Things to do in Siwa Oasis
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Fortress of Shali
The centre of the town is dominated by the spectacular organic shapes of the remains of the 13th-century mud-brick Fortress of Shali . Built from a material known locally as kershef (large chunks of salt from the lake just outside town, mixed with rock and plastered in local clay), the labyrinth of huddled buildings was originally four or five storeys high and housed hundreds of people.
For centuries, few outsiders were admitted inside - and even fewer came back out to tell the tale. But three days of rain in 1926 caused more damage than any invader had managed and, over the last decades, inhabitants moved to newer and more comfortable houses with running water and electr…
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Fatnas Spring
There's a secluded pool at Fatnas Spring , the small island in the salty Birket Siwa (Lake Siwa) accessible across a narrow causeway. Nicknamed 'Fantasy Island' for its idyllic setting, the pool is about 6km from Siwa Town, and surrounded by palm trees and lush greenery. Although it is a safer place for a swim than Cleopatra's Bath, women should not swim alone and, again, should leave their bikinis for the Red Sea beaches.
There's a small café among the palms, which is good for sitting and puffing on a sheesha, or drinking a cold beer if it's available. This is an idyllic place to watch the sunset. A ministry of agriculture project to try and improve the lake's drainage …
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Bir Wahed
A favourite excursion among local guides is the cold freshwater lake at Bir Wahed 15km away on the edge of the Great Sand Sea. Once over the top of a high dune, you come to a hot spring, the size of a large Jacuzzi, where sulphurous water bubbles in a pool and runs off to irrigate a garden. Cooling down in the lake, and then watching the sun setting over the dunes while soaking in a hot spring, is a surreal experience.
The thorns in this rose are the mosquitoes that bite at sunset. Because it's far from town, women can wear bathing suits here without offending locals. Bir Wahed can only be reached by 4WD, so if you don't have your own, you'll need to hire a guide and car.…
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Cleopatra's Bath
Siwa has no shortage of active, bubbling springs hidden among its palm groves. Following the track that leads to the Temple of the Oracle and continuing past the Temple of Umm Ubayd, will lead you to the most famous spring, Cleopatra's Bath. The crystal-clear natural spring water gurgles up into a large stone pool, which is a popular bathing spot for locals.
Women should think twice about swimming here during the day, and if they decide to brave the stares then they should only bathe with their clothes on.There are changing rooms at the nearby Tanta Waa café.
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Tanta Waa Coffeeshop & Restaurant
This super-chilled and creatively clad mudbrick cafe at Cleopatra’s Bath is the perfect place for a cool drink or tasty meal in between splashes in the spring. The food here is surprisingly good, with a small selection of salads, pastas, meat dishes and fruit smoothies. The lasagne alone, which follows a genuine Italian recipe, is worth the trip out here. Slung with hammocks and with a background of funky tunes (it also occasionally holds evening parties), it’s easy to while away an entire day at this haven.
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Temple of Umm Ubayd
Dedicated to Amun. This was originally connected to the Temple of the Oracle by a causeway and was used during oracle rituals. Early drawings have revealed that the structure was built by Nectanebo II during the 30th dynasty. Nineteenth-century travellers saw more of it than we can: a Siwan governor in need of building material blew up the temple in 1896 to construct the town's modern mosque and police building. Today only part of a wall covered with inscriptions survives.
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Taghaghien Touristic Island
If you’re desperate for a beer, this small island 12km northwest of Siwa Town and connected by a causeway is one of the few places selling the amber nectar (for a whopping E£35 a bottle). There is some humble accommodation and a restaurant here, but its many shaded tables and chairs, paddle-boat rentals and sweet sunset vistas make it better suited for a day trip or picnic. You’ll need your own transport to get here.
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Dunes Restaurant
With tables set under the palm trees and a large menu covering everything from herbal tea to couscous, Dunes is just another place to hang out and relax. The usual traveller stalwarts (from pancakes to smoothies) can be found here, as well as local specialities such as stuffed pigeon (by special order). Sheesha s are de rigueur and the owner can arrange special evenings with traditional Siwan music.
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Gebel al-Mawta
A small hill at the northern end of Siwa Town, Gebel al-Mawta – whose name means Mountain of the Dead – is honeycombed with rock tombs, most dating back to the 26th dynasty, Ptolemaic and Roman times.The tombs were used by the Siwans as shelters when the Italians bombed the oasis during WWII. Many new tombs were discovered at this time but were not properly excavated.
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Nour al-Waha
A popular hang-out in a palm grove,Nour al-Waha has shady tables, and plenty of tea and games on hand for those who just want to while away the day in the shade. The food is a mixture of Egyptian and Western and, while it couldn’t be called gourmet, it is generally fresh and good. At night sheesha s are available for E£5, and sometimes there is live music.
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Temple of the Oracle
Built in the 6th century BC, probably on top of an earlier temple, it was dedicated to Amun (occasionally referred to as Zeus or Jupiter Ammon) and was a powerful symbol of the town’s wealth. One of the most revered oracles in the ancient Mediterranean, its power was such that some rulers sought its advice while others sent armies to destroy it.
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Abo Ayman Restaurant
Roasted on a hand-turned spit over coals in an old oil drum, the chickens at Abo Ayman are the juiciest in Siwa. They’re well seasoned, and served with salad, tahini and bread. It sometimes takes an inconceivably long time for the birds to migrate from the grill to your table.
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House of Siwa Museum
House of Siwa Museum contains a modest display of traditional clothing, jewellery and crafts typical of the oasis. It was inspired by a Canadian diplomat who feared that Siwan culture and its mudbrick houses would disappear in a flood of poured cement and modernity.
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Shali Camel Safaris Ranch
Abdul at Shali Camel Safaris Ranch also organises camel tours, with all meals included, at a slightly lower cost. These are virtually impossible to arrange in summer, since daytime temperatures are too hot and guides won’t travel by starlight.
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Campione Cafe
We can’t argue with Campione’s slogan: ‘life is too short for bad coffee’. Run by a groovy Alexandrian guy, it serves imported Italian coffee made with a bona-fide imported espresso machine and prepared any way you like it. Latte, anyone?
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Abdu’s Restaurant
This is the longest-running restaurant in town and remains the best eating option around, with a huge menu of breakfast, pasta, traditional dishes, vegetable stews, couscous, roasted chickens and fantastic pizza whipped to your table by the efficient service.
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Ebad Alrahman
Right in town, Ebad Alrahman fills up with locals at night smoking sheesha, downing tea and slapping backgammon pieces with triumphant vigour. Its tables often spill out onto the town square.
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Kenooz Siwa
On the roof terrace of Shali Lodge, this cafe-restaurant is a great place to hang out while enjoying a mint tea or a cold drink, although the quality of the food, once the best in town, has definitely deteriorated.
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Zeytouna
Right in town, Zeytouna fills up with locals at night smoking sheesha, downing tea and slapping backgammon pieces with triumphant vigour. Its tables often spill out onto the town square.
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Siwa Traditional Handicraft
One of the better handicrafts shops in Siwa, run by Ali Abd Allah, is the Siwa Traditional Handicraft , around the corner on the main market square. He sells a wide range of quality merchandise at fixed prices.
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Alexander Restaurant
Alexander serves the usual budget-restaurant fare, with pizzas, veggie stews, very good chicken and, innovatively for Siwa, curries. Service can be slow here too, but the food usually arrives with a smile.
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Government Handcraft Shop
A good place to get an idea of prices and what’s available is at the Government Handcraft Shop. If you blink, however, you might miss its erratic opening hours.
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East-West Restaurant
Named after the historical divide between the two parts of Siwa Town, this restaurant serves a cheaper, more pedestrian version of Abdu’s menu and has lethargic service.
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Dreamers
Lively cafe open late, where you can smoke a sheesha on an old-fashioned sofa while watching TV with locals, or drink a juice listening to reggae music.
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Nada Studio Lab
Camera film and batteries can be bought at Nada Studio Lab on the main road out of Siwa Town.
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