Siwa Oasis
Sixty kilometres west of Siwa Town, this stunning salt lake on the edge of the Great Sand Sea is ringed by palm trees. It’s a popular stopover for migratory birds – including flamingos – and gazelles may be seen here too. The lake once reached all the way to Siwa Town, and an ancient boat lies somewhere 7m below the surface.
At the time of writing the lake was off limits for foreign visitors.
23.19 MILES
Central Siwa is dominated by the spectacular organic shapes of the remains of this 13th-century mud-brick fortress. Built from kershef (chunks of salt…
14.57 MILES
A favourite Siwa excursion is the freshwater lake at Bir Wahed, 15km away on the edge of the Great Sand Sea. Once over the top of a dune, you come to a…
23.34 MILES
This small hill, at the northern end of Siwa Town, is honeycombed with rock tombs peppered with wall paintings. Its name, Gebel Al Mawta, means 'Mountain…
24.52 MILES
The 26th-dynasty Temple of the Oracle sits in the northwest corner of the ruins of Aghurmi village. Built in the 6th century BC, probably on top of an…
21.02 MILES
This fairly secluded pool is on a small island in the salty Birket Siwa, accessible across a narrow causeway. Nicknamed ‘Fantasy Island’ for its idyllic…
25.08 MILES
Following the track that leads to the Temple of the Oracle and continuing past the Temple of Umm Ubayd will lead you to Siwa’s most famous spring. The…
23.23 MILES
Just above the entrance to the Fortress of Shali is the old mosque with its distinctive chimney-shaped minaret. The mosque was recently restored and a…
23.4 MILES
The best of Gebel Al Mawta's paintings are in this tomb, where beautifully coloured reliefs portray the dead man – thought to be a wealthy Greek landowner…
14.57 MILES
A favourite Siwa excursion is the freshwater lake at Bir Wahed, 15km away on the edge of the Great Sand Sea. Once over the top of a dune, you come to a…
21.02 MILES
This fairly secluded pool is on a small island in the salty Birket Siwa, accessible across a narrow causeway. Nicknamed ‘Fantasy Island’ for its idyllic…
22.39 MILES
Just north of Kharmisah, around 17km northwest of Siwa Town, the City of the Romans has about 100 tombs cut into the rock of the nearby hills and the…
23.14 MILES
This small museum contains an interesting display of traditional clothing, jewellery and crafts typical of the oasis. It’s worth the entry fee just to…
23.19 MILES
Central Siwa is dominated by the spectacular organic shapes of the remains of this 13th-century mud-brick fortress. Built from kershef (chunks of salt…
23.23 MILES
Just above the entrance to the Fortress of Shali is the old mosque with its distinctive chimney-shaped minaret. The mosque was recently restored and a…
23.34 MILES
This small hill, at the northern end of Siwa Town, is honeycombed with rock tombs peppered with wall paintings. Its name, Gebel Al Mawta, means 'Mountain…
23.38 MILES
In the Tomb of Niperpathot, one of the oldest in the oasis, the inscriptions and crude drawings are made in the same reddish ink you can see on modern…