Siwa

Let's go to SIWA

Moving times every Thursday, Including transfers, program and attractions. Contact us: 01210647357

Siwa is different, It is Egyptians, but North African. Most siwans are Berbers,The Berbers are the true western desert indigenous people, as early as 10,000 B.C. The Siwan Language, traditions, rites, dress, decorations and tools are mostly alien to the other oases in the western desert. Siwa was colonized by Ramses the Third. Evidence exists from the twenty-sixth dynasty(66-3-525 B.c.) to indicate that Siwa was part of the Egyptians Empire during those times. Once the Greeks established themselves in Cyrene(In Present-day- Libya), legend tells us the oracle of Amun was discovered and elevated to a place of honour among the Greeks, one by one, the Great leaders came for advising and focus, They had to endure the great hardship to reach their quest. The most important visitors of all was Alexander the great. Alexander the great and Siwa oasis After conquering Egypt( 331 B.c.)and Founding the city of Alexandria, Alexander like Perseus and Hercules before him, made the long and exhausting eight-days journey far into the desert to consult, the famous oracle of Amun. The Campain of Alexander got lost, run out of the water, halfway along the desert route the guides lost their way. The Expedition was saved only by Miraculous intervention of two hissing snakes who led the Caravan into Siwa Traditional houses are built from karshef, a mixture of salt, clay, and mud, which helps regulate temperature in the desert climate. The old fortress town of Shali is a striking example of Siwan architecture, with labyrinth-like mudbrick structures.

Shali fortress, Cleopatra Bath, Temple of Oracle, Gebel Al Dakrur, Gebel Al Mawta, Temple of Amoun and Salt Lake

Shali FortressBuilt on a hill inside a Protective wall originally breached by a single gate, the maze of mud-brick buildings that Comprises the Fortress served the people of the oasis for nearly 8 centuries. The inhabitants had to live in the narrow quarters, sharing their animals, which were herded into the fortress each evening. The huge chunks of salt so prevalent in Siwa oasis were used in the constructions of the fortress, as they helped to strengthen the wall, Rain has unfortunately proved to be more destructive to the fortress than any human invaders.

The Cleopatra bathThe springs of Siwa are famous throughout the western desert, The spring of the sun Or Cleopatra's bath where Cleopatra swam when she visited Siwa oasis, So, It must be assumed, did Alexander the great.

The Temple of OracleLocated 4 km east of the present town of Siwa, the Temple of the Oracle is believed to have housed the famous Greek oracle of Jupiter Amun, to which Alexander the Great headed directly when he came to Egypt for the first time in 331 BC. Reputedly, it is believed that the Macedonian leader asked the oracle if he was going to 'rule the world,' legend has it that the answer was 'yes, but not for very long.' The temple has a great vestibule and forecourt.

Gebel Al DakrurGebel Al Dakrur, Just a few miles south of Shali, is visible from all points in the oasis and its triple peaks serve as a good landmark when travelling East or west. The view from the summit of this mountain is outstanding. Sand Cures in Siwa oasis There are three doctors at Dakrur famous of their sand cures treatment of rheumatism and arthritis. A sand bath is taken during the hottest month of the year( July through September)Patients from as far away as Sweden and Germany make the Journey to Siwa oasis for the cures They stay at one of the Clinics at the base of the mountain, Early each morning workers dig shallow graves in the sand along the slopes to allow the sun to heat the area. At the midday when the sun is the most intense, patient lie in the hollow and covered with additional hot sand, less sand is piled in the area around the heart, here the patient is removed to a nearby tent, wrapped in hot blankets and asked to drink herbal teas and chicken soup, the treatment continues for five to seven days during which time the patient is forbidden to bathe or drink any cold.

Gebel Al MawtaGebel Al Mawta, Mountain of the Dead, is a conical mountain a little over a kilometre to the north of Shali. Tombs from twenty-sixth Dynasty, Ptolemaic, and the Roman periods are cut into the side of the mountain, There are four tombs worth seeing at Gebel Al – Mawta. Tomb of Niperpathot The tomb of Niperpathot is a large tomb and one of the oldest tombs in the oasis, Almost certainly from the Twenty-sixth Dynasty. It has a court with 3 tombs on the Mountain. Niperpathot was the Prophet of Osiris and scribe of the dive documents. The Tomb of the Crocodile Excavated in 1941 and consists of three rooms and decorations of Osiris, Hathor and Crocodile Sobek The Tomb of Si- Amun Ahmed Fakhry called the tomb of Si Amun, the most beautiful in the western desert. Si Amun appears to have been a wealthy oasian, Perhaps Greek origin, but a follower to the ancient Egyptians believe, The tomb contains Image from the Egyptians pantheon, including an Exquisite painting of the goddess nut standing beside a sycamore tree.

Temple of Amun(200m further from the Temple of the Oracle). This structure is almost completely destroyed, owing to its dynamiting in 1896 by an Ottoman governor eager to acquire building material. An inscribed wall represents all that remains to be seen. Based on earlier drawings by pioneer explorers, however, scholars have deduced that the temple was erected by the pharaoh Nectanebo of the 30th Dynasty.

Salt LakeI have just discovered this amazing lake on my last visit to Siwa and I need to put it as number one in Siwa attractions. The place is really cool and not easy to reach as you need to drive 15 to 20 K.M from Siwa. I see the salt lakes as unique places and does not exist in any other places in Egypt. The water takes you above, You don't need to swim. Take care when you swim and don't let the water reach your eyes. as it is really painful. Choose the crystal lake and they are many of them. But keep looking for the purest one, when you see the bottom. Take a bottle of Mineral water to shower with after swimming in the lake, The salt lakes have similar hyper-salinity properties to those of Jordan’s Dead Sea. This also means that the lakes hold great healing properties, much stronger than regular seawater. In all cases, they make for a wonderful swim!