Only feasible for tourists since the 1980s, the Great Desert Circuit is one of the finest journeys Egypt has to offer. Starting from Cairo, Luxor or Assyut, it runs for over 1000km through a desert landscape pockmarked by dunes and lofty escarpments. En route, amid wind-eroded depressions, four oases are sustained: Bahariya, Farafra, Dakhla and Kharga. Unlike Siwa, these "inner oases" have been almost continuously under the control of the Nile Valley since the Middle Kingdom, ruled by the pharaohs, Persians, Romans, Mamlukes, Turks and British, who have left their mark in the form of temples, tombs, forts, mosques or roads.

 

Although each oasis has a central focus, the differences between them are as marked as their similarities. Bahariya and Farafra both score highly on their hot springs and palm groves, but Bahariya seems corrupted by Cairene ways and tourism, whereas Farafra is more rural and traditional. In Dakhla and Kharga the modern centres are less appealing than the ancient ruins and villages on their periphery, redolent of historic links with the Nile Valley or caravan routes from Sudan. Staying overnight in the haunting White Desert between Bahariya and Farafra is a must, while for those with transport and a lust for adventure there are remoter destinations like Ain Dalla (requiring military permission), or the desolate road to Siwa Oasis , which allows die-hard travellers to visit all of the main Western Desert oases in a mega-circuit of over 1400km. If you haven't got a car, this journey is only really possible in the other direction, starting from Siwa.

For those limited to public transport , travelling the whole circuit from Bahariya to Kharga will take at least a week. As the nearest oasis to Cairo, Bahariya attracts many who fancy a few days in the desert but aren't committed to doing more. If you're short on time , it may seem enough; carrying on to Farafra via the White Desert will add two or three days to your schedule, while once past Farafra there's little point in turning back. Motorists can now use a new direct road from Luxor to Kharga, which alleviates somewhat the " Assyut dilemma ", although as yet - despite much speculation - there is no public transport on this route. Previously there was no means of travelling between Luxor and Kharga, but with the new road and the weekly train service (departs Luxor Thurs 7am; 6-8hr; £E10), it is now feasible to tackle the circuit in either direction. Hiring a taxi for the journey will cost around £E300.