Sahara Desert
The Sahara Desert is found in North Africa and occupies around 10% of the continent, spanning over 3,500,000 square miles (9,000,000 sq km). Which makes it one of the biggest and largest deserts in the World. The Red Sea runs along its eastern border, reaching west to the Atlantic Ocean. The Mediterranean Sea forms the northern border of the Sahara Desert, whereas the Sahel, a semi-arid tropical savanna, defines the southern border. So, where exactly is the Sahara desert in Egypt and Africa?
The Sahara Desert is generally called the world’s biggest desert since it covers over 10% of Africa. However, this isn’t accurate because it is the world’s largest hot desert. The world’s largest desert, according to the criteria of a desert, is the continent of Antarctica, which receives less than 10 inches (250 mm) of precipitation each year.
White Desert by neiljs
Geography of the Sahara Desert
Algeria, Chad, Egypt, Libya, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Niger, Sudan, and Tunisia are among the countries that make up the Sahara. The Sahara Desert is mostly underdeveloped and has a diverse landscape. The wind has formed most of the topography, which includes dunes, ergs (sand seas), barren stone plateaus, gravel plains, parched valleys, and salt flats. Dunes cover over a quarter of the desert, with some reaching heights of over 500 feet (152 meters).
White Desert by Argenberg
Within the Sahara are various mountain ranges, several of which are volcanic. Emi Koussi, a shield volcano that rises to 11,204 feet, is the highest peak in these mountains (3,415 m). It is located in northern Chad and is part of the Tibesti Range. The lowest point in the Sahara Desert is -436 feet (-133 meters) below sea level in Egypt’s Qattara Depression.
Today, most of the water in the Sahara comes from seasonal or intermittent streams. The Nile River runs from Central Africa to the Mediterranean Sea and is the only permanent river in the desert. Other water in the Sahara is located in subterranean aquifers. In regions where this water reaches the surface, such as the Bahariya Oasis in Egypt and Ghardaa in Algeria, there are oases and occasionally small cities or communities.
The Sahara Desert is separated into distinct geographic zones since water and terrain vary depending on location. In locations with greater rainfall, the desert’s center is classified as hyper-arid and has little to no flora. Still, the northern and southern sections feature sparse grasses, desert shrubs, and occasionally trees.
Sahara Desert Climate
The Sahara Desert, while being hot and dry now, is thought to have gone through several climatic upheavals during the previous few hundred thousand years. Because precipitation in the area was low in the last glacier, it was much larger than it is now. However, due to the formation of low pressure over ice sheets to its north, precipitation in the desert rose from 8000 BCE to 6000 BCE. However, the low pressure changed after the ice sheets melted, allowing the northern Sahara to dry up. At the same time, the southern Sahara continued to get precipitation because of a rainstorm.
White Desert by kevin dooley
Around 3400 BCE, the monsoon migrated south to where it is now, and the desert dried out again, returning to its current condition. Furthermore, the Intertropical Convergence Zone, or ITCZ, in the southern Sahara Desert prevents precipitation from accessing the area, while storms from the north also fail to reach there. As a result, the Sahara receives less than 2.5 cm (25 mm) of yearly rainfall.
The Sahara is one of the world’s warmest places, in addition to being highly dry. The average annual temperature in the desert is 86°F (30°C). However, temperatures may reach 122°F (50°C) even during the warmest months, with the maximum temperature ever reported in Aziziyah, Libya, at 136°F (58°C).
Plants and Animals of the Sahara Desert
As one of the largest deserts in the World, the Sahara Desert’s plant life is scarce, with just roughly 500 species surviving due to the high temperatures and dry conditions. Drought and heat-tolerant types and those suited to salty environments (halophytes) if adequate water is present make up the majority of this group.
White Desert by Dimitry B
The extreme circumstances encountered in the Sahara Desert have also contributed to the presence of animal life there. There are roughly 70 distinct animal species in the middle and driest portion of the desert, 20 big animals like the spotted hyena. Gerbils, sand foxes, and Cape hares are among the other animals. The Sahara is also home to reptiles such as the sand viper and the monitor lizard.
People of the Sahara Desert
People are thought to have lived in the Sahara Desert from at least 6000 BCE. Since then, Egyptians, Phoenicians, Greeks, and Europeans have lived in the region. The inhabitants of the Sahara are now estimated to be over 4 million people, with the bulk residing in Egypt, Mauritania, Libya, Algeria, and Western Sahara.
White Desert by neiljs
The majority of the residents in the Sahara nowadays do not live in towns; alternatively, they are migrants who wander from one location to the next across the desert. As a result, the area is diverse in terms of ethnicities and languages, with Arabic being the most generally spoken language. Crops and the extraction of minerals such as iron ore (in Algeria and Mauritania) and copper (in Mauritania) are key businesses that have enabled population centers to expand for those who reside in towns or villages on lush oases.
Egypt Sahara Desert
The Sahara Desert begins on the western outskirts of Egypt’s larger Cairo city. The Pyramids of Giza, which for the most part represent the end of Cairo and Giza’s urban development, have historically defined the Sahara’s extreme eastern frontier. The merciless desert wasteland of stunning dunes and occasional rocky features goes across the African continent to Morocco on the Atlantic coast from there.
Egypt, in the Sahara’s Far East, and Morocco, in the Sahara’s Far West, have the most established tourism choices. Getting a horse ride into the desert further than the Pyramids is one of my favourite things in Egypt. It’s incredibly peaceful and refreshing, with just the dunes and the horse. The views back toward the Pyramids and the urban sprawl of Giza and Cairo are inspiring. I also like to put up camps for leisure, complete with tents and large cushions that are perfect for lounging on as the desert air gently sweeps over you.
Sahara Desert Oasis
Tourists seeking a genuine Egyptian experience offering some exciting outdoor adventure go to the Sahara Desert Attractions. Contrary to popular belief, the Sahara contains many fantastic Egyptian tourist sites and some spectacularly gorgeous oases. Stay at resorts, camp under the stars, and have dinner with the locals.
Siwa Oasis
The Siwa Oasis Tours bring visitors to personal contact with hundreds of olive and date trees blooming in the Western Sahara, old oracle temples, lush natural springs, and verdant gardens to roam about in free time!
Siwa Safari Gardens
by heatheronhertravels
The Siwa Oasis is located in the extreme western parts of Egypt’s Sahara Desert. The oasis has a remarkable history dating back to the 10th millennium BC Mesolithic epoch. It thrived throughout the Pharaonic period of ancient Egypt, and its name derives from the old Egyptian terms for palm and land, implying that it was recognized for its landscaped gardens and clean water even back then. It later became the site of the Amun oracle temple, which was visited by Alexander the Great, who learned through the oracle that he was the true king of Egypt.
Farafra Oasis
Tourists who wish to see more than ancient pyramids, tombs, and temples should take a Farafra Oasis Tour. Farafra is the most remote of Egypt’s New Valley oasis, renowned as the “Land of the Cow” when pharaohs still governed the country.
The region is predominantly occupied by Bedouins and is home to various local springs. It is located virtually in the heart of Egypt’s western Sahara Desert. It’s also the closest oasis to the world-renowned White Desert. As a result, Farafra Oasis trips are starting to be increasingly popular.
Bahariya Oasis
A tour of the Bahariya Oasis is a great opportunity to see much of Egypt’s Western Desert. Visit a current archaeological excavation, travel to scenic beauty, and take in several other attractions of the Bahariya Oasis in the Sahara. In this region, dinosaurs once roamed, and a steamy mangrove forest once flourished.
Fayoum Oasis
Fayoum City, the oasis’s principal town, lies 85 kilometres south of Cairo. The city of Fayoum, while being referred to as an oasis, is not sustained by subterranean water like the oases of the western Sahara Desert to the south and west, But rather by water from the Nile, which is carried to this natural triangular depression by a system of canals.
After irrigating the oasis, the water flows into Lake Qaroun, Egypt’s biggest natural salt-water lake, which, while having decreased drastically over the last few thousand years, still encompasses around 215 square kilometers.
Dakhla Oasis
The Dakhla Oasis is one of seven famous Egypt’s Western Desert. Dakhleh Oasis and the “Inner Oasis” are two of the many titles granted to the oasis. It’s in the New Valley region, which also features the Farafra and Al Kharga oasis.
The Kharga Oasis
The Kharga Oasis is the southernmost of three oasis in the New Valley located in the Western Desert. Kharga Oasis formerly had a large lake that enticed people from all over the world to reside there. Nevertheless, the lake dried up with time, leaving only a sandy, clay, and sandstone depression in the ground.
Sahara Desert Attractions
White Desert
White Desert Tours takes visitors to one of the most interesting parts of the Sahara Desert. It was previously covered by the sea, then a savanna region rich in animals and plants, and now a desolate terrain dotted with an almost infinite amount of alien-like geological formations. The White Desert is a natural accumulation of chalk and limestone rocks eroded by desert winds and geological action over thousands of years.
Wadi Al Hitan
Wadi Al Hitan, in the Fayoum Oasis, is known as the Valley of Whales, and with good cause. There are several motives why someone would want to visit this valley, and it is conveniently accessible because it is only 150 kilometers south of Cairo.
The Valley of the Golden Mummies
The Valley of the Golden Mummies is a massive “Roman Egypt” necropolis located 230 miles southwest of Cairo in the Bahariya Oasis. Archaeologists excavating the tombs believed the site may hold up to 10,000 mummies, making it one of Egypt’s most significant finds.
The Temple of Hibis
The Temple of Hibis is the best-preserved temple in the Kharga Oasis, which is home to some intriguing and well-preserved attractions to see during your Egypt holiday. Because this oasis is located along a major caravan route, it has been heavily occupied for a long time.
Temple of Qasr Dush
Qasr Dush is one of two old architectural wonders in the Kharga Oasis that attracts the greatest number of visitors. That isn’t to say the oasis isn’t full of things to see. After all, ancient sites abound in the surrounding desert. These two locations, on the other hand, are popular because they are well-preserved and accessible.
Black Desert
You may encounter naked Egypt and a fascinating sensation of complete seclusion in the Black Desert, where even your thoughts can be deafening. Visitors will be treated to breathtaking vistas in this fascinating place surrounded by pale desert sands.
The Western Desert of Egypt
The Western Desert of Egypt, about the size of Texas, is a section of the Sahara Desert that has piqued the interest of travelers since they first arrived in the country.
El Haiz Valley
El Haiz Valley, located in the Black Desert, is unusual and stunningly beautiful. The valley is located in the Black Desert’s western region and is only accessible by 4WD vehicles. Expeditions of this lovely desert area may, nevertheless, be simply scheduled.
Nadura Temple
The remains of the Temple of Nadura may be seen sitting conveniently on the summit of a hill in the Kharga Oasis, just north of the city of Kharga. Although this temple is newer than most of the area’s several famed temples, it has not been properly conserved. As a result, only remains exist now.
Deir El Hagar Temple
The Roman temple at Deir El Hagar is located in the Dakhla Oasis. It is among Egypt’s tiniest temples, if not “the” smallest. For decades, the edifice was buried beneath the sand, which served to preserve it, and it has now been rebuilt to its former glory.
Siwa’s Amun Temple
The Temple of Amun Siwa has a unique history that dates back to Alexander the Great’s reign. The Temple of the Oracle or the Temple of Amun, located in Siwa, Egypt’s most remote oasis, is also known as the Temple of the Oracle or the Temple of Amun.
Temple of Ain El Muftella
The Temple of Ain El Muftella is in the Bahariya Oasis’s central section. This temple served as the city centre in the ancient city of El Qasr. This city has fallen away since ancient times, and a contemporary metropolis called Bawati has risen. While the town has long since fallen to the Sahara, the temple’s four 26th-century shrines have survived. The place is a prominent tourist destination in the Sahara and should be included in every Bahariya Oasis trip.
Qasr El Labeka
The Qasr El Labkha is another name for Qasr El Labeka. It is one of the numerous historical monuments in the Kharga Oasis, and it is an old Roman fortification dating from the 5th century AD.
Qasr Al Farafra
Anyone who wants to take a genuine voyage back in time should visit Qasr Al Farafra. This little community in Egypt’s western desert region has remained untouched by contemporary times. Instead, you’ll find yourself immersed in the world of medieval architecture. The Badr Museum, several traditional houses and the ruins of an old Roman fortification are all located in the town.
Mountain of the Dead
The Mountain of the Dead (Gebel Al-Mawta) burial place, located in the Siwa Oasis, has many terraced tombs positioned down the mountain’s slope. As a result, a spectacular cone-shaped burial mound emerges from the desert floor.
Al Mizawaka Tombs
The Al Mizawaka Tombs are frequently cited as the main theme of a visit to the Farafra Oasis. Even though Farafra is one of the smallest oases in the White Desert, it has many historical sites to visit.
The Magic Spring
Need not ask the locals where Magic Spring is located, as this is the moniker assigned to the spot by tourists. It’s not tough to locate, particularly considering it’s flanked by a gift store, a coffee shop, and even a hotel.
The English House
The English House is one of Bahariya’s most well-known tourist attractions. The Valley of the Golden Mummies would be the Oasis. The oasis’s tourist appeal was forever altered when all of the gilt-painted mummies were discovered. Many individuals visit the region only to see the museum and witness several golden and precious mummies.
Does this imply that this is all there is to see in the oasis? Without a doubt, no. In reality, if you appreciate studying numerous periods of history in Egypt, several historical places are well worth your time. The English House is one of these locations.
The Crystal Mountain
If you come to Crystal Mountain, Egypt, expecting to see a massive mountain rise out of the desert, you may be disappointed. This ridge runs between Bahariya Oasis and Farafra Oasis in Egypt’s Western Desert.
Cleopatra’s Bath
Cleopatra’s Bath is a freshwater natural spring that bursts from the earth and is situated in the Siwa Oasis. Although there are other springs across the oasis, this is the most famous one of the other oases.
Al Bagawat
The Christian Cemetery of Al Bagawat is a unique and relatively unknown destination in Egypt that is found among other sights in the Kharga Oasis. It is hardly busy and worth witnessing because many people are unaware of its existence.
10 Facts assist you to travel to the Sahara Desert
The Sahara Desert conjures up images of camel rides and magnificently sculpted dunes. The desert is one of the most famous in the world, and seeing it in person is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Learn some fascinating facts about the Sahara Desert.
- The Sahara Desert stretches over virtually all of Western Africa, encompassing 11 nations. Algeria, Chad, Egypt, Libya, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Niger, Western Sahara, Sudan, and Tunisia are all affected.
- Researchers are baffled by the occurrence of singing dunes in the Sahara Desert. Sonic booms, pounding, and even whistling are among the symphonic noises produced by the desert. Charles Darwin and Marco Polo were among the first to notice the occurrence. Some academics feel it has something to do with the size of the sand grains or the dunes’ morphology.
- Contrary to popular belief, the Sahara Desert is not the world’s biggest desert. After the Antarctic and Arctic deserts, it is really ranked third. Because a desert is described as a barren area with a hostile environment for plants and animals, this is the case. As a result, the Sahara Desert is the world’s biggest hot desert, but not the world’s largest.
- It comes out that the vast area of the Sahara Desert is a valuable mine of Dinosaur fossils. Paleontologists have discovered one of the region’s biggest preserved dinosaur fossils in the Moroccan Sahara.
- The Sahara Desert is easily pictured as a massive sandbox. Dunes and sheets, on the other hand, make up just 25% of the Sahara desert’s surface. Because of its position on the African barrier, the remainder comprises limestone, sandstone, and other geological types.
More Facts about the Sahara Desert
- Throughout the day, the temperature in the Sahara Desert averages 38 degrees Celsius (100 degrees Fahrenheit). The desert may be as frigid as -4 degrees Celsius as the sun sets (25 Degrees Fahrenheit).
- Is it possible to live in the Sahara? Deserts are characterized by their harsh climate for animals and plants, yet the Sahara Desert has some traces of scant flora. The little pockets of the oasis attract species and allow life to survive to some extent. The desert is home to over 70 animal species, 90 bird species, and 100 reptile species.
- “Sahara” is derived from the Arabic word meaning “desert.” The desert is known in Arabic as Al-Sahra Al Kubra, which translates to “The Great Desert.” To get ‘Sahara,’ the Sahra (meaning desert) is changed to its feminine irregular form.
- One of the nicest things to do in the Sahara desert is stargazing. Because of the kilometres of desolate territory, artificial light has little to no effect on the sky. As a result, you can see the whole cosmos over your head.
- The Sahara Desert offers many activities, including camel riding, quad biking, and sand surfing. In certain regions of the desert, spa resorts have evolved into popular tourist attractions.
