Description

Coming from Bahariya, you'll enjoy a succession of fantastic views as you enter the Farafra depression. We stop at Jebel al-Izaz or the Crystal Mountain, sited beside the highway shortly before the Naqb as-Sillum starts its descent into the oasis. This ridge is entirely composed of quartz crystal and has a human-high natural arch through the middle, which is why locals call it Hagar al-Makhrum, the “Rock with a Hole”. Small crystals lie all around, and there are lumps the size of footballs farther from the road. At this point, we turn off onto tracks leading to Agabat.

Agabat is the name given to scores of rock sugarloaves surrounded by soft sand and powdered chalk. This spectacularly rugged terrain merges into the famous White Desert (Sahara al-Beida) on either side of the highway. Here, the wind has eroded chalk monoliths into surreal forms resembling skulls, ostriches, hawks, camels, mushrooms and leopards, looming above a dusty pan strewn with shells, crystals and iron pyrites shaped like sea urchins or twigs. The chalk yardangs glint pale gold in the midday sun, turn violet and pink around sunset, and resemble icebergs or snowdrifts by moonlight – while gazelles may be glimpsed at daybreak as they forage for a few hours. Safari outfits distinguish between the “Old” and “New” White Deserts to the east of the highway and the larger inselbergs near the western escarpment – but you're sure to be entranced whatever the locality.

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