The White Desert, Black Desert, and the Crystal Mountain can all be accessed on the same day-trip from Cairo (it’s a long day, but it can be done). We didn’t feel safe spending the night in the desert when we visited Cairo in 2016 so we left early in the morning and arrived back to the city well after dark. 
It’s an otherworldly place and one that’s still technically off-limits to foreigners as of 2016.
This young man just wanted his photo taken so that he could see his image on my iPhone.
The White Desert is an otherworldly tourist destination, but few people go there. Compelling reasons to avoid this destination at the time of the visit included the fact that tourism in the area was illegal (due to the recent and “accidental” massacre of Mexican tourists). Our tourist guides failed to mention this potential problem.
This convenience store was located within the vicinity of where the Mexican tourists had recently been killed while visiting the White Desert.
Related Posts:
The Crystal Mountain in Egypt (video)
The White Desert in Egypt (video)
The White Desert in Egypt Part II (video)
Things to Do in Egypt: Visit the Crystal Mountain in the White Desert (video)
Places to Visit in Egypt: The White Desert (video)
Places to Visit in Egypt: The White Desert Part II (video)
Adventures Beyond the Comfort Zone
