The Western Desert Egypt, which is roughly the size of Texas, is a part of the Sahara Desert that has captured the imagination of travelers ever since visitors first started arriving in the country.

Are you wondering what to see during your upcoming Egypt vacation? By now you have already considered the Pyramids and the Sphinx, as well as famous attractions like Islamic Cairo. You certainly couldn’t enjoy an Egyptian vacation without seeing the Nile River Valley or Red Sea Coast either!

Now consider another important landmark on the African continent, and another important part of Egypt’s fascinating history: the western Sahara Desert, Egypt (or Libyan Desert).

The Libyan Sahara Desert in Egypt measures 700,000 square kilometers of land, and is located to the west of the Nile River in Egypt as well as Libya. It is a popular destination for tourists, especially in Upper Egypt, where the Sahara Desert approaches the Nile. Around this area you can see a flood plain just a few kilometers wide.

Geography of the Western Desert of Egypt

When it comes to the Western Desert Egypt lays claim to an area which is comparable to the state of Texas, nearly two-thirds of all of Egypt’s land. This desert spans an area from the Mediterranean Sea southwards to the border of Sudan. The desert has the Jilf al Kabir Plateau, which has an altitude of approximately 1,000 meters.

It is also full of many ridges and basins throughout its area. Water around the region comes from the Nile or by local groundwater, as well as the Great Sand Sea which lies within the desert’s plain, spanning from the Siwa Oasis to Jilf al Kabir.

The Siwa Oasis is a famous location, as it was visited by Herodotus and Alexander the Great. Though the oasis is isolated from the rest of Egypt it has always managed to sustain life from ancient times to this day. Siwa Oasis tours are among the most popular Egypt desert tours.

Western Desert Tours

What can you expect from a Western Desert Egypt tour? Most last for about an entire week, including weekends, and encompass a tour of the Libyan Desert in Egypt, along with other popular Egypt destinations, like Cairo and Alexandria.

Expect to see several oases on the tour, since they all form a topographic chain of basins. You will probably see the Bahariya Oasis, the Siwa Oasis, Arag, Bahrein, Sitra, Nawemisa Oasis and the Farafra Oasis. Last but not least, you’ll almost certainly visit the White Desert and the Black Desert.

Egypt desert tours may unfold in a variety of ways, including by microbus, donkey-drawn carriage or trekking. Naturally, these tours stop for all the amenities and refreshments that you would need traveling the legendary Sahara Desert. A Western Desert Egypt tour is one of the most vivid experiences you will ever have.