If there’s one thing we have an abundance of in Egypt, it’s desert. And while most are plain, yellow, and empty (think tumbleweeds rolling around), we have been blessed with quite a few fantastic deserts to enjoy. Whether you’re into camping or feel like filming a Star Wars sequel, we have the desert for you. Here are seven of the coolest deserts you can visit in Egypt, and possibly the world.

The White Desert

The White Desert is famous for its white sand and incredible mushroom-shaped chalk rock formations. It's located in the Western Desert, around 500 kilometres away from Cairo, it is a popular camping destination. Think of the photography possibilities.

The Black Desert

The Western Desert is filled with natural gems, and the Black Desert is no different. It gets its name and color due to its dark, rocky hills and mountains.

The Blue Desert

Dahab lovers rejoice. Situated between Dahab and Saint Catherine Monasatery in Sinai, the Blue Desert has an interesting backstory. Inspired by the 1979 Egyptian-Israeli peace treaty, Belgian artist Jean Verame came to Egypt in 1980 to paint several boulders in the Sinai desert blue to symbolise peace. The paint for the artwork was even provided by the United Nations.

Whale Valley (Wadi El Hitan)

Found in Fayoum, the Wadi El Hitan is a designated UNESCO World Heritage site. The area contains hundreds of fossils of some of the earliest whale species. And although the fossils may not be the oldest, Wadi El Hitan does hold the highest number and concentration, as well as quality, of these types of fossils in the world. It’s certainly well worth the visit.

Watermelon Valley (Wadi El Batikh)

Yes, you read that right. Perhaps the funniest of our desert finds, Wadi El Batikh, located in the New Valley governorate, is so called because of the watermelon-shaped rocks that fill the area.

The Serapium Forest

We know the name says forest, but don't let that fool you. The Serapium Forest is a desert miracle created by Egyptian researchers with the help of scientists from the Technical University of Munich. The group was able to successfully plant trees in the desert area near Ismaileya using wastewater, creating an actual forest in the heart of Egypt.

The Sahara

Everybody's heard of the Sahara desert. The vast expanse of yellow sand covers much of North Africa, and is known to be the world's largest hot desert. Last winter, however, our blazing Sahara was coated in a blanket of snow for the first time in 40 years. The rare scene looked like something straight off of planet Mars.