The landscape of Egypt does not vary much, it is a huge mountainous desert with the Nile Valley running through the middle.

The White Desert and local villages

The oases are green islands of fertile soil in the Western Desert (Part of the Sahara). The most advanced and the largest oasis, Hibis, the capital, is divided into two, a modern city and an ancient one. An ancient Christian necropolis is lies north at Bagawat, the ancient capital. Kharga is a group of 10 settlements, well known for growing fruits, apricots, and mangos.

Also there is an area called the White Desert, a landscape of wind-eroded, rather magical rock formations. In the moonlight it looks more like icebergs snowdrifts or a lunar landscape than rocks in the desert.


These pictures are from the White Desert with fantastic chalk sculptures, eroded by the wind, which change with the light from white to gold to deep purple at sunset.	Away from the towns this early Coptic Christian place, The Necropolis of El Bagawat can be seen.
Christians were buried in chapels with fine murals. This is on a slave route that until 1884 crossed the desert from Darfur in the Sudan to Asyut.

Near the oasis Dachla is an old town called El Kasr. This was the ancient capital and it is a labyrinth of mud-walled houses separated by very narrow alleys. A sulphured hot water spring runs close to the ruins of a temple dedicated to Amun.		A very old flour mill.
	There are still people living in the village whereas the top village El Bagawat is deserted now.
Mountains and Deserts




St. Simeon's Monastery The Monastery of St Simeon, dating from the 6th century, and in use until the 13th century, is one of the best-preserved Christian sites in Egypt. It has a high wall surrounding it. Inside it is possible to see the chapel, living quarters, kitchen and dining areas, wine press, bake area and storerooms. There are also remains of some Coptic frescoes— depictions of Christ and saints as well as many geometric patterns.