The Western Desert of Egypt, located between the Nile Valley and the
edge of the Great African desert, is among the areas in Egypt that are
still less visited and explored in comparison with other regions like
Cairo, Sinai, the North Coast, and Upper Egypt.
Fifteen years ago, in the beginning of the 3rd millennium
in particular, the Western Desert of Egypt started attracting the
attention of Egyptian and international travelers, especially after the
Egyptian government developed the road going from Cairo to the oasis
located in the Western Desert.
Its surreal rock formations, and truly white sands offer
a stunningly stark contrast to the yellow desert. The rocks take
on
tints of blue, pink and orange as the sun sets, and at night
the sands
resemble snow. Apart from the heat, it could easily be mistaken for
an Arctic
The
rock formations in White Desert
Egypt, composed
of a combination
of
chalk and limestone, were created by wind erosion. They consist of various
organic shapes, sometimes defying
the laws of nature and
the laws of nature and
gravity,
with enormous rocks perched precariously on particularly thin bases.
The
area ofWhite Desert Egypt is referred to by Bedouin as
‘Wadi Gazar’ or Valley of the
Carrots, after the shape of some of the pinnacles found here. It has also
been said that the rocks resemble white sphinxes, stone camels or mythological
birds. One thing is for certain, the rock formations offer a
stunning
backdrop to an otherworldly desert experience.
backdrop to an otherworldly desert experience.
Also
worth exploring are the springs found in the surrounding area.
Unlike
the rest of the desert which lies in the 120 km (75 mi) Farafra
Depression
, the springs are marked by hillocks created when sand attaches itself to
vegetation
near water.
Limestone
Rock Formation In The White Desert,
Egypt
The
plants continue to grow despite their struggle against being
suffocated
by sand and eventually from hills that are often quite dramatic.
