The White Desert stands out as one of Egypt’s most captivating destinations, offering an unforgettable landscape where the golden hues of the desert sand meet the brilliant white rock formations. This natural phenomenon creates a striking contrast that sets the White Desert apart, making it a must-visit location for anyone exploring Egypt.
Situated approximately 370 kilometers west of Cairo, the White Desert is a key attraction within the Farafra Depression. In recent years, it has drawn increasing numbers of travelers eager to experience its otherworldly beauty. In recognition of its significance, the White Desert was officially designated as a Natural Park and Protected Area in 2022.
The Geology and History of the White Desert
The Farafra Depression spans an area of about 300 square kilometers, lying between the Bahariya Oasis and the small town of Farafra. The history of the region stretches back to the Paleogene period, around 70 million years ago, when the area was covered by a shallow sea.
Over millions of years, layers of sedimentary rock composed of limestone and gypsum built up on the seabed, contributing to the gradual retreat of the Atlantic Ocean’s waters. This ancient marine environment eventually vanished due to extensive wind erosion, leaving behind the desert landscape we see today.
Evidence of this prehistoric sea can still be found in the form of marine fossils scattered throughout the area, including shells, fossilized corals, and even shark teeth—remnants of a time when the region was submerged beneath the waves.
Historical accounts suggest that this part of the Egyptian desert was the site where the army of Persian King Cambyses II mysteriously disappeared, adding an air of intrigue and mystery to the region’s allure.
During Egypt’s Late Period, the Persians took control under the 27th Dynasty. Their rule was unpopular among the Egyptians, which fueled Persian King Cambyses II’s ambitious attempt to extend his empire in 524 BC by crossing the Sahara Desert. His goal was to reach the Oracle of Amun at Siwa. The king set out with an army of 50,000 men, but they seemingly vanished into the desert sands.
The account of this mysterious event comes from the Greek historian Herodotus, who suggested that Cambyses II chose a hazardous route through the oases to reach Siwa undetected and catch the enemy by surprise.
However, this plan did not unfold as intended, and the army disappeared without a trace. The question remains: what actually happened to this massive force? Several theories have emerged over the years, bolstered by more recent archaeological discoveries in the region.
According to Herodotus, a violent sandstorm may have overwhelmed the army, wiping them out entirely. While it is plausible that the Ghibli, one of the world’s fiercest desert winds, could have played a role, no concrete archaeological evidence had been found to support this theory—until relatively recently.
In 2009, Italian archaeologists Angelo and Alfredo Castiglioni uncovered some Achaemenid-era artifacts, including skeletal remains, weapons, helmets, earrings, and bracelets, south of Siwa. Yet, the amount of material discovered was not enough to account for an army of such a large scale.
Then, in 2014, Egyptologist Olaf Kappee made a discovery that shed new light on the mystery. He found an inscribed block from an ancient temple at the Dakhla Oasis that bore the name of Petubastis III, an Egyptian ruler. The inscription suggested that Petubastis III had defeated Cambyses II’s forces in the desert.
This revelation points to the possibility that Cambyses’s army may not have perished due to natural forces but was instead decimated in a military defeat. Several months later, Cambyses’s successor, Darius I, returned to the region to crush Petubastis III, perhaps as a response to this earlier loss.
The theory posits that the Persians, unaccustomed to admitting defeat, may have perpetuated the legend of a vanished army to conceal their loss to the Egyptian forces led by Petubastis III. This explanation, backed by archaeological evidence and historical accounts, offers a plausible solution to one of ancient history’s enduring mysteries.
