Egypt has become a popular holiday destination thanks to the good weather and the excitement of getting close to the pyramids, the Sphinx and the Pharaohs, but it's not just these famous sights that can be explored; the desert itself is an excellent hive of activity! There are plenty of organised tours for people on holiday in Egypt to book onto to maximise their Egyptian adventure and these tours make it possible and safe to go off the beaten track and see some of the less famous sights such as stunning rock formations, freshwater desert lakes and even fossilised whale skeletons.
Think of a desert and you probably won't imagine anything green, but anyone taking a jeep ride around the western deserts will find the green oasis of Bahariya. The area was made famous in the mid 1990s when a huge burial ground was unearthed, containing 250 mummies. There are hot springs dotted around the oasis so be sure to pack your swimmers so that you can enjoy the ultimate relaxing experience in the Eqyptian sun. Other excursions near Bahariya include trips to Pyramid Mountain, Crystal Mountain and the White Desert where the vast open plains will make you lose all sense of perspective. For a truly special night while on holiday in Egypt, try and find a tour that incorporates a night camping in the White Desert - on a clear night with the stars shining you'll feel utterly lost in the beauty of the landscape.
Wadi Rayan is beautiful and protected area which you may want to visit while you're in Egypt. It is home to a freshwater desert lake where all sorts of wildlife come to cool off so holidaymakers on a tour in this area could see some exciting animals around the oasis. And if you don't see anything lurking around the water? Well you can always get one step closer to nature by taking a camel ride! There are plenty of tours starting in popular tourist destinations such as Cairo that offer such an experience. Riding a camel into the desert, then camping out and watching the sunset is a must-do for all adventurers taking Egypt holidays.
Surely the most impressive of all sights in Egypt is The Valley of the Whales, which can be found by driving out into the desert to Wadi Hitan. The valley is listed as a World Heritage Site thanks to the quality and quantity of fossils found there. The site is one of the most popular trips and it's no wonder: fossilised whale skeletons dating back 40 million years lie on the sand with a backdrop of seemingly never-ending desert cliffs - an image to be treasured and remembered for a lifetime. Where better to sleep than right here in the desert, camping out after enjoying a local dinner and then waking up amidst all this natural beauty.
With low-cost flights and hotels available and lots of different tours to suit every budget, Egypt could be a reasonably cheap holiday destination and you'll certainly feel you've had value for money if you make sure you see as much as you possibly can while you're away.