Siwa In The Desert Of Egypt
Siwa is not the most famous destination in Egypt. In fact, perhaps many of you are completely unaware of what awaits you there or have not even heard of this spectacular oasis in the desert. Because that is the best definition we can give of this site: an oasis. Even its name Siwa is an evolution of an ancient expression that meant ‘land of palm trees’.
Siwa’s magic
There is a city, but Siwa is an enclave of many square kilometers where the miracle of water occurs. It is an area in the Sahara completely surrounded by sand and that forms a great oasis where people live from agriculture. We are talking about a wonder in the largest desert in the world, if we do not count the frozen poles of the planet.
These places surrounded by a natural environment as hostile as it is sterile are truly magical. And it is not the only oasis in the great African desert, since there are other extraordinary places such as Merzgouga in Morocco. And there are even them in other latitudes, like the secret oasis of Huacachina in Peru. However, Siwa’s has something that makes it very special.
Where is Siwa
It is located in the west of Egypt, very far from its capital Cairo and the great artery of the country such as the Nile River. In fact, it is very close to the Libyan border. Therefore, there are not many tourists who come there. And few Egyptians know this place.
Must to see
However, even if not many tourists go to Siwa, more and more people dare to travel to Egypt and go off the beaten track, such as the famous Nile cruise. Thus, it is possible to discover places as special as this one.
It is reached after crossing a sea of sand and, suddenly, a vast expanse of date palms and olive trees is seen, as well as various ponds. And all of this is just a preview of what awaits us at Siwa.
Cleopatra’s pond
It seems unlikely that the most famous pharaoh in history, the beautiful Cleopatra, bathed in this lake on the outskirts of the city. However, it receives its name and there are people who take a bath here to cool off from the intense heat. Of course, think that the bathing customs in Egypt are not like the western ones and the tiny bathing suits are very frowned upon.
The Oracle of Amun
Another person who is attested to arrive in Siwa in the 4th century BC was Alexander the Great. And it is even said that he went to this oracle to know his future. And there he was told that he was going to become Pharaoh of Egypt. Today you do not go there to discover your future, since unfortunately the old oracle is a ruin in the form of an archaeological site.
The Mountain of the Dead
The aforementioned pond of Cleopatra is located at the base of the ‘Mountain of the Dead’ or Gebel al Mawta, which is a vast necropolis from Roman times, as the numerous tombstones found attest.
Shali Ghali fortress
Another highlight in Siwa’s landscape are the ruins of the old medieval fortress. A construction that would be built in the 13th century with local materials, that is, poor quality stone and wood from palm trees. Some materials that have not withstood the passage of centuries, that is why today it is an abandoned place.
Siwa House Museum
In the city there is a long artisan tradition that is kept with pride to differentiate itself from other areas of the country. And in the best place to meet her in this museum in the center of Siwa. By the way, it is a museum that was not promoted by local people, but rather a project launched by a Canadian traveler who saw tourism as a threat to traditional ways of life.
