Siwa Oasis Tours

Siwa, Egypt’s most remote oasis

Close to the Libyan border, Siwa is a world of its own: its people speak their own Berber language, and the old town of Shali was built from kershef, a mix of salt and mud. In 331 BC Alexander the Great crossed the desert to consult the Oracle of Amun here. Today you can swim in Cleopatra’s Spring, float in the salt lakes and watch the sunset from Fatnas Island at the edge of the Great Sand Sea.

Planning a visit to Siwa

Siwa lies in the Western Desert, about 300 kilometres south-west of Marsa Matruh on the Mediterranean coast. From Cairo it is a long day on the road, so most travellers break the journey or spend at least two nights in the oasis. The best months are October to April; summer days are very hot.

• What to see: the mud-brick Shali fortress, the Temple of the Oracle at Aghurmi, the Mountain of the Dead with its painted tombs, Cleopatra’s Spring and the salt lakes.
• Local life: Siwa is known for its dates and olives, and for a quiet way of life; dress modestly in the town.
• Combine it with: Alexandria on the way, or the White Desert on a longer desert route.

See our desert and oasis tours or the Alexandria guide.