5-Day Pyramids, Fayoum & White Desert Tour
Licensed local guidesNo hidden feesFree to ask · 30% deposit to confirm
- Duration5 days, 4 nights
- Start & endYour hotel in Cairo or Giza
- Tour typePrivate, from 1 traveler
- TransportPrivate vehicle + 4×4 safaris
- Overnight3 nights in Fayoum & Bahariya
- All tickets includedFrom the Pyramids to the White Desert
Egypt’s wonders and its wild side, in one trip
5-Day Egypt Desert Tour: Overview
In short: this private 5-day Egypt desert tour combines the Pyramids of Giza and the Grand Egyptian Museum with Fayoum’s waterfalls and Valley of the Whales, a family dinner in Bahariya Oasis and a full 4×4 safari through the Black and White Deserts. Three nights in Fayoum and Bahariya, private transport, guides, most meals and every entrance ticket are included, from $655 per person.
Most trips to Egypt show you one side of the country. This one shows you both. You begin with the icons, the Great Pyramid, the Sphinx and the golden treasures of Tutankhamun, and then leave the city behind for landscapes most visitors never imagine Egypt has: desert lakes, waterfalls in the sand, 40-million-year-old whale skeletons, volcanic hills and the chalk sculptures of the White Desert.
In Fayoum, you walk through Wadi El Hitan, the UNESCO-listed Valley of the Whales, watch the colors shift on the Magic Lake, hear the water fall at Wadi El Rayan and meet the potters of Tunis village. In Bahariya Oasis, our home, you swim in hot springs, watch the sunset from the dunes over the Salt Lake and sit down to a homemade dinner with a local Bahariya family: the kind of evening that turns a trip into a memory.
Then comes the day travelers talk about for years: a full 4×4 safari through the Black Desert, Crystal Mountain and Agabat Valley to the White Desert National Park, with dinner under the stars among its giant chalk formations. On the last morning, discover the golden mummies and painted tombs of Bahariya before driving back to Cairo.
All along the way you travel with a local team who treat you as friends, sharing our food, our tea, our customs and the stories behind every place. If you want more time in the desert, see our 4-day White Desert tour; to continue south to Luxor, see the 6-day Western Desert oases tour.
Why travelers love it
Tour Highlights
Here is what makes this 5-day Egypt desert tour so special:
- See the Pyramids of Giza and the Great Sphinx with an Egyptologist.
- Discover Tutankhamun’s treasures at the Grand Egyptian Museum.
- Walk among whale fossils in Wadi El Hitan, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
- See the waterfalls of Wadi El Rayan and the Magic Lake on a 4×4 safari.
- Meet the potters of Tunis village and watch the sunset over Lake Qarun.
- Swim in hot springs and watch the sunset over Bahariya’s Salt Lake.
- Share a homemade dinner with a local Bahariya family.
- Full-day 4×4 safari to the Black Desert, Crystal Mountain and the White Desert.
- Dinner under the stars among the White Desert’s chalk formations.
- See the golden mummies and painted tombs of Bahariya.
More than a tour
Travel Egypt as Our Friends
What makes this tour different is not only where we take you, but how we share it with you:
- Dinner with a Bahariya familySit down in a real oasis home, taste dishes cooked by local hands and experience the hospitality the oases are known for.
- Bedouin tea & desert eveningsTea brewed over the coals and dinner under the White Desert sky, far from the noise of the city.
- Stories along the wayPharaohs, whales that once swam where the desert is now, and the families who still live by the oasis springs.
- Everything handled for youHotels, drivers, 4x4s, guides, permits and every ticket are arranged, so you never queue or pay at a gate.
- One team, start to finishFrom your first pickup in Cairo to your last drop-off, you travel with people who know and love this land.
- At your own paceIt is a private trip, so there is always time for one more photo, one more question or one more cup of tea.
Five days, step by step
5-Day Egypt Desert Tour Itinerary
The order below is the usual route. Opening hours, desert routes and protected-area procedures can change, so we reconfirm the final plan for your dates.
- 1Day 1 · Giza
The Pyramids, the Sphinx & the Grand Egyptian Museum
Pickup from your hotel in Cairo or Giza at 7:30 to 8:00 AM. With your Egyptologist guide, explore the Great Pyramid of Khufu, the pyramids of Khafre and Menkaure, the panoramic viewpoint and the Great Sphinx. After lunch at a local restaurant, visit the Grand Egyptian Museum and the treasures of Tutankhamun.
Overnight: Your own hotel in Cairo or Giza.
- 2Day 2 · Fayoum
Valley of the Whales, waterfalls & Magic Lake
Drive to Fayoum and set off on a 4×4 desert safari:
- Wadi El Hitan: the UNESCO-listed Valley of the Whales, with fossil skeletons around 40 million years old and its Fossil & Climate Change Museum.
- Magic Lake: a desert lake famous for its changing colors.
- Wadi El Rayan: waterfalls in the middle of the desert.
- Tunis village: known for its handmade pottery.
- Lake Qarun: sunset over Egypt’s great ancient lake.
Lunch and dinner are included.
Overnight: Eco-lodge in Tunis village, Fayoum, a peaceful mud-brick lodge overlooking Lake Qarun.
- 3Day 3 · Bahariya Oasis
Hot springs, Salt Lake sunset & a family dinner
After breakfast, drive to Bahariya Oasis, check in and relax. In the afternoon, explore the oasis by 4×4: English Mountain, the pyramid-shaped hills of Al Dest and Al Maghrafa, natural hot sulfur springs, the Salt Lake and the dune viewpoints for a spectacular sunset.
In the evening, enjoy a traditional homemade dinner with a local Bahariya family and experience real oasis hospitality.
Overnight: Hotel in Bahariya Oasis.
- 4Day 4 · White Desert safari
Black Desert, Crystal Mountain & the White Desert
A full day of 4×4 adventure: the Black Desert, El Heiz village and its cold sulfur spring, Crystal Valley and Crystal Mountain, Agabat Valley, the Moon Cave and the Small Valley, then the White Desert National Park with Rabbit Rock, Chicken Rock, Mushroom Rock and Tent Valley. Lunch is served during the safari, and dinner is enjoyed in the White Desert beneath a sky full of stars before returning to Bahariya.
Overnight: Hotel in Bahariya Oasis.
- 5Day 5 · Bahariya & Cairo
Golden mummies, painted tombs & return to Cairo
After breakfast, discover the history of Bahariya: the golden mummies found in the oasis, its painted ancient tombs, the Temple of Alexander the Great and the historic Al Zawya mosque. After lunch, check out and drive back to your hotel in Cairo or Giza.
All-inclusive, no surprises
What’s Included & Excluded
We include everything you need for this 5-day Egypt desert tour, so you never have to buy a ticket or arrange anything yourself.
Included
- 3 nights with breakfast: eco-lodge in Tunis village (Fayoum) and hotel in Bahariya Oasis (2 nights)
- All private transportation from and back to your hotel in Cairo or Giza
- 4×4 vehicles for the Fayoum, Bahariya and White Desert safaris
- Private Egyptologist in Giza and local guides in Fayoum and Bahariya
- Lunch every day and dinner on Days 2, 3 and 4, including the family dinner and the White Desert dinner
- Bottled water, juice and soft drinks
- All entrance tickets: Giza Pyramids, Grand Egyptian Museum, Fayoum protected areas, White Desert National Park and Bahariya’s archaeological sites
- All desert permits, taxes and service charges
Not included
- Tips for guides and drivers (optional)
- Personal expenses
- Your hotel in Cairo or Giza on the night of Day 1
Truly all-inclusive: every entrance ticket and permit on the itinerary is already in the price. You will not pay anything at the gates.
Private tour prices
5-Day Egypt Desert Tour Prices
This 5-day Egypt desert tour is private, so the price per person drops as your group grows. All prices are in US dollars and include hotels, transport, 4×4 safaris, guides, most meals and every entrance ticket.
| Group size | Per person | Group total |
|---|---|---|
| 1 traveler | $1,590 | $1,590 |
| 2 travelers | $945 | $1,890 |
| 3 travelers | $790 | $2,370 |
| 4 travelers | $670 | $2,680 |
| 5+ travelers Best value | $655 | $3,275 for 5 |
- All entrance tickets and permits included
- Confirm with a 30% deposit; pay the rest in cash on the day
- Traveling with children or need extra rooms? We quote on request
Free to ask, no payment now
Check Availability
Send your preferred dates and group size for the 5-day Egypt desert tour. We personally confirm availability, hotels, the final price and pickup details in writing before you pay anything.
Before you go
Good to Know
- Hotels, not campingAll nights are in hotels and lodges. You still enjoy dinner in the open White Desert on Day 4.
- Road daysDays 2, 3 and 5 include longer drives between Cairo, Fayoum and Bahariya, with stops along the way.
- Your Cairo hotelOn the night of Day 1 you stay at your own hotel in Cairo or Giza. We pick you up there on Days 1 and 2 and bring you back to Cairo or Giza at the end of the tour. Need a recommendation? Just ask.
- Oasis staysThe Tunis village eco-lodge and the Bahariya hotel are simpler than city hotels; their charm comes from the setting and the welcome.
- What to packComfortable shoes, sun protection, a hat, swimwear for the springs and a light jacket for desert evenings.
- Flexible routeRoutes, permits and opening hours can change, so the final plan is reconfirmed for your dates.
Plan with our local guides: read our Egypt desert safari guide, Wadi Al Hitan and White Desert Egypt guide, plus our 7-day Egypt itinerary.
Organized by locals who know this land. Our trips are planned by Eyad Elzaghandi, a licensed tour guide born in Bahariya Oasis, and our team of licensed local guides. Meet the team.
Want to sleep under the stars? Our 4-day White Desert tour adds two nights of desert camping.
See the 4-day tourQuestions travelers ask
5-Day Egypt Desert Tour FAQ
Are all entrance tickets included?
Yes. The Giza Pyramids, the Grand Egyptian Museum, the Fayoum protected areas, the White Desert National Park and Bahariya’s archaeological sites are all included, together with desert permits.
Where does the tour start and finish?
It starts and finishes at your hotel in Cairo or Giza.
Is this a private tour?
Yes. You travel with your own group only, with private transport, private 4x4s and your own guides.
Do we camp in the desert?
No. You stay in an eco-lodge in Fayoum and a hotel in Bahariya, and your own hotel in Cairo on the first night. You enjoy dinner in the White Desert on Day 4 before returning to your hotel in Bahariya. For camping, see our 4-day White Desert tour.
What is Wadi El Hitan?
Wadi El Hitan, the Valley of the Whales, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Fayoum where fossil skeletons of ancient whales, around 40 million years old, lie in the open desert.
Which meals are included?
Breakfast at the hotels, lunch every day, and dinner on Days 2, 3 and 4, including the homemade dinner with a Bahariya family and dinner in the White Desert. Water, juice and soft drinks are included too.
Is this tour suitable for families?
Yes. It suits families who enjoy history and nature and are comfortable with some long road days. We quote family prices and room arrangements on request.
How do I book and pay?
Send a request with your dates and group size. Once we confirm availability and the final price, you secure the tour with a 30% deposit through an official PayPal invoice and pay the remaining balance in cash on the day. See our booking & payment policy and cancellation policy.
Five Days, Two Egypts, One Unforgettable Trip
The Pyramids and Tutankhamun’s gold, whale fossils in the sand, a family dinner in the oasis and a night sky over the White Desert, with every ticket included and a local team by your side. Come as our guest, leave as our friend.