Siwa - An Oasis Like No Other

There is no place in Egypt like Siwa. Tourists and residents alike are well acquainted with the chi-chi five-star resorts on the North Coast, the chill-out beach camps on the Red Sea and the environmentally-friendly ecolodges everywhere, but while these all have their charms, Siwa is above and beyond in its own category. The ancient, isolated oasis in the middle of the Great Sand Sea attracted Alexander the Great in his day and is now becoming a cherished destination for travelers willing to leave the beaten path and traverse the desert.

Unlike other journeys, where the distance traveled is just a slog with a destination, the ride to Siwa is half the fun. From Cairo it takes about 10 hours by bus. If you’re lucky enough to have your own ride, it can take anywhere from seven to 11 hours. Quite a range, you might say, but there is so much to do on the way. Fling yourself into the sea when the car gets too hot, walk the beautifully kept rows of graves at the Commonwealth War Memorial at El-Alamein and spend a half-hour perusing the market stalls at Marsa Matruh. Then rest easy as the desert landscape speeds past on the highway from Matruh to Siwa (keeping an eye out for unmarked speed bumps), and prepare your eyes for the sudden profusion of green palm trees rising out of the endless sand.

Even if you’re a veteran oasis visitor, Siwa will likely get you excited. It’s nothing like its counterparts in Egypt. This one feels, for the most part, untouched by time. The tiny town, the quiet dirt streets nearly devoid of cars, the Siwan toddlers walking quietly everywhere hand-in-hand and the donkey-driven agriculture are all a wonderful balm to a stressed-out soul. Get ready to drive about 10 kilometers per hour around town to fit the pace.