Discover Siwa

Crystal-clear salt lakes invite you to float effortlessly on the dense salt water, much like the Dead Sea. Fatnas Island at sunset, surrounded by palm trees and calm water, is one of the oasis's most beautiful photo spots.

Alexander the Great is said to have traveled here in person to consult the famous oracle. The ruins of the temple sit on a hill overlooking the entire palm oasis.

4x4 dune safaris head deep into one of the largest sand seas of the Sahara, often combined with sandboarding on the steep dune slopes and an overnight stay under one of Egypt's clearest night skies.

The centuries-old mudbrick fortress towers over the oasis town and was partly abandoned after heavy rains in the 1920s, but still offers an impressive walk through its narrow alleys.

Siwa has no airport of its own and is usually reached by bus or private transfer from Cairo or Marsa Matruh, a journey of about 8 to 10 hours.

Besides Arabic, locals traditionally speak Siwi, a Berber language. Some English is usually understood in guesthouses and on desert tours.

October to April is best, as the desert oasis becomes extremely hot in summer, though nights often remain pleasantly cool even then.

Siwa lies deep in the Sahara near the Libyan border and is one of the most isolated inhabited regions of Egypt — travelers should bring sufficient cash, as ATMs are scarce.