The White Desert was declared a national park in 2002 as an area of outstanding natural beauty, it now covers an area of 3900 km2. Visitors to the park will marvel at the white chalk inselbergs, carved by nature into fantastical shapes. Lying on the ground, small calcite crystals together with fossils and black nodules of iron pyrites can be spotted. Elsewhere in the park, small uninhabited oasis and the scattered mini-depressions are a surprising feature in the desert as they create small patches of green that contrast with the golden-beige sand and the white chalk. The visitor may catch a glimpse of the-ever present fox, the Sooty falcon or other secretive desert wildlife.
Design and construction of facilities for empowering conservation, managing visitors and serving ecotourism included the visitor center, audio visual exhibits , ticket office, guard outpost and entry landmark.
The visitor center is located in the town of Farafra 13 km from the park's southern border, it's mud architecture is rooted in the region's traditions which is evident in the nearby old village of Qasr. The grounds' landscape mimics the region’s natural and surrounding landscape with palm trees over mounds which are intended - over time - to be “vegetative mounds”. Tamarix , halfa and other wild species are encouraged to germinate.
The exhibits introduces the park's fantastic geology, flora, fauna and its captivating landscapes. It also presents the local culture and the region's history. An audio presentation available in 3 languages was designed to take visitors on a tour along the entire exhibits in 20 minutes .