NDD stands for Nawamis, Dragon Head and the Big Dune: three places in the desert between Dahab and Saint Catherine that most visitors never hear about. Tombs older than the pyramids, a rock that really does look like a dragon, and a giant sand dune you can slide down. Here is what the day looks like.
The short version
- Meet in Dahab: 7:45 AM (we leave 15 minutes later)
- Back in Dahab: around 3 to 4 PM, depending on the group’s pace
- Walking: short walks at each stop, plus a hike of about 3 km from the Big Dune
- Group size: runs with 8 people. Smaller groups can still go by sharing the €200 trip cost (for example €50 each for 4 people)
- Price: €25 per person, lunch €5 extra
- Included: transport from Dahab, guides and permits
1. The Nawamis: tombs older than the pyramids
The Nawamis are round stone tombs, about 2 metres tall and 3 to 6 metres across, built from sandstone slabs without any mortar. Human remains found inside them date from around 4000 to 3150 BCE, which makes them older than the pyramids of Giza. Their small doorways all face west, toward the setting sun.
The name comes from a Bedouin legend. “Namus” means mosquito in Arabic, and the story says the huts were built to shelter people from a plague of mosquitoes. The real reason is lost, which is part of the magic of standing among them.
2. Dragon Head
The Bedouins call it Makhroum. The rock is shaped like the head of a dragon, and a hole worn through it sits exactly where the eye should be. We stop here for lunch and time to explore around the rock.
At night it is even better: when a fire is lit inside, the light shines through the hole and the dragon’s eye glows red against the dark desert.
3. The Big Dune
The last stop is a huge sand dune surrounded by desert mountains. Climb it, then slide down on your own; it is the most fun part of the day for most groups. We are working on making sandboards locally, since bringing them into Egypt is close to impossible.
From the dune we hike about 3 km through the desert to meet our car again, and head back to Dahab.
What to bring
- Your passport (there are checkpoints on the road)
- Comfortable shoes for sand and rock
- Sun protection: hat, sunglasses, sunscreen
- At least 2 litres of water
- Lunch, or add our lunch for €5
- Clothes you do not mind getting sandy on the dune
Join the trip
We run NDD as a small-group day trip from Dahab on set Sundays. See the next date and book on the NDD trip page, or message us on WhatsApp.