White Desert, Egypt

Below is just a suggested itinerary, but you can customize your own trip with other suggested locations upon request on dates that suit you.

Day 1 - Arrival at Cairo

Meet at Cairo International Airport (CAI) at 12:00 (please take a flight accordingly to be there in time as we will depart at 13:00).

We will make our way to the Black Desert Hotel as a starting point of our photography tour, the journey time is estimated at 5 hours and 30 minutes.

Arrive at the hotel and check in.

We can head outside and capture the stars from our hotel or spend the evening relaxing in our bubble dome rooms with a view of the stars.

Day 2 - White Desert

After having breakfast & lunch, we will relax at the hotel before making our way to the White Desert just after lunchtime.

We will go and explore the White Desert taking photos from daytime until sunset.

We will then have a desert dinner at our base camp in the desert before spending the night under the stars taking photos.

Around sunrise, we will return back to the hotel to have breakfast and then get some sleep.

Day 3 - Al Aqabat Area & Secret Cave

After waking up and having lunch, we will make our way to the Al Aqabat area, the next stop of our photography tour.

After Aqabat, we will visit the secret cave for sunset & blue hour photography.

After, we will head back to the hotel for dinner & night photography with the Black Desert in the view from our hotel.

Day 4 - Dunes & Small Arch

After waking up & having lunch, we will head to the White Desert, but this time into the region of dunes where a small rock arch awaits you.

We will then have a desert dinner at our base camp in the desert before spending the night under the stars taking photos.

Around Sunrise we will return back to the hotel to have breakfast and then get some sleep.

Day 5 - The Spire & Cove

After waking up & having lunch, we will be heading to a new spot, the Spire, a towering hoodoo rock formation & a new cove I discovered on the last tour.

We will shoot sunset & blue hour at these locations.

After we will head back to the hotel for dinner & night photography focused on star trails.

Day 6 - Farewell

We will make our way to the Airport at 06:00 and arrive around 13:00.

For those wishing to stay longer & explore the Great Pyramids of Giza & the Sphinx, a tour guide can be arranged.

There is a package that includes lunch with a private guide and a camel tour for an additional price of roughly 60$ (USD) per person.

For those who want to extend their stay, each additional night is 500 CHF (Swiss Francs). This can be discussed in the process of signing up.

Your Guide

Benjamin Barakat

I am your host and guide on this tour.

After receiving a full introduction on the first day to Astrophotography, I will then prepare you with the knowledge and tools to go out and capture stunning nightscape and landscape photos just like mine.

In the following days, you will shadow me and try to take the exact same compositions as me in order to learn the workflow and the correct way to capture your images.

Alternatively, you are free to roam the beautiful landscapes around us and capture your own images where I would then come follow up, give tips, and also my feedback.

We will also be doing landscape, sunset/sunrise photography and so on.

Included

• Airport Transfers

• Hotels (twin rooms sharing)

• Full Board meals with unlimited water & tea

• Two nights camping (all gear included)

• Daily 4x4 safari excursions

• Entry fees to the protected areas

• One year access to my online Master Class (worth 300 CHF)

Not Included

• Soft Drinks

• Visa 25$ (USD) only cash is accepted at the airport

• Return flights to Cairo

• Travel & Health insurance

• Single room supplement 500 CHF (Swiss Francs)

• Tips are not included

Required Equipment

• DSLR or Mirrorless Camera

• Sturdy tripod

• Remote shutter release cable

• Wide angle lens aperture (f1.4-f2.8) preferably

• Extra batteries & memory cards

• Camera lens cleaning equipment and towels (blower will get stopped at security but will pass after inspected)

Participation

• Maximum participants: 12

• Minimum participants: 5

• Languages: English or German

• No level of fitness is required

(Basic English required for communication)

Prices

To secure your spot, a non-refundable deposit of 1,500 CHF per person is required.
The remaining balance is due 90 days before the tour.

• 2850 CHF per person — Twin room sharing

• 3350 CHF per person — Single room

Currency Guide

• USD ≈ CHF × 1.25

• EUR ≈ CHF × 1.07
  (Actual rates may vary slightly.)

Deposits are paid via bank transfer. Full payment details will be provided after completing the contact form.

Because each tour is boutique and personalised, I connect with every guest beforehand to ensure expectations, group dynamics, and physical requirements align—this guarantees a high-quality experience for everyone.

Refund & Cancellation Policy

If you wish to cancel your reservation, please notify us as soon as possible at:
barakatphotography@outlook.com

Please note:

• The initial 1,500 CHF deposit is non-refundable.

• Cancellation 90+ days before the tour: no additional fees.

• Cancellation less than 90 days before departure: the full amount is non-refundable.

However — to make the process easy and fair:
If you find another person to take your spot and pay the full amount, we will transfer your booking to them at no extra cost. This makes cancellations flexible and helps keep the group numbers stable.