Desert Safari Tour to El Gilf El Kebir vacation
Overview
Do you want to like the desert safari adventures? A desert safari to El-Gilf El-Kebir tour will be an amazing choice to live this type of adventure. Our Egypt tours are carefully designed to adapt to your preferences and ensure that you have a complete, wonderful adventure for both desert safari and history lovers. The Gilf Kebir, meaning "The Great Barrier," is located deep in the Sahara Desert. Gilf Kebir is one of the driest places on Earth, with almost no rainfall, which causes Saharan drought. Through our Egypt Desert Safari tours to El Gilf El Kebir, you can uncover these hidden valleys and glimpse the prehistoric civilization that inhabited this remote region 10,000 years ago. For a unique and memorable holiday, our well-crafted Egypt Travel Packages offer an extraordinary chance to experience the desert’s wonders. In addition, Egypt Shore Excursions provides an amazing opportunity to explore Egypt’s stunning desert landscapes and visit some of the world's most iconic historical sites.
Inclusion
- Assistance from Cairo Top Tours representatives throughout all Egypt Travel Packages.
- Transport provided by private air-conditioned vehicles.
- One night’s accommodation in Dakhla Oasis, including breakfast and dinner.
- Six nights of desert camping with three meals per day.
- All necessary camping equipment supplied.
- Entrance fees to all sites listed in the itinerary.
- Internal desert transport arranged via a 4x4 jeep.
- All Egypt tours are private.
- Stops for snacks or rest are available upon request.
- All meals as specified in the itinerary.
- Bottled water is provided on board during all Egypt safari trips.
- All service charges and taxes are included.
- Shopping tours are available in Cairo.
Exclusion
- International flight tickets.
- Entry visa for Egypt.
- Beverages with meals.
- Tipping is not included in the Desert Safari Trip to El Gilf El Kebir.
Itinerary
Our representative will meet you and transfer you to Dakhla Oasis in a Jeep vehicle. We’ll start by visiting the Roman Temple of Deir El Hagar, one of Egypt’s smallest temples, located about 15 km from Al Qasr and 47 km from Mut.
Next, we’ll explore the beautiful rock-cut tombs at the Roman burial site of Muzzawaqa. After lunch, we’ll tour the historic Islamic village of Al Qasr.
It’s time to relax. In the afternoon, unwind by the pool, and then visit the lush surroundings of Dakhla to enjoy its clear blue skies and golden dunes. Watch the sunset on the edge of the Great Sand Sea while sipping tasty Bedouin tea.
You’ll spend the night at the Desert Lodge in Dakhla, perched atop a cliff with views of the verdant village and the stunning pink rose mountains that Dakhla Oasis is known for. Check into your hotel and stay overnight.
We recommend wearing white, cotton clothing to stay comfortable and protected from the sun during the tour.
Included Meals: Lunch, Dinner.
After a hearty breakfast, we’ll get ready for our exploration of Gilf El Kebir. Millions of years ago, at the end of the Tertiary period, Gilf served as a watershed from which water flowed in all directions. Over the past 100,000 years, its wadis have been shaped by both water and wind. The highest cliffs are found on the south and southwest sides.
Our first stop will be the Sugar Loaf area, a notable landmark in El Gilf El Kebir featuring the iconic Sugar Loaf hill and arch. We’ll then visit the Mud Lions area, which was once a vast lake but is now dry. Erosion and atmospheric changes have sculpted the rocks into shapes resembling lions, hence the name.
In the evening, enjoy stargazing, enjoy a delicious dinner, and spend the night at our camp.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
We’ll continue our journey as we reach the Aqaba path to explore the western hills of Gilf El Kebir.
Our first stop will be the Swimmer’s Cave, located in Wadi Sura (Valley of Pictures), which was discovered by Almasi in October 1933. Frobenius’s expedition had previously searched for rock art in Uweinat and the western valleys of Gilf, areas explored by Patrick Clayton two years earlier. While Clayton’s son believes his father was the first to find the wadi and its caves, it was Almasi who uncovered and named the Swimmer’s Cave.
The cave is a small depression at the start of the wadi, open to the elements. Inside, you’ll find over a thousand figures in various styles. The famous swimmers, painted red and measuring about 10 centimeters long, feature small, round heads on stem-like and tadpole-like bodies, with spider-like arms and legs.
Next, we’ll visit the Mestekawi Cave, discovered in 2002 by an Egyptian-Italian tourist group led by Massimo Foggini (an Italian tourist) and Ahmed Mistikaoui (an Egyptian tourist). This cave is renowned for its well-preserved ancient rock drawings.
Later, we’ll set up camp in Wadi Sura, where we’ll enjoy the enchanting surroundings, stargaze, have a delicious dinner, and spend the night in our comfortable camp.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Each day, breakfast will be prepared and served at the camp. We’ll then set off in the jeep to Wadi Abd El Malik, an area also discovered by Al Masi. Here, you’ll explore the stunning acacia forest and capture some amazing photos.
We’ll end the day by camping in Wadi Abd El Malik, where we’ll relax with the local Bedouins, enjoying tea and dinner in the peaceful desert.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
After breakfast at the camp, we’ll continue our amazing Desert Safari Trip to El Gilf El Kebir. Our first stop is the Silica Glass Area, formed 26 million years ago. This remarkable site features large patches of stunningly clear yellow and green silica glass scattered across the landscape, creating a truly mysterious and breathtaking view.
We’ll then set up camp in the Silica Glass area and spend the rest of the day with the local Bedouins, enjoying tea and dinner in the desert.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Have breakfast at the camp before continuing your scenic safari to Ain Dalla water spring, one of Egypt's most beautiful and calming natural springs, surrounded by palm trees on all sides. Enjoy a refreshing dip in the warm water or take some time to meditate.
Afterwards, we'll set up camp in the same area and spend the evening with the local Bedouins, drinking tea and enjoying dinner in the peaceful desert setting.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Today, following our early breakfast, we'll set off for Cairo after spending 7 fantastic nights on our safari trip to El Gilf El Kebir.
Meals: Breakfast
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Our tours cover all the unique places during your Safari Tours in Egypt such as Dakhla Oasis and the Gilf El Kebir. You will see the sugar loaf hill and Mud Lions. You will explore Swimmer's Cave, which is actually located in Wadi Sura, the Mestekawi Cave, Wadi Abd El Malik, Silica Glass Area, and Ain Della.
Many desert safari tours in Egypt include meals and refreshments, such as traditional Bedouin cuisine and bottled water. However, it's a good idea to confirm what is included with your tour operator.
There are various activities you can enjoy during an Egypt Desert Safari. These include dune bashing (driving over sand dunes in a 4x4 vehicle), camel riding, sandboarding (surfing down sand dunes on a board), stargazing in the clear desert skies, visiting ancient desert fortresses and ruins, and camping in the desert under the stars.
Cairo has a fan-like form; it is largest in the north where the river valley merges with the delta, and it is smallest in the south where it is tucked between desert escarpments. The city grew westward over the ages as land became flood-free due to a receding river channel.
What does El-Gilf Kebir mean? “The Great Barrier.” It’s a huge sandstone plateau rising about 300 meters above the surrounding desert in the southwest corner of Egypt, near the borders with Libya and Sudan. Gilf Kebir is one of the driest places on Earth, with almost no rainfall and extreme arid conditions.
This place has an amazing variety of places to visit, such as the “Cave of Swimmers,” found in Wadi Sura, which is especially famous for its paintings of people in swimming poses, and Magharet el Kantara is another rock art site with cattle and pastoral scenes that reflect a much wetter prehistoric climate.
A desert safari trip to El Gilf El Kebir allows you to have an amazing blend of the Sahara and historical adventures.
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