Rock formations in the White Desert, Egypt

© Anton Petrus/Getty Image

This ‘snow’ never melts. White Desert National Park, Egypt

Snow, in the desert? Not quite. Today we're in Egypt's White Desert, which gets its name from the abundance of chalk, limestone and quartz rock formations in the area and gives the sand its special hue. Tourists flock here to see these naturally occurring structures, honed over thousands of years into unique shapes through a process known as 'differential weathering', where softer rocks and minerals weather erode more quickly than harder parts.

Located about five hours south west of Cairo, White Desert National Park is a lot more than just deteriorating rocks, it's also a protected refuge for several endangered species.