Oceans of golden dunes, moonscapes with bizarre rock formations and endless kilometres of rocky plains make up the Western Desert.
An extension of the Sahara, it is neither one single landscape nor easily accessible.
The Western Desert is dotted with five oases, lying like islands in the ocean – Siwa, Baharia, Farafra, Dakhla and Kharga.
Oceans of golden dunes, moonscapes with bizarre rock formations and endless kilometres of rocky plains make up the Western Desert. An extension of the Sahara, it is neither one single landscape nor easily accessible. The Western Desert is dotted with five oases, lying like islands in the ocean – Siwa, Baharia, Farafra, Dakhla and Kharga. These are linked by a thousand-kilometre trail tracing a zigzag across the map.
Siwa
Stretching eighty kilometres in length and dotted with limestone outcrops, mineral springs and two salt lakes, Siwa has a culture based on dates and olives making it feel rather like the Garden of Eden. In the centre of the settlement of Shali, the oasis’ main town, stand some strange, ghostly ruins. These are all that remains of the old village, destroyed last century by torrential rains.
A few sandy paths lead to the Temple of Amen, site of the oracle consulted by Alexander the Great himself. Standing on an outcrop, the temple has not withstood the passage of time but a walk through its jagged ruins conjures up images of djinns which the Siwans believe are plentiful in this region. Alternatively, sit and admire the sea of palm trees stretched out below. Do not miss out on a swim in the slightly fizzy water of the spring pools. Some date from the time of the Roman occupation whilst others have been more recently constructed to irrigate the gardens.
