Egypt›The Western Desert›Bahariya & the White Desert›January
Bahariya & the White Desert in January
Great month: January is in the middle of the recommended season (October – April).
The season runs to the end of April, 3 months away. Desert Summer Heat usually starts in May, 4 months away.
2 days in Bahariya & the White Desert in January · from ₹7,725 for two
Stay, food & local travel; getting there extra
Before you book January
Closures, crowds and rules at Bahariya & the White Desert this month.
Worth knowing
Western Desert: Permits and Border Zones
The border areas with Libya and Sudan are military zones closed to visitors, and off-road trips (the Great Sand Sea, the White Desert, the Siwa–Bahariya track) need police permits that licensed operators arrange. Expect checkpoints and carry your passport. Some governments advise against travel to the Western Desert: check your own government's advice and your travel insurance.
What it costs
For two sharing a room; 2 days on the ground, getting there not included.
Budget
₹7,725 for two
- Room a night₹1,940
- Food a day, each₹806
- Main sight entry, each₹480
Mid-range
₹16,944 for two
- Room a night₹4,360
- Food a day, each₹1,860
- Main sight entry, each₹480
Luxury
₹35,596 for two
- Room a night₹8,710
- Food a day, each₹4,340
- Main sight entry, each₹480
Totals cover the room (taxes included), food, local transport, entry and a 10% buffer: the figures the planner opens on. These are typical rates; Tourisma has no month-by-month rates for Egypt yet, so they don't move with the month.
Getting there
Fly into Cairo (CAI), 297 km away
Then: Transfer · 4h 30m (Car with driver / Uber, per vehicle)
Flights from India: from 8 cities, one way from ₹24,000
Fly into Luxor (LXR), 477 km away
Flights from India: from 2 cities, one way from ₹30,000
Routes compared
Entry rules
E-visa before you fly for up to 30 days, about ₹2,900
- Before you fly, apply for the tourist e-visa at visa2egypt.gov.eg: US$30 single entry or US$65 multiple entry, each stay up to 30 days. Apply at least a week ahead and carry the printed approval.
- If you hold a valid US, UK, Schengen or GCC visa that you have already used once, you can instead buy a 30-day visa on arrival (US$30, cash, at the bank counter before passport control); carry that visa's passport.
- At immigration, show your passport, the e-visa and your return ticket. To stay longer than 30 days, apply for an extension at the passports office (in Cairo, Abbasiya) before the visa runs out.
Carry: Passport valid for at least 6 months from the day you arrive, with a blank page; E-visa approval (printout), or a used valid US, UK, Schengen or GCC visa for the visa on arrival; Confirmed return or onward ticket; Hotel bookings for the stay; US dollars in cash if you plan to buy the visa on arrival.
The visa fee rose from US$25 to US$30 in March 2026, and a separate levy (reported at US$12, rising to US$15 in 2027) may be added; pay only on visa2egypt.gov.eg, as look-alike sites charge more.
Checked 2026-10; confirm with the embassy before you fly.
Elsewhere in Egypt in January
Also in season this month.
- Abu Simbel · great month
- Aswan · great month
- Cairo · great month
- Giza · great month
- Luxor · great month
- Siwa Oasis · great month
Nearby in The Western Desert:
Want this as a real plan?
Bahariya & the White Desert in January, day by day, priced for your group.