WESTERN DESERT

The Western Desert of Egypt

( west of the Nile ) has always been an unknown and mysterious land. Perhaps the most exciting aspect in traveling through the Western Desert is the feeling that the great age of desert exploration is not over. Making your way into the interior of the desert and riding in the wind to an ancient fort is one of the few great adventures left in the world. Knowing that the last time someone visited the area was years ago produces a euphoria that is unparalleled.

In Egypt, there are several oases in the Western Desert. The most significant are Fayoum, Kharga, Dakhla, Farafra, Siwa and Bahariya. The Oases are famed for their numerous mineral and sulfur-rich springs, distinguished by their unique chemical composition that places them at the highest level worldwide. In addition, the silt contained in these wells has numerous curative properties for the treatment of bone, stomach, chest, and skin ailments.

 

SIWA
Siwa is different. It is not Egyptian, but North African. Most Siwans are Berbers,

descendents of Bedouins that roamed the North African coast from Tunisia to Morocco. In appearance, dress, and language the Siwans are unique. Their customs are alien to the other Oases in the Western Desert, as is their history. Answering to a host of names through the centuries, Siwa has been called Santarieh, the Oasis of Jupiter-Amun, Field of palm trees, and during the Old Kingdom, Tehenu (Olive land).
Some of the oasis most intresting sights :

Temple of the Oracle:. It is believed that Alexander the Great wished to consult the Siwan Oracle to seek conformation that he was the son of Zeus, the Greek God of Gods.

Gebel El Mawta: Gebel El Mawta (Mountain of the Dead) guards the northern entrance to the Oasis. Tombs from the Twenty-sixth Dynasty, Ptolemaic, and Roman periods are cut into the side of the mountain.

Springs: The springs of Siwa are famous throughout the Western Desert. Most of them are surrounded by palm groves and some have interesting histories as Cleopatra’s hot spring.

Bir Wahid: Hidden amongst the sand dunes, camping and bathing in this natural hot spring is one of the delights that visitors should not miss.

Siwa Sook: Siwa Sook or Siwa Market is famous for its highly priced jewelry.

Shali: The old town of Siwa was built on a hill inside a protective wall originally breached by a single gate.

Arag, Baharein, setra and nawamesa Oases, these oases are located amongst the sand dunes on the track between Siwa and Bahariya Oasis. The visitor seeking adventure should not miss this excursion. Mummies and ancient pottery are easily found among the numerous rock tombs.

Gabal El Dakrour: This mountain is most famous for the treatment developed for rheumatism and arthritis. Sand bathes are taken during the hottest months of the year.

FAYOUM

Named after the Coptic word phiom, meaning lake, the triangular depression of the Fayoum looks like a delta. The Fayoum can be explored in a series of pleasant day trips and offers a wide variety of activities from boating, swimming and fishing, to visiting antiquities, bird watching, and searching for fossils (from tiny shells and skeletons of the invertebrates to giant turtles, monkeys, and even whales).

Wadi El Rayan: This valley was named after a king who was buried with all his gold and riches in the wadi. Most enjoyable, is the splendor of swimming under the waterfalls.

Wale Cemetery: A prehistoric sea once existed in this area, leaving behind evidence in the form of whale skeletons and other fossils.

Kom Aushim Museum: Was erected in 1974. Exhibiting artifacts dating from the Prehistoric to Roman Periods.

Karanis: The site that was almost completely buried contains foundations of hundreds of houses, several temples, factories, and baths, including a sauna, with hot and cold running water.

Bacchias: Was founded in the third century and abandoned in the forth. Several interesting ruins are still standing.

Lake Qarroun (Birket Qarroun): Covers approximately 214.5 square kilometers. Several local legends relate to the lake, one tells of a pharoah who lived during the time of Moses. The Pharaoh inhabited a castle called Qarroun and had rooms full of gold and other riches. But the Pharaoh was greedy and became mean and vicious. With all his possessions, he was cast in the lake. The treasure is still believed hidden in the lake.

Temple of King Qarroun (Qasr Qarroun): The most interesting aspect of the temple is that it is the only temple in the Western Desert with its roof intact, offering us a sense of the atmosphere that once prevailed all the temples in the Western Desert. The temple is said to have 360 rooms, some of which can be explored using a flashlight.

BAHARIYA

The closest to cairo yet the most distant oasis in time. Bahariya had many names through the centuries. Called the Northern Oasis, the Little Oasis, Zezes, and the Oasis of El Banasa.

Valley of the Golden Mummies: Only very recently discovered, this site is considered the most important discovery after King Tut’s tomb.

The Black Desert: This prehistoric area contains extinct volcanoes with millions of lava scattered along the plains.

Bir El Ghaba hot spring: Also known as The Well of the Forest, is a natural hot water well located in a grove of eucalyptus trees. A real pleasure to bathe in on a cold night.


FARAFRA

Open to the harsh desert elements, hard to reach, sparsely populated and poor, Farafra Oasis remained isolated for centuries. Its isolation created a special world of eternal sunshine and incredible beauty that is just beginning to be penetrated by the outside world.

The White Desert: As the name implies, the White Desert is a large landscape of pure white color. If one did not know better it would seem like snow covering the entire region.

Ain El Wadi: Also called the Magic Spring, is recognized by a single palm tree sitting atop a knoll. It is the highest point in the area and the only other green spot on the vast plain.


DAKHLA

Dakhla Oasis has been populated for over 10,000 years. The climate of Dakhla was similar to that of the African savanna. Buffalo, elephants, rhinos, zebras, ostriches, and hartebeests wandered around the shores of a huge lake, on whose southern bank primitive man had settled to herd his goats and cattle. Remains of the evidence to this nourishing life are still found.

El Muzawaka Tombs: Very impressive set of Roman tombs with a lot of colourful inscriptions.

Al Qasr Village: it is an Old Covered City, with its oil press, school, courthouse and dwelling chambers, the mosque dates back to the Ayyubid period. It has a three-story wooden minaret (twenty-one meters high), and wooden lintels decorated with inscriptions from the Koran at the entrances.

Bir El Gabal: Considered to be one of the most beautiful springs in all the Western Desert.

Deir El Haggar : a pharonic roman funary temple most unique for the twelve pillars demonstrating the twelve months of the year which was followed in all the arthodox churches throughout time ( St. Catherine Monastary ), this pharonic roman temple was dedicated to the god Amon Rah and the goddess Mut.

KHARGA

Kharga, whose bold name seems to perfectly sum up the character of its environment, is the most populous Oasis of the Western Desert. It offers a variety of sites of interest to the visitor, including ancient fortresses and villages.

Om el Dabadeeb & Qasr el Labeka: two of the most spectacular forts and temples in Kharga. It is tucked into a beautiful valley. Imbeded in the sand dunes and accessible only by a 4w drive, the ruins are impressive with two marvelous buildings, a Roman well, several rock tombs, and plenty of shards.

El Deir: The Monastery. This fortress was built of mud brick. It has twelve round towers with wonderful graffiti in the interior of the fortress.

Hibis Temple: Dating back to the Twenty-sixth Dynasty, is dedicated to the Holy Triad (Amun Ra’ – Mut – Khonsu).

Cemetery and church of Al Bagawat: it is regarded as one of the oldest cristian cemeteries and chuches In egypt and the worldContains 263 tombs in the pattern of domed chambers. In the center is a church dating back to the eleventh century.
 

SINAI

The Sinai Peninsula juts out into the Red Sea, sandwiched between the Gulf of Suez and the Gulf of Aqaba. Ranked as the third largest desert in Egypt, this territory has been the destination of continual expeditions beginning in the times of Ancient Egypt. Here Moses is said to have received the Ten Commandments, and the Hebrews made their painful way along the road to the Promised Land.

Desert and sea are the two elements that predominate in the Sinai. They often meet, creating panoramas and settings that are unrivalled in grandeur and in exquisite beauty.

The Monastery of Saint Catherine: Is located in a valley at the foot of Gebel Musa, housing the Fountain of Moses, the Chapel of the Burning Bush, and the outstanding Icon gallery.

Gebel Musa (Mount Moses): Also known as Mount Sinai, it is said that this is the site where Moses received the Ten Commandments. The climb up the mountain (2,286 metres or 7,498 feet) is an excursion not to be missed.

Ras Mohamed National Park: Known to be one of the best diving destinations in the world, with an abundance of beautiful coral and amazing marine life.

National Park of Abou Galloum: Is among the most picturesque protectorates in the country, with its high mountains, narrow sinuous valleys, freshwater springs, and coastal sand dunes. The turquoise waters are among the best features of the area.

Coloured Canyon: So called because the sandstone walls that flank it features remarkable hues and shades of colour, ranging from white to yellow and all the shades of red imaginable.

The White Canyon: This natural canyon takes its name from the rainbow hues of the sandstone into which it was carved by water erosion during the Quaternary Period. The walk through the canyon end in the Oasis and palm groves of Ain Khudra.

Ain Khudra: imbeded by high mountains , Ain Khudra is distinguished by the great abundance of water and palm trees.

Oasis of Ain Umm Ahmed: Is one of the least visited, most beautiful in the Sinai. This is a huge palm grove broken by small gardens and orchards.

Oasis of the Mangroves: The Mangrove Forest, located in the protected area of Nabq, is the largest and most important in Sinai.

Sharm El Sheikh: The most popular tourist town (city) in Sinai. It is concentrated with hotels, diving centers, restaurants, bazaars and of course, beaches.

Dahab: Considered one of the world’s best diving locations. It is famous for its beaches and deep dive sites.

Nuweiba: A smaller, quieter version of Dahab. It houses the Bedouin village of Tarabeen.

Distances