Siwa Oasis

Egypt's most remote oasis and a Berber stronghold, with the mud-brick fortress of Shali, the Temple of the Oracle of Amun, floating in salt pools and the Great Sand Sea.

Siwa Oasis lies in Egypt's Western Desert, about 50 km from the Libyan border and below sea level, making it the country's most remote oasis. It is home to Siwi-speaking Berbers who preserve their own dialect, dress and crafts. The oasis holds hundreds of thousands of date palms and olive trees, ringed by salt lakes, with the Great Sand Sea of the Sahara just to the south. In 331 BC Alexander the Great made a special journey here to consult the Oracle of Amun, and the oracle temple still stands on the hill of Aghurmi. Highlights: sunset at the old fortress town of Shali, the Temple of the Oracle and the tombs of Gebel al-Mawta (the Mountain of the Dead), swimming at Cleopatra's Spring, floating in the turquoise salt pools, sunset over the lake from Fatnas Island, and jeep trips deep into the Great Sand Sea for dune bashing, with a soak in the hot spring at Bir Wahed. The best time to visit is Oct–Apr; summer daytime temperatures can exceed 40°C, and winter nights are cold. Getting there: overnight buses from Cairo take about 10–12 hours, or it's about 4 hours by road from Marsa Matruh; there are checkpoints along the way, so carry your passport. In town, get around by bicycle, donkey cart or electric tuk-tuk. Allow 3–4 days. Local customs are conservative, so dress modestly; alcohol is generally not sold in town.

Top sights

• Shali Fortress – A 13th-century Berber fortress built from salt-and-mud bricks. Its tiered ruins are the landmark of Siwa and a sunset viewpoint.
• Temple of the Oracle of Amun – An ancient temple where Alexander the Great once sought an oracle, standing on a hill of mud-brick ruins in the village of Aghurmi.
• Siwa Salt Pools – Emerald-green salt pools left from salt mining. The water is so salty you can float effortlessly, and the white salt shores are made for ph…
• Great Sand Sea – The endless Saharan dune sea south of Siwa, offering jeep rides through the sand, sandboarding, desert sunsets and stargazing camps.
• Temple of Umm Ubayda – Another Amun temple ruin near the Oracle Temple, with only one inscribed wall remaining.
• Cleopatra's Spring – A natural stone-lined spring pool among the date palms, with clear water at a mild temperature suitable for swimming. There is a café besid…
• Gebel al-Mawta (Mountain of the Dead) – A small conical limestone hill riddled with ancient tombs, some of which retain colorful murals. The summit overlooks the entire town.
• Fatnas Island – A date-palm peninsula in a salt lake. From lakeside cafés you can watch the sun set into the salt lake, and it is also known as the “Island…
• Gebel Dakrour – A sandstone hill south of town, famous in summer for hot sand therapy. The summit offers views over the oasis and the desert.
• Traditional Siwan House Museum – A small museum in a traditional mud-brick house, displaying Siwan silver jewelry, wedding dresses, weaving and household items.
• Bir Wahed – A desert hot spring and cold-water lake on the edge of the Great Sand Sea, surrounded by dunes. You can soak in the hot spring and watch th…
• Abu Shuruf Spring – A large, crystal-clear spring pool on the eastern side of the oasis, often combined with Zeitoun Salt Lake and ancient village ruins in an…

Where to eat

• Abdu Restaurant – Siwa's best-known old budget restaurant, on the central square facing Shali Fortress, with a very long menu.
• Tekeyet Elamir Restaurant – A Siwa restaurant recommended by local guides, serving olive chicken, underground-baked Abu Mardam meat, and tagine.
• Ali Alewa Grill – A grill house popular with locals, known for meat slow-cooked under the sand and spiced rice served with chicken.

Itineraries

• El Alamein, Siwa Oasis & Alexandria – Travel west along the Mediterranean via El Alamein to Siwa, wrapping up in Alexandria on the way back to avoid a long…