White Desert & Black Desert 2-Day Private Tour with Camping

best experience ever!

My brother and I had an amazing experience! We did the private tour and loved how flexible it was. Mostafa and Medo were awesome guides and we had a lot of fun! The food was incredible, we felt safe, and enjoyed from beginning to end. Every stop we made was incredible and they let us wander on our own. Sleeping under the stars was surreal (and comfy) and we even saw a fox!! they played good music the entire time too and even got us ice cream:) i’d recommend this tour to everyone i know!! The drive to the tour office from giza was long but we stopped for a break and the driver was really nice too

via Tripadvisor

White desert

Thank you for this expérience Thank you Mohamed the driver and Mustafa the guide !! And everyone

Response from the operator: Thank you so much for your kind review We’re delighted you enjoyed your White Desert & Black Desert adventure. Mohamed and Mustafa will be happy to know you appreciated their service. At Ramses Egypt Tours, we always strive to make every desert trip special and memorable. We hope to welcome you back to Egypt for another amazing experience

via Tripadvisor

Egypt’s White Desert Overnight Camping – An Honest Review: Please Read Before Booking!

A beautiful, unique and memorable adventure, but definitely not for everyone. Here’s what I wish every traveller knew before booking. I’m a woman in my late twenties, travelling solo, and I recently did the two-day, one-night camping trip to Egypt’s White and Black Deserts. I’m genuinely glad I experienced it. The landscapes are impressive, the desert is unlike anywhere else, and our guide Mustafa was absolutely wonderful. However, I think there are some very important things people need to understand before booking this trip. The photos online are beautiful, but they don’t necessarily prepare you for the reality: extremely long journeys, cramped transport, no toilets, very basic camping, freezing desert nights, limited communication and, perhaps most importantly, being completely disconnected from the outside world. I’m writing this not to discourage anyone, but to help people make an informed decision. First, ask yourself these 9 questions before booking 1. Can you comfortably spend 5–6 hours in a cramped van EACH WAY? That’s approximately 10–12 hours of driving just to reach the desert and return, not including the additional hours spent exploring in a 4×4. Our group consisted of six people: three men and three women. All of us were average to smaller in size, and none of us was particularly tall. Even so, the van was cramped. If you’re tall, broad-shouldered or need plenty of legroom, please take this seriously! 2. Are you comfortable spending several more hours in a 4×4 without air conditioning? Our vehicle had no AC. Thankfully, the weather was pleasant during our visit, and the breeze made it manageable. I can imagine this being much less comfortable in hotter weather. 3. Can you manage approximately 24 hours without a toilet or shower? Once you enter the desert, there are no toilet facilities. You’re out in nature, and that’s where you’ll have to manage your bathroom needs. Ladies, please think about this, particularly if you’re on your period. Bring wet wipes, tissues, hand sanitiser and anything else you might need. 4. Are you comfortable with camping that is as basic as it gets? You get a tent, a sleeping bag and a basic sleeping surface. No pillow, no proper bed, no bathroom facilities and certainly no luxury. This is real camping, not glamping. 5. Are you prepared for extremely cold desert nights? Don’t be fooled by the fact that you’re in Egypt! Bring layers, long trousers and a proper warm jacket. Seriously, you’ll thank me later. 6. Are you happy spending nearly two days with a group of strangers? You’ll spend considerable time together in confined vehicles, exploring and eating together. The tents themselves are not shared with strangers, but much of the rest of the experience is. 7. Are you comfortable with drivers who don’t speak English? None of our drivers spoke English. This wasn’t necessarily a problem for me, but communication can be challenging, especially when you’re in a remote environment. 8. Are you comfortable being somewhere with NO mobile reception? This is something I really want to highlight. Once we were out in the desert, I had no mobile reception or internet connection. I was using an international eSIM with worldwide coverage, including Egypt, but it didn’t provide coverage out there. There may be specialist options, such as Starlink or other satellite-based connections, but I wouldn’t assume you’ll have connectivity unless you’ve specifically arranged and verified it. Don’t assume that because your SIM or eSIM works in Egypt, it’ll work in the desert. 9. Are you physically well enough to handle this trip, knowing that you’re in the middle of nowhere? This is perhaps one of my most important considerations. If you’re feeling unwell, even slightly, I personally would not recommend doing this trip. And if you have an underlying medical condition, especially one that might require medication, monitoring or access to medical assistance, please think very carefully before booking. You’re travelling for hours into an extremely remote environment, with no ordinary mobile reception and limited facilities. I honestly cannot imagine doing this trip while feeling even slightly unwell. I’m in my late twenties, and even feeling perfectly fine, I found the experience physically demanding. This isn’t somewhere I’d want to be dealing with an unexpected illness or medical problem. Make sure you understand the conditions, consider your personal health needs, and ask the operator about their emergency arrangements before booking. ⸻ The journey – A LOT more driving than you might expect Our day started with pickup at approximately 6 AM, followed by collecting other travellers from their hotels. Around an hour later, we finally started the long journey towards the desert. The drive takes approximately 5–6 hours ONE WAY. The roads are generally well maintained, but that doesn’t change the fact that you’re sitting in a cramped van for a very long time. As mentioned, there were six of us, three men and three women, none particularly tall or large. Yet we were still quite squeezed together. If you’re taller or larger than average, I would strongly suggest checking the vehicle arrangements before booking. Once we arrived, we stopped for a traditional Egyptian lunch, which was actually very tasty. There was a toilet at this stop, but it was extremely basic and not particularly clean. I genuinely wondered when it had last been cleaned. After lunch, we transferred into a 4×4 to start exploring. Our 4×4 didn’t have air conditioning, but thankfully the weather was pleasant enough that this wasn’t a major issue for us. Still, it’s something worth knowing, especially if you’re travelling during warmer months. And remember, after spending most of your morning travelling, you’ll spend several more hours driving around the desert itself. The next day, you’ll also have the entire return journey. This is a physically tiring trip. Don’t underestimate that. Health, safety and being completely disconnected I think this deserves its own section because it’s something people might overlook when looking at beautiful photographs of the desert. You are genuinely in the middle of nowhere. There are no nearby shops, pharmacies or medical facilities, and in my experience, no ordinary mobile reception once you’re out in the desert. My international eSIM, which covers Egypt, was of no use there. If you’re relying on being able to message someone, look something up online or call for help using your mobile phone, don’t assume that will be possible. There may be specialist satellite communication options, but that’s something to confirm with the tour operator beforehand. None of our drivers spoke English either. Mustafa, our desert driver and guide, was absolutely lovely, and we managed perfectly well despite the language barrier. However, I think it’s worth considering how communication might work if something actually went wrong. As a solo female traveller in my late twenties, I personally didn’t have an issue with the remoteness or the communication barrier during our trip. But I did think about how different the experience would have been if I hadn’t felt well. Even a minor illness, stomach upset or headache could make such a long journey and basic camping experience considerably more uncomfortable. If you have an underlying health condition, please consider what being in such a remote environment might mean for you. I would recommend asking the tour operator how they handle emergencies, whether they have reliable communication equipment and how quickly someone could reach medical assistance if needed. And if you’re already feeling unwell before departure, I would seriously reconsider going. The desert is beautiful, but it’s not somewhere I would personally want to be if I wasn’t feeling 100%. The toilet situation – Ladies, please come prepared! Once you’re in the desert, there are no toilets. None. You have to manage your bathroom needs outdoors. There’s also no shower or proper running water for washing yourself. The toilet at our lunch stop before entering the desert was extremely basic, so don’t expect much there either. For women, I think this is particularly important to know in advance. Bring plenty of tissues, wet wipes, hand sanitiser and personal hygiene essentials. I’d also recommend bringing small sealable bags for used wipes, sanitary products and other rubbish, so you can carry everything out and dispose of it properly. And if you’re on your period, I would seriously consider whether this is the right time to take the trip. Of course, everyone manages these situations differently, but having no toilets, running water or proper washing facilities for such a long period can make things much more challenging. I’m not mentioning this to put people off. It’s simply practical information I would want to know before booking. The camping – As basic as camping gets! When I say basic, I really mean it. You get a tent, a sleeping bag and a basic place to sleep. That’s about it. The tents are not shared with strangers, but there are no pillows, comfortable beds or proper bathroom facilities. My number one recommendation: bring your own travel pillow! I brought mine, and I was extremely glad I did. It’s such a small thing, but it makes a difference when you’re sleeping in these conditions. Something else worth knowing is that the sleeping bags are already provided. Now, I have no idea when they were last cleaned. I’m not saying they weren’t clean, but if you’re particular about hygiene or uncomfortable using bedding when you don’t know who used it before you, consider bringing a sleeping bag liner. This is not a hotel, and you really shouldn’t expect it to be. It’s real, very basic camping. And it gets REALLY cold! Please don’t underestimate how cold the desert gets at night. You might spend the day enjoying pleasant temperatures, but once the sun goes down, it can get surprisingly cold. Bring proper layers, long trousers and a warm jacket. Not just a light jumper. A proper jacket. You’ll thank me later! I would rather carry a few extra clothes than spend the night freezing because I assumed Egypt would be warm. Between the thin sleeping arrangements and the cold night air, your choice of clothing can make a huge difference to your comfort. The advertised hot spring – Manage your expectations One of the stops is advertised as a hot spring. When I hear hot spring, I imagine a natural pool where you might relax and enjoy a swim. Well, not quite! The water was extremely hot and had a rather interesting smell, to put it politely. It was certainly interesting to see, but it wasn’t somewhere I would personally want to swim. I wouldn’t plan on this being a relaxing swimming or bathing opportunity. It’s more of an interesting stop along the way than anything else. Again, I’m not saying this to criticise the tour. I simply think people should know what to expect. The White and Black Deserts – The reason you’re here! Now, onto the beautiful part. The landscapes are genuinely impressive. The White Desert, with its unusual rock formations and enormous open spaces, feels almost otherworldly. The Black Desert offers a completely different landscape, and the contrast between the two is fascinating. There’s something very special about being surrounded by such vast, quiet and seemingly endless scenery. It’s definitely something I’m glad I experienced. However, I personally wouldn’t travel all that distance simply to see the desert and return the same day. If you’re going to make the journey, I would recommend including the overnight camping experience. Despite how basic it is, I think spending the night in the desert makes the long journey much more worthwhile. A special mention for Mustafa – Our wonderful driver and guide! I really want to give credit to Mustafa, our driver and guide in the desert. What a lovely, hardworking young guy! Mustafa was incredibly friendly and did everything with a smile on his face. He drove us around the desert, prepared our food, organised everything, set up camp and made sure everything was taken care of. We even got ice creams during one of our stops, which was such a lovely little moment. What impressed me most was his attitude. Despite the incredibly long hours and physically demanding work, he remained cheerful, welcoming and helpful throughout. We didn’t speak the same language, but that didn’t stop us from communicating. Sometimes you don’t need words to recognise genuine kindness. A smile, a friendly gesture and a willingness to help can go a long way. Mustafa certainly proved that. I also think travellers sometimes underestimate just how much work these guides do. While we were enjoying the scenery, Mustafa was driving. When we stopped, he was preparing food or organising things. When we arrived at camp, he was busy setting everything up. While we had opportunities to rest, he still had work to do. These are incredibly long and demanding working days, and I have a lot of respect for the effort involved. Thank you, Mustafa, for your kindness, positive attitude and hard work. You genuinely helped make this experience special! What I would recommend bringing Based on my experience, here’s what I would personally consider essential: * Travel pillow: There are no pillows provided, and I was very glad I brought mine. * Warm jacket, long trousers and layers: It gets cold at night. Don’t underestimate this. * Wet wipes, tissues and hand sanitiser: Absolutely essential when there are no toilets or showers. * Personal hygiene products: Particularly important for women, especially if you’re menstruating. * Small sealable waste bags: To carry used wipes and sanitary waste out of the desert. * Sleeping bag liner: Worth considering if you’re particular about the cleanliness of provided bedding. * Any necessary medication: Make sure you have everything you personally require, as you won’t have convenient access to a pharmacy. * Offline information and an emergency communication plan: Don’t rely on your mobile data working in the desert. You don’t need to pack your entire wardrobe, but a few carefully chosen essentials can make the experience considerably more comfortable. Would I recommend this trip? Yes, but only with realistic expectations. The landscapes are beautiful, the experience is unique, and spending a night in the desert is certainly memorable. However, there’s an enormous amount of driving, the vehicles can be cramped, the camping arrangements are extremely basic, and you have no toilets or showers once you’re in the desert. You’re also somewhere very remote, potentially without phone reception, and communication with the drivers may be limited. For me, the overall experience was a positive one, but I think it’s important to acknowledge that it won’t be suitable for everyone. At approximately €85, I certainly wasn’t expecting luxury. But there’s a difference between not expecting luxury and fully understanding just how basic and demanding an experience will be. I also want to make it clear that none of my comments about the facilities, transport or conditions are intended as criticism of Mustafa or the people working on these tours. Quite the opposite. Seeing firsthand how hard Mustafa worked gave me a greater appreciation for the effort that goes into making these trips possible. Would I do it again? Probably not. Not because I didn’t enjoy it, but because it’s an extremely long and tiring experience. Now that I’ve seen it, I don’t think I would put myself through such a physically demanding journey again. Am I glad I did it? Absolutely! It’s one of those once-in-a-lifetime experiences I’m genuinely happy to have had. I think an experience can be wonderful and memorable without necessarily being something you’d want to repeat. My final verdict – Who is this trip actually for? I would recommend this experience to: Adventurous travellers who are physically well, don’t mind long journeys, are comfortable with very basic camping and appreciate that being disconnected and uncomfortable can sometimes be part of the adventure. I would encourage these travellers to think carefully before booking: Anyone who struggles with lengthy journeys, taller or larger travellers who need more legroom, people who require regular bathroom access, those with health conditions that could require medical attention, and anyone expecting comfortable accommodation or reliable mobile reception. And if you’re feeling unwell, even slightly, I personally wouldn’t choose to do this trip. As a solo woman in my late twenties, I’m glad I went, and I didn’t feel that travelling alone prevented me from enjoying the experience. But I was also very aware of how remote we were and how different things could have been if something had gone wrong. My advice would be to go prepared, ask questions before booking and be realistic about the conditions. Bring your travel pillow, a proper warm jacket, long trousers, wet wipes and all your personal essentials. Don’t expect the hot spring to be a relaxing swimming spot. Don’t expect mobile reception simply because your eSIM covers Egypt. And definitely don’t underestimate how exhausting 10–12 hours of return driving, plus additional desert exploration, can be. The White Desert is genuinely beautiful, and Mustafa’s kindness and hard work made our experience even more memorable. Would I recommend it? Yes, to the right person. Would I do it again? Probably not. Am I glad I experienced it? Without a doubt. A beautiful, unique, exhausting and incredibly basic adventure. Go for the experience, not the comfort, and make sure you understand exactly what you’re signing up for.

Response from the operator: Thank you for taking the time to share such a detailed and honest review of your White Desert and Black Desert camping adventure with Ramses Egypt. We’re delighted that you enjoyed the incredible landscapes and that Mustafa’s kindness, hard work, and dedication made your experience memorable. We’ll be sure to share your kind words with him. We appreciate your feedback regarding transportation, camping facilities, weather conditions, and mobile coverage. An overnight desert safari is a genuine wilderness experience, with basic camping facilities and limited access to services. We agree that setting clear expectations before departure is essential, and your comments are valuable in helping future travelers prepare appropriately. Your observations about safety and emergency communication are also important, and we encourage guests to discuss any specific concerns with us before booking. Thank you again for recognizing Mustafa’s efforts and for helping other travelers make an informed decision. We’re glad you experienced the unique beauty of Egypt’s White Desert with Ramses Egypt, and we wish you many more wonderful adventures

via Viator

White desert vibes

Amazing experience, the landscapes are crazy and incredible, amazing staff! Out tour leader Mohamed was incredible and all the other drivers and personal who accompanied us. I truly recommend this once in a lifetime experience! Thank you for the amazing time!

Response from the operator: Thank you so much for your amazing review We’re delighted that you enjoyed the incredible landscapes of the White Desert and Black Desert and had such a memorable experience with our team. Mohamed and all our drivers and staff will be very happy to hear your kind words. At Ramses Egypt Tours, we’re proud to offer unforgettable desert adventures and share the natural beauty of Egypt with our guests. Thank you for recommending this once-in-a-lifetime experience! We hope to welcome you back to Egypt again

via Viator

Totally recommended for everyone!

Amazing experience from the beginning to end. Mohammad was an excellent guide.

Response from the operator: Thank you so much for your wonderful review 😊 We’re delighted you had an amazing experience exploring the White Desert and Black Desert with Ramses Egypt. Mohammad will be happy to know you appreciated his guidance. Thank you for recommending our 2-day desert camping tour, and we hope to welcome you back to Egypt for another adventure

via Tripadvisor