Western Desert Oasis route
The western or Libyan desert route is undoubtedly the best known cycle route in Egypt. Due to its stunning landscapes, its remoteness and tranquility, the desert route is a great way to get from Cairo to Luxor and avoid the busy Nile river banks. The route takes you from the capital city, via the oases of Bahariya, Farafra, Dakhla and Al Kharga to Luxor in Upper Egypt; a trip of just over 1400 kilometres. Starting oasis is the Bahariya oasis, with it's main hub being the town of Bawiti. It is the closest oasis to Cairo (apart from Fayoum) and therefore one of the busiest. |
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| Detailed distance chart Western (or Libyan) Desert route | ||||
accomm.: |
km |
metres climbed |
||
| H= hotel . C= camping . (altitude in brackets; where applicable) | ||||
| Cairo (downtown) | pyramids | 16 |
17 |
|
| pyramids | turn-off 6th of October City (110) | 17 |
102 |
|
| turn-off 6th of October City (110) | 6th of October City (155) | 15 |
100 |
|
| 6th of October City (155) | ambulance station (251) | 47 |
163 |
|
| ambulance station (251) | ambulance station (263) | 47 |
95 |
|
| ambulance station (263) | rest house + ambulance station (280) | 41 |
71 |
|
| rest house + ambulance station (280) | ambulance station (163) | 58 |
74 |
|
| ambulance station (163) | ambulance station (159) | 60 |
192 |
|
| ambulance station (159) | Iron Mine City (ambulance station) (212) | 33 |
163 |
|
| Iron Mine City (ambulance station) (212) | Mandesha (96) | 34 |
98 |
|
| Mandesha (96) | Bawiti (Bahariya) (107) | H/C |
7 |
26 |
| Bawiti (Bahariya) (107) | ambulance station (121) | H/C |
42 |
126 |
| ambulance station (121) | check point (Oasis café) (121) | 6 |
23 |
|
| check point (Oasis café) (121) | check point (185) | 46 |
200 |
|
| check point (185) | check point + ambulance station (170) | 26 |
60 |
|
| check point + ambulance station (170) | check point (15) | 36 |
57 |
|
| check point (15) | check point (53) | 22 |
81 |
|
| check point (53) | Farafra (56) | H/C |
3 |
7 |
| Farafra (56) | Abu Minqar 2 check points (175) | 94 |
352 |
|
| Abu Minqar 2 check points (175) | check point (192) | 94 |
269 |
|
| check point (192) | Gharb Mawhub (119) | 39 |
32 |
|
| Gharb Mawhub (119) | 1st oasis (126) | 39 |
127 |
|
| 1st oasis (126) | Qasr (116) | H |
7 |
19 |
| Qasr (116) | Mut (Dakhla) (134) | H |
31 |
67 |
| Mut (Dahkla) (134) | Bulat (92) | 32 |
77 |
|
| Bulat (92) | Teneda check point (97) | 10 |
16 |
|
| Teneda check point (97) | check point (114) | 8 |
17 |
|
| check point (114) | ambulance station (172) | 18 |
72 |
|
| ambulance station (172) | check point + ambulance station (153) | 28 |
53 |
|
| check point + ambulance station (153) | village (155) | 16 |
6 |
|
| village (155) | Abu Tartur (133) | 45 |
112 |
|
| Abu Tartur (133) | ambulance station (87) | 18 |
39 |
|
| ambulance station (87) | check point (58) | 20 |
62 |
|
| check point (58) | Al Kharga (51) | H |
7 |
62 |
| Al Kharga (51) | check point (43) | 7 |
6 |
|
| check point (43) | town (34) | 14 |
32 |
|
| town (34) | ambulance station (26) | 7 |
8 |
|
| ambulance station (26) | check point Bagdad (turn-off Luxor) (52) | 46 |
82 |
|
| check point Bagdad (turn-off Luxor) (52) | military check point (75) | 4 |
23 |
|
| military check point (75) | check point + ambulance station (247) | 52 |
228 |
|
| check point + ambulance station (247) | top climb/start plateau (410) | 8 |
164 |
|
| top climb/start plateau (410) | check point + ambulance station (448) | 43 |
86 |
|
| check point + ambulance station (448) | check point + ambulance station (436) | 60 |
128 |
|
| check point + ambulance station (436) | top climb (520) | 27 |
111 |
|
| top climb (520) | turn-off Sohag/Asyut (café) (420) | 8 |
1 |
|
| turn-off Sohag/Asyut (café) (420) | turn-off Aswan desert road (255) | 15 |
-- |
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| turn-off Aswan desert road (255) | check point (90) | 20 |
-- |
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| check point (90) | turn-off Luxor/Edfu (89) | 2 |
-- |
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| turn-off Luxor/Edfu (89) | check point (90) | 16 |
10 |
|
| check point (90) | Nile bridge (90) | 5 |
-- |
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| Nile bridge (90) | Luxor downtown (87) | H/C |
12 |
13 |
