Siwa National Park
Nature
The desert, salt lakes and springs around Siwa Oasis, from fossil-rich escarpments to the edge of the Great Sand Sea.
- Arabic name
- محمية سيوة
- Type
- National park
- Governorate
- Matrouh
- Area
- 7,731 km²
- Protected since
- 2002
- Nearest city guide
- Siwa Oasis
- Official website
- eeaa.gov.eg
Siwa National Park surrounds Egypt’s most remote oasis, close to the Libyan border. It protects the natural and cultural landscape of the Siwa depression: salt lakes, freshwater springs, palm groves and the dunes of the Great Sand Sea to the south.
Oasis and desert
Siwa lies below sea level, and its many springs feed date and olive gardens worked by the Siwan Amazigh (Berber) community, who keep their own language and traditions. In the desert, fossil beds reveal marine life from a time when the area lay under the sea. Wildlife includes fennec foxes, dorcas gazelle, desert reptiles and waterbirds on the lakes. The salt lakes, notably Lake Siwa and Lake Aghurmi, reflect the sky at sunset.
What to do
- Join a 4×4 safari into the Great Sand Sea, with sandboarding and a swim at a hot spring such as Bir Wahed.
- Float in the salt pools near the lakes.
- Visit Cleopatra’s Spring, the Temple of the Oracle and the mud-brick Shali fortress.
- Watch the sunset from Fatnas island.
Getting there and best time
Siwa is about 300 km south-west of Marsa Matrouh by asphalt road, or 9 to 10 hours from Cairo by road. October to April is best; nights in December and January can be cold.
Entry fee: a small protectorate fee for desert safaris, usually included by operators (last checked October 2026).
Last checked October 2026. Entry fees and access rules change; check with the Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency or a local operator before you go. Sources: eeaa.gov.eg, en.wikipedia.org.
Frequently asked questions
What does Siwa National Park protect?
The natural and cultural landscape of the Siwa depression: salt lakes, freshwater springs, palm groves, fossil-rich escarpments and the edge of the Great Sand Sea.
What can I do there?
Join a 4x4 safari into the Great Sand Sea for sandboarding and a hot-spring swim at Bir Wahed, float in the salt pools, and watch sunset from Fatnas island. Cleopatra's Spring, the Temple of the Oracle and the Shali fortress are close by.
What wildlife lives around Siwa?
Fennec foxes, dorcas gazelle, desert reptiles and waterbirds on the lakes.
How long does it take to get to Siwa?
About 9 to 10 hours by road from Cairo; the oasis is around 300 km south-west of Marsa Matrouh by asphalt road.
When should I go and is there a fee?
October to April is best; December and January nights can be cold. A small protectorate fee applies to desert safaris and is usually included by operators.
