Planning Your Time

Bahariya and Farafra, some 365 km (226 miles) southwest of Cairo, make a good two-day trip. Plan to spend at least one night in Bahariya so you have a full day for the Black Desert and to camp in the White Desert. With another two days, you could add a trip to Siwa or Kharga (and Dakhla). If you choose to go to Siwa, do that first and then drive east across the desert to Bahariya. Allow at least a week to visit all of the Western Desert oases; more time if you intend to fully explore them.