When Wicked: For Good hits theaters on Friday, audiences might think they’re looking at CGI. But those sweeping white rock formations that appear straight out of a fantasy world are very real—and they’re in Egypt.

The film crew for Wicked’s highly anticipated second chapter reportedly spent part of their production at White Desert National Park, a protected area in Egypt’s Western Desert that looks like you’re on another planet. Known for its ghostly chalk formations and endless dunes, the park served as a natural backdrop for some of the film’s scenes.

The real-life “Deadly Desert” of Oz

Located about 370 miles southwest of Cairo, White Desert National Park (officially El-Sahara El-Beida) covers nearly 115 square miles of limestone and chalk shaped by centuries of wind erosion. The result? Towering spires, mushroom-shaped rocks, and gleaming white dunes that look like they belong in another realm—or another world like the great land of Oz.

In the Wicked universe, the “Deadly Desert” separates Oz from the rest of the world, a blinding expanse that few dare to cross. It’s easy to see why the filmmakers chose this location: the stark, bleached landscape perfectly mirrors the mystical and isolating qualities that define Elphaba’s journey.

Why filmmakers chose Egypt

While most of Wicked: For Good was filmed at Sky Studios Elstree in the United Kingdom, director Jon M. Chu and his team reportedly traveled to Egypt for 10 days to capture exterior shots that couldn’t be replicated on a soundstage.

According to reports from Variety, the White Desert’s unique topography provided the perfect contrast to the lush greens of Oz seen in the first film. It’s not the first time the region has doubled as an alien or magical landscape—the park has previously appeared in documentaries and music videos, and its natural light makes it a cinematographer’s dream.

Visiting the White Desert

Unlike most movie sets, fans can actually go here. The White Desert National Park is open year-round and accessible by 4×4 vehicles from Bahariya Oasis. Most travelers visit with local guides who arrange camping permits and overnight stays under the stars.

At sunset, the landscape glows gold, then turns almost silver under a full moon. It’s one of Egypt’s most photogenic destinations, and one of the best places in the world for stargazing thanks to its remote location and zero light pollution.

If you plan to go, visit between November and March for cooler temperatures and avoid the searing summer heat. You’ll need plenty of water, sunscreen, and layers for when the sun sets.

Another way to see the history and sights of Egypt is sailing down the Nile. National Geographic Lindblad Expeditions where passengers will explore Cairo for four days before sailing on the Oberoi Philae for six nights down the Nile. Highlights on the trip include: the Great Pyramid of Giza, private access to the Sphinx, the recently opened Grand Egyptian Museum, Abu Simbel Temple, visiting Luxor at night and more.

The magic behind the landscape

Though details about the scenes shot in Egypt remain under wraps, it’s not hard to imagine Elphaba and Glinda traversing this ethereal terrain. The White Desert’s endless expanse makes it the perfect stand-in for a place where magic meets mystery.

So if you’re looking for a destination that feels straight out of Oz, you won’t find a more spellbinding spot than this stretch of Egyptian desert.

Wicked: For Good may be about friendship and redemption, but its real-life locations prove that movie magic doesn’t always need green screens—sometimes, Mother Nature is just showing off.