Siwa Oasis Travel Guide

About Siwa Oasis

After a long drive through the barren landscape of the Western Desert, you won’t believe your eyes when you reach Siwa for the first time. See an Edenic island full of mineral springs, salt lakes, and endless Olive and Palm Groves.

For a cultural tour in Shali, the oasis’ main town, check out the strange ruins of the Shali Fortress which dominate the town center and walk along sandy paths to find the Temple of the Oracle, once visited by Alexander the Great himself to consult the Oracle of Siwa. Finish your day by taking a dip at Cleopatra’s Pool, where the legendary queen herself is believed to have once swum. Don’t forget to buy some Siwan Crafts on your way, and spare an hour or two for a visit to the charming Siwa House Museum.

Adventurous travelers will also get their fix of fun and excitement by heading for a safari into the great sand sea or trying out quad biking in the Western Desert of Egypt. Surrounded by lakes that are too saline to support fishing, Siwa has been famous for its olive groves and palm gardens since ancient times. The oasis boasts more than 300,000 palm trees, 70,000 olive trees as well as many fruit orchards. The area has thus become very attractive to different sorts of birds, such as falcons and quails. Strolling through the rich palm groves, you will soon be convinced that Siwa’s main attraction is its serene ambiance. 

The center of Siwa is dominated by the ruins of the 13th-century Shali fortress. Built from a material known as Kershef (salt rocks from the local salt lakes and mud), the ruins are subject to additional disintegration after each rainfall. You can walk up to the top of the fortress to witness spectacular views of the oasis and its surrounding