Bahariya balances archaeology and desert landscape in equal measure. The Valley of the Golden Mummies is the headline archaeological discovery — a Greco-Roman necropolis that may hold 10,000 burials, with a sample of gilded mummies displayed in the town museum. The Temple of Alexander the Great and the Pharaonic tombs of Bannentiu and Zed-Amun-Ef-Ankh add layers going back 2,500 years.
For the desert, the Black Desert south of town is the dramatic volcanic landscape, while the White Desert — 120 km south — is where chalk formations sculpted by wind erosion create one of the most surreal landscapes on earth. The Crystal Mountain is a convenient stop between the two. After a day in the desert, the hot springs at Bir El-Ghaba provide sulphurous outdoor bathing under the palms.