Introducing Siwa Oasis & the Western Desert

Forming the northeast flank of the Sahara, the Western Desert spreads from the banks of the Nile towards Libya, covering 2.8 million sq km. The Arabs refer to the area as ‘the land abandoned by God’ and much of it remains unexplored. The landscape is bizarre and beautiful in equal measure, and a journey through the desert’s main oases makes a fascinating alternative route from Cairo to Luxor. Siwa, near the Libyan border, is more easily reached from Alexandria.

For ecologically sound desert trips in the area, Desert Eco Tours (www.desertecotours.com) is recommended.