Long Way Education

By Eman Abdallah Kamel

Siwa is a beautiful city and a charming oasis. This article explores Siwa’s location, history, and most prominent landmarks, as well as its main tourist areas and resorts.

Siwa Oasis

Siwa is an Egyptian city and oasis in the Western Desert. The Siwa Oasis is about 300 km south of the Mediterranean coast, between the Great Sand Sea and the Qattara Depression. The oasis is about 820 km from Cairo and 50 km from the Libyan border. Siwa has an area of 94.263 km² and is affiliated with the Matrouh Governorate. Siwa is bordered on the north by mountain ranges and on the south by dunes.

The oasis is also notable for its abundance of naturally occurring water wells of varying sizes and depths, among the world’s purest, which have attracted significant investment in the groundwater industry. Siwa contains 1200 water wells and 200 water springs for irrigation and daily use.

Siwa is 18 meters below sea level, which makes its groundwater close and easy to use. The cultivated land of Siwa covers an area of 20 thousand acres. The oasis is famous for the cultivation of date palms and olive trees that produce high-quality dates and olive oil.

A Brief History of the Oasis

The association of the oasis with ancient Egypt dates back to the Twenty-Sixth Dynasty. This is evidenced by the presence of the Temple of Amun in the oasis, which dates back to this period. The ancient Egyptians called the oasis “Sekht Am”, meaning the land of palm trees. In the winter of 331 BC, Alexander the Macedonian travelled to the Siwa Oasis after establishing Alexandria as Egypt’s capital. The Ptolemies described it during their rule of Egypt as the oasis of Jupiter Amun. Following the Islamic conquest of Egypt, the Siwa people continued to live independently.

The Arab historian Ibn Khaldun referred to the Siwa Oasis as Tanswa, the name of a branch of the Zenata tribes in North Africa. The Arab geographer Muhammad al-Idrisi called it Santariyyah. According to him, a mix of Arab and Berber minorities lived there. The Egyptian historian Al-Maqrizi travelled to Siwa in the 15th century and confirmed that the people of Siwa spoke a language similar to that of the Zenata tribes.

The first European to visit Siwa was the English traveller William George Brown. In 1820, the Siwa Oasis was officially added to Egypt.

The Siwa Oasis in the Art

The beauty of Siwa Oasis has inspired many artists and has appeared in dramatic works, for example.

• In the spring of 1893, German explorer and photographer Hermann Borchardt took photographs of Siwa, which are now preserved in the Ethnological Museum in Berlin.
• The Axis armies (Italy and Germany) occupied the oasis in July 1942 and left in November 1942 after being defeated in the Second Battle of El-Alamein. During the occupation, some soldiers drew pictures of the oasis.
• The oasis appeared briefly as the base for the British Army’s Lord Range Desert Group in Alex’s 1958 film Ice Cold War.

What is the Siwa Oasis famous for?

1. Historical Isolation & Trade

• Desert Isolation: Deep in the desert, Siwa was historically cut off from the outside world, relying entirely on camel corridors for connection.
• Trade & Transit Hub: These camel routes were used to export local dates and olives, import outside goods, and serve as a transit path for pilgrims travelling to Mecca and Medina.
• Cultural Ties: Due to its geographic location and isolation, the traditional culture of the Siwa people historically showed a deeper connection to Morocco than to Egypt.

2. Unique Culture & Handicrafts

• Innovative Artistic Skill: Isolation led to the development of a distinctive local culture, where craftsmen relied entirely on raw materials available within the oasis.
• Famed Embroidery: Practiced exclusively by women, Siwa’s embroidery features distinct designs that preserve the oasis’s heritage. It beautifully adorns clothing, furnishings, carpets, and rugs.
• Pottery & Jewellery: The oasis is highly characterized by its traditional pottery and unique jewellery encrusted with precious stones.
• Woven Baskets: Basket weaving remains a staple handicraft, utilizing local palm materials.

3. Natural Products & Exports

• Premium Agriculture: Siwa is famous for producing some of the finest dates, olives, and high-quality olive oil.
• World-Class Salt: The oasis yields exceptionally high-grade salt that meets strict international standards, setting it apart globally.

What about the Siwa people?

Siwa people speak the Berber language and Arabic. The singing is associated with events such as marriage, childbirth, and the harvest. The songs almost revolve around migration, desertion, and wisdom. Like all Muslims, Siwa people celebrate Eid al-Fitr (after fasting the month of Ramadan) and Eid al-Adha (the festival of sacrifice).

During the lunar nights of October every year, the people of Siwa Oasis celebrate the days of Al Syaha (tourism), a special celebration for the people of Siwa. It is also called Harvest Days because it comes after the harvesting of dates and olives in Siwa Oasis.

The people of the oasis built their traditional houses with stone from al Kershef (clay, sand, and dried salt). Doors and windows were made of palm trees.

Siwa Destinations

Siwa has hot sand and hot springs that treat some skin and respiratory diseases. The oasis also includes many archaeological sites. The most attractive destinations in Siwa:

1. Water Springs,
2. Salt Lakes,
3. Jabal Al-Mawta,
4. Jabal Al-Dakrour,
5. Oracle Temple,
6. The Old Town of Shali,
7. Siwa Museum.

1. Water Springs

Some Siwa springs are hot water springs, and some others are hot sulfur springs. The most famous of these springs are,

• Cleopatra Spring is the most visited tourist attraction in Siwa.
• Fitnas Spring is about 6 kilometers west of Siwa and is surrounded by palm trees and desert landscapes.
• Wahid Spring, or Great Sand Sea Well. It is a hot sulfur water source and is located 10 km west of the oasis.
• Kigar Spring’s hot sulfur water is nearly 67°C.

2. Salt Lakes

Siwa is characterized by salt lakes, where layers of white salt accumulate on its shores, similar to snow, especially in the autumn season. The most important salt lakes in Siwa:

• Lake Zayton is situated east of Siwa, covering an area of 5,760 acres.
• Lake Aghurmi, located north-east of the oasis, covers an area of 960 acres.
• Siwa Lake is located west of Shali in an area of 3,600 acres.
• In the Bahai al-Din region, 700 acres make up Lake Al-Maraqui, which is situated west of the oasis.
• Lake Fitnas, the most popular tourist attraction, is 5 kilometers west of Siwa. The lake has the island of Fatnas and is located in front of Jafar Mountain.
• The oasis features numerous other lakes, including Taghaghine, Awsat, and Shaita lakes.

3. Jabal Al-Mawta

The tombs at Jabal al-Mawta date back to the 4th and 3rd centuries BC and were reused during Greek and Roman times in Egypt. Jabal al-Mawta is about 2 km away from Siwa. The most famous of the tombs:

• Niperbathot was the tomb of the priest of Osiris.
• One of the most significant tombs in Western Desert archaeology is Si Amoun, where numerous mummies have been found. The importance of this tomb is to explain the overlap between ancient Egyptian art and Greek art.
• In 1940, the tomb of the crocodile was discovered. This tomb’s name is derived from a large crocodile that was painted on one of its walls.

4. Jabal Al Dakrour

Jebel Al Dakrour is located three kilometers south of Siwa Oasis. The hot white sand there has therapeutic properties. In Al Dakrour, you can enjoy hot sand baths to treat rheumatic diseases, joint pain, spine problems, and skin problems.

5. Temple of Amoun

During the 7th century BC, the Temple of Amoun, or Oracle, was built. It is located on the Aghurmi Plateau at an altitude of 30 meters, four kilometers east of Siwa. There are also traces of another temple to Amun called the Um Ubaidah Temple near the Temple of Amun. There is only one wall remaining from this temple.

6. Old Town of Shali

The ancient city of Shali is located in the heart of the Siwa Oasis. It is one of the most famous historical monuments in Siwa. The oldest mosque in Siwa is also in the town of Shali. In 1926, many houses collapsed, and the rest were damaged by heavy rains. Therefore, Shali residents left the city and built new homes on the roof of the mountain.

7. Siwa Museum

Siwa House Museum was built on three acres in the garden of the city council of Siwa, in the style of the traditional Siwa house. The museum combines the history of the life of Siwa and its development over various stages of time. The museum collections were collected with the help of the people of the oasis. The museum includes silver jewellery, musical instruments, wedding costumes, baskets, crockery, and agricultural tools.

Siwa Oasis Resorts

There are many tourist resorts in Siwa Oasis. The Adrere Amellal Resort is the most famous of these resorts. The resort combines luxury, beauty, and simplicity. Siwa traditions have touched the resort’s designs. The hotel is in the desert, about 16 kilometers from the oasis. Moonlight, candles, and flashlights are used for night lighting.

Besides Adrere Amellal, some hotels and resorts are in keeping with the nature of the oasis, ranging from 3-star hotels to 5-star resorts. Such as Alabenshal, Shali Lodge, Taziry Ecolodge Siwa, Nour El Waha, Siwa Relax Retreat, Moon Valley Siwa Oasis, Qasr Alzaytouna Inn, Siwa Villa, Dehiba, and Siwa Shali Resorts.

Tips For The Visitors

1. The climate of Siwa is very hot in the summer and very cold in the winter. The best seasons to visit Siwa are autumn and spring.
2. The Siwa Oasis is a very safe place to ride a bike to enjoy the views of palm trees, olive trees, water springs, and lakes. If you plan on wandering the oasis, respect the Siwa culture by wearing appropriate clothing.
3. A hot sand bath can be used as a healing method in the morning and before sunset.
4. Shopping is a great experience in the traditional markets of the oasis, especially at the Shali commercial market, where you can find high-quality dates, olive oil, and handicrafts.
5. Adrere Amellal and Taziry Ecolodge Siwa resorts offer other activities, such as horseback riding.

The Main Transport of Siwa

• The Matruh/Siwa Road is 302 kilometers long, and the Siwa/Salloum Road is 307 kilometers long.
• The Siwa/Jaghbub Road is 88 km long and runs from Siwa Oasis to the Libyan Jaghbub Oasis.
• The Siwa Oasis International Airport offers nonstop flights from Siwa Oasis to many cities in or outside Egypt. The International Air Transport Association code of the Siwa North Airport is SEW.

©Eman Abdallah Kamel 2022

About the author: Eman is a writer and an engineer. She is interested in writing about the destinations in Egypt.

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