The Western Desert and oases

Siwa's Oracle of Amun, the chalk formations of the White Desert and a chain of palm-fringed oases from Bahariya to Kharga.

About the region

The Western Desert covers about two-thirds of Egypt, and life there has always gathered at the oases, where springs made farming, caravan trade and settlement possible. The oases have date palms, mud-brick villages, hot springs and ancient sites that see few visitors.

In the north-west, Siwa lies close to the Libyan border, with its own Amazigh language, salt lakes, the ruined mud-brick fortress of Shali and the Temple of the Oracle of Amun, which Alexander the Great consulted in 331 BC. A separate loop south-west of Cairo links Bahariya, where the Graeco-Roman Valley of the Golden Mummies was discovered, Farafra, Dakhla with the medieval town of Al-Qasr, and Kharga, with the Temple of Hibis and the early Christian necropolis of Bagawat.

Between Bahariya and Farafra lie the Black Desert and the White Desert protected area, whose wind-carved chalk shapes are best seen on an overnight camping trip. Far to the south-west, the Gilf Kebir plateau holds some of Egypt’s earliest rock art, but it is very remote and needs permits and full expedition planning.

Highlights

Temple of the Oracle of Amun and Shali fortress, Siwa
Swimming in Siwa's springs and salt lakes
Overnight camping in the White Desert
Black Desert and Crystal Mountain on the Bahariya–Farafra road
Al-Qasr medieval town in Dakhla
Temple of Hibis and Bagawat necropolis, Kharga

Plan your visit

Best time: October to March is best, with warm days and cold desert nights; from May to September daytime temperatures often pass 40°C.

Getting there: There are no regular scheduled flights to the oases, so most visitors travel by road. Bahariya is about 4–5 hours from Cairo, with Farafra, Dakhla and Kharga further along a loop that rejoins the Nile Valley near Asyut or Luxor. Siwa is reached via Marsa Matrouh, about 4 hours south of the coast and 9–10 hours from Cairo in all.

Trip ideas: