Siwa Oasis
an oasis at the edge of the map.
Remote, green and very quiet. Siwa has its own language, its own architecture and a landscape of salt lakes and dunes that feels nothing like the Nile Valley.
What it is
really like.
Siwa Oasis lies in Egypt's Western Desert, about 50 km from the Libyan border and around 800 km by road from Cairo. It is a depression below sea level, fed by springs, with hundreds of thousands of date and olive trees and several large salt lakes.
The people of Siwa are Amazigh (Berber) and speak their own language, Siwi. The old town, Shali, was built from kershef, a mix of salt, mud and rock, and its ruins still rise above the modern town. In antiquity Siwa was famous for the oracle of Amun, which Alexander the Great travelled across the desert to consult.
Life moves slowly here, and that is the point. Days are for swimming in springs, cycling between gardens, watching the sun set over the salt lakes and driving into the dunes of the Great Sand Sea.
The best of
Siwa Oasis.
The places we build days around. Not a list to tick off: most people choose three or four and leave time between them.
Shali
The crumbling salt-and-mud fortress town at Siwa's centre, best at sunset.
The Temple of the Oracle
The ruined temple of Amun on the hill of Aghurmi, where Alexander the Great came for answers.
Cleopatra's Spring
A deep, clear stone pool where locals and visitors swim.
The Mountain of the Dead
Gebel al-Mawta, a hill of rock-cut tombs, some with painted walls.
The salt lakes
Pools so salty you float, with blinding white salt flats around them.
The Great Sand Sea
A 4x4 trip into giant dunes, with sandboarding, hot springs and dinner in the desert.
Siwa Oasis,
answered.
How do we get to Siwa?
By private car: usually Cairo to Alexandria, along the coast to Marsa Matruh, then four hours south through the desert. There are no regular visitor flights.
Is Siwa suitable for families?
Yes, for families who enjoy simple places and outdoor days. The long drive is the main thing to plan around.
Is alcohol available in Siwa?
Siwa is a conservative community and alcohol is not generally served. Visitors are asked to dress modestly in town.
Ways to fit Siwa Oasis
into a trip.
Desert, Oasis, Cairo
Cairo and Alexandria, the Mediterranean coast road and three nights in Siwa Oasis, with a 4x4 day in the Great Sand Sea.
See this journey →
Cairo, Alexandria & the Nile
Cairo, an overnight in Alexandria and a three-night Nile cruise from Aswan to Luxor: Egypt's ancient and classical sides in nine days.
See this journey →Tell us how long
you have.
Send your dates and who is travelling. We will suggest how many nights Siwa Oasis deserves and what fits around it.