White Desert National Park | |
Map: | Egypt |
Location: | southwest of Cairo |
Nearest City: | Qasr Al Farafra |
Area Km2: | 300 |
Established: | 2002 |
Sahara el Beyda, the White Desert Protected Area, is a national park in Egypt, first established as a protected area in 2002. It is located in the Farafra depression, north of the town of Qasr Al Farafra. Part of the park is in the Farafra Oasis (New Valley Governorate).[1]
The park is the site of large white chalk rock formations, created through erosion by wind and sand. It is also the site of cliffs (at the northern end of the Farafra Depression), sand dunes (part of the Great Sand Sea), as well as Wadi Hennis and oases at Ain El Maqfi and Ain El Wadi.
White Desert National Park covers an area of . The highest point in the park is at El Qess Abu Said at above sea level, and the lowest is at Wadi Hennis at .[2]
The park serves as the refuge for various animals, including the endangered rhim gazelle and the vulnerable dorcas gazelle, as well as Barbary sheep; jackals; Rüppell's, red and fennec foxes; and the sand cat.