Description
Begin by flying to Cairo and spend a day exploring the city. You then set off on your drive into the desert via Bahariya where you can stop for lunch and where you will meet your specialist desert driver. Continue by road for a few hours before heading into the desert towards your private camp at Al Bahrein. The camp is surrounded by dunes on all sides, and you will likely be the only visitors to this part of the desert. Watch the sunset as you sip a refreshing drink, served by your butler, before sitting down to a three course dinner under the stars. At night, retire to your marquee style tent, complete with a fixed bed, inviting mattress and candles.
The next day you awake to the cooking of scrambled eggs and fresh coffee, and as you look at the view, you realise how far away from everything you really are, with dunes all around you as far as you can see. You will set off in a 4x4 with your local Siwan driver on a full day through the dunes, and you will likely not see another vehicle, as you make fresh tracks through the Great Sand Sea. Arrive at a great spot for the sunset before driving to Adrere Amellal, which will be lit up with countless candles. You will wake up the next day to an amazing view of the salt-water lake and the charm and subtle delights of Adrere Amellal.
You will have three nights or so in Siwa, ample time to both sit back by the pool and soak up the Saharan sun or head off on excursions into the town or back into the desert.
At the end of your stay, you will make your final desert drive towards Tabaghbagh, another amazing spot for a night in the desert before driving back along the Northern route to Cairo, passing El Alamein where you might want to stop at the war graves cemetery.
After a night in Cairo you could either fly home, or possibly extend your time in Egypt by heading down to the Nile Valley or flying to one of Egypt’s beaches at Hurghada or Sharm El Sheikh.
Guide price
£3,275 per person
£3,275 price per person for 8 nights on a fully inclusive basis in the desert, and B&B in Cairo, includes private transfers and all excursions
Itinerary
When to travel
Egypt enjoys a mild climate, making it a good year round destination. However, temperatures increase as you travel due south. Cairo can be chilly between December and February, and very hot between June and September. But the heat in Egypt is made bearable by the northerly breeze that leads to a drop in temperature at night. Peak temperatures in Upper Egypt occur between May and October, and are accompanied by extremely low humidity. The best time to visit Cairo is in the cooler months between November and March
Cairo has long-standing populations of major religious groups and past colonial powers, so it’s possible to find celebrations for most every major holiday. Islam, however, is the prevailing force here, and the month of Ramadan is one of the most pronounced Islamic holidays. It happens in July or August, and during this time, some shops and restaurants may stay closed during the daytime fast.
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Best time to visit
Good time to visit
Average time to visit
Not applicable
Location and directions
Egypt
Mena House Oberoi is located in the Giza district of Cairo, the capital of Egypt. From there its a 8-hour drive into the desert and your Private Desert Camp.
How to get there
5-hour direct flight to Cairo International airport. The airport is a 45-minutes drive from the Mena House Oberoi.
