People who have visited White Desert Protectorate say it’s a truly magical place that’s hard to leave. It’s one of the more recently declared protectorates of Egypt and is located totally within the Farafra area. Most people who come to visit the Farafra oasis pay visit to the White Desert that lies in the area north of the Qasr el Farafra. The spectacular scenery of the White Desert makes it even more popular among tourists. The white chalk of the depression is dotted with inselbergs embedded with numerous fossil seashells. Also, the ground here is scattered with thousands of oxidized iron pyrites concretions. Two small and inhabited oases comprise the protectorate: Wadi Hennis and Karawein Depression.
Natural Wealth In The White Desert
The White Desert protectorate is home to a very large and old specimen of Acacia nilotica which makes the place very important scientifically. Also in the White Desert area, you can find animals like The Slender-horned Gazelle, and Gazella Leptoceros. It's a very popular area for tourists and residents who come to enjoy the White Desert's unique scenery. At some point in time, the desert was a habitat for many roaming herds of elephants, giraffes, gazelles, and other animals. At that time, the desert would have been a savannah with lush green areas and lakes full of fish. The place seems to have been an ideal hunting ground for pre-historic men.
The Diversity Of The White Desert
In the White Desert, you can find many unique and spectacular land formations which have been sculpted by the harsh winds. The winds have carved the formations into weird shapes that keep constantly changing over time. Here you can find formations like ‘monoliths’ and ‘mushrooms’, ‘ice cream cones’, ‘tents’ and ‘crickets’, as well as the majestic conical flat-topped ‘inselbergs’, to name just a few of the formations.
White Desert, now a protectorate, is like a natural wonder of Egypt and is referred to as White Desert Park. The outer parts nearest the road are known as the Old Desert and can be reached in a normal vehicle. A large number of tourists choose an overnight camping safari, which helps them enjoy the contrast of both sunset and dawn.
It’s often said that night at the protectorate spent under the stars is an experience never forgotten. As the sky turns pink then the deepest fiery orange, the rock shapes fade, and silence is all around. You can enjoy it thoroughly while sitting around a small fire and enjoying a simple meal of chicken, rice, and vegetables. If the moon is nearly full, the white chalk rock shapes glow eerily, which is very cool to see.
The White Desert is a place that is very hard to leave. It’s bound to offer you a truly magical experience. The protectorate is justifiably the most well-known desert destination in Egypt - and for good reason!
