The Road To Dakhla

The 310km road from Farafra to Dakhla was constructed in 1982 but is rapidly deteriorating. Much of its foundation is made of chalky rock, heaped up to prevent the road and vehicles on it from slipping into the quicksand on either side: be careful where you step off the road. Shifting dunes obscured the southern part of this road for years, making travel between Dakhla antl Farafra an unpredictable undertaking. The road is now kept partially clear, but still sees markedly little traffic. Don’t bank on receiving your American Express refund in these parts.

Ten km south of Farafra you’ll come to a tiny, uninhabited oasis officially considered part of the town. The villages take care to cultivate the land here; occasionally a skein of sheeply farmers gambol across the road but otherwise the spot is deserted and quiet-and the best place in the area to pitch a tent. Still farther down the road toward Dakhla, about 50km from Farafra, is the diminutive, sparsely inhabited Oasis of Sheikh Merzuq, where you’ll find a sulphur spring with a viaduct carrying water into a concrete pool. The pool is a refreshing spot for men to take a dip; women will have to settle for a sweat bath. The local Bedouin will show you the way to an ancient Roman well, where fresh water blurbles from a deep spring. These watering holes can only be reached via private transport; the bus doesn’t stop here long enough for you to look around.