E100 per vehicle. A standard overnight trip to the White Desert (including stops in the Black Desert, Al-Hayez, Crystal Mountain, and Al-Agabat) runs £E700 a vehicle (maximum four people) plus park fees. For an extra £E100, the driver will drop you off in Qasr al-Farafra the following morning.
Of course, you’re free to choose from the dozens of other operators. The most reliable are those attached to established hotels and safari companies. While eager freelancers might beat them on price, their competence and accountability become increasingly important the further off the beaten path you go. An overnight trip to the White Desert is easily managed, but inexperience will become obvious—and possibly dangerous—on longer excursions.
Whichever outfit you select, ensure that the four-wheel-drive vehicles are in good condition and that you have adequate water in case of a breakdown. All off-road trips should include at least one extra support vehicle to carry fuel, supplies, and spares.
Another way to experience the desert is to travel on foot or by camel. Overnight and multiday treks can be organized independently, or in conjunction with jeep safaris. The going rate on camel safaris at press was £E100 to £E120 per person per day.
Tour Operators
Desert Ship Safari. This company is a small outfit run by desert guru Yahia Kandil, who arranges everything from one-day camel safaris to weeks-long jeep trips to the Gilf Kibeer. His prices are hard to beat, and the quality is tops. Agouz village, Bawiti, Giza. 02/3849–6754; 012/321–6790; www.desertshipsafari.com.
El Beshmo Lodge. This lodge is the home of veteran guide Lotfi ‘Abd al-Seed, whose son Ahmed now leads excursions as far afield as the Gilf Kibeer with consistently good reviews. Al-Beshmo Springs, Bawiti, Giza. 02/3847–3500; www.beshmolodge.com.
Western Desert Hotel. The hotel has a fleet of off-road vehicles and arranges budget-oriented trips to the Black and White deserts. It also has sandboards, which you can use to surf the towering dunes once there. Center of town, just off main street, Bawiti, Giza. 02/3847–1600; www.westerndeserthotel.com.
White Desert Tours. This tour company is run by German transplant Peter Wirth, who uses reputable local guides for everything from laid-back day trips to adrenalin-filled desert excursions. His reputation is sterling. International Hot Spring Hotel, entrance just outside town on the road to Cairo, Bawiti, Giza. 02/3847–3014; www.whitedeserttours.com.
