Western Desert
Upon first glimpse of the 300-sq-km national park of the White Desert, you’ll feel like Alice through the looking-glass. About 20km northeast of Farafra,…
Must-see attractions in Western Desert
Western Desert
It may not look like much from afar, but this necropolis is one of the earliest surviving and best-preserved Christian cemeteries in the world. About 1km…
Siwa Oasis
Central Siwa is dominated by the spectacular organic shapes of the remains of this 13th-century mud-brick fortress. Built from kershef (chunks of salt…
Western Desert
Set amid a desertscape of duney desolation, Qasr Al Labakha is a micro-oasis some 40km north of Al Kharga. Scattered among sandy swells and rocky shelves…
Western Desert
Badr Abdel Moghny is a passionate self-taught artist whose gift to his town has become its only real sight. Badr’s Museum showcases his work, much of…
Western Desert
These tombs were rediscovered by the Egyptian archaeologist Ahmed Fakri in 1971 and some have since been restored, including the tomb of Oziri (Petosiris)…
Western Desert
The Gilf Kebir is a spectacular sandstone plateau 150km north of Gebel Uweinat, rising 300m above the desert floor. The setting feels as remote as a place…
Western Desert
One of the world’s largest dune fields, the Great Sand Sea straddles Egypt and Libya, stretching more than 800km from its northern edge near the…
Western Desert
The garrison’s massive outer walls enclose a 25th-dynasty sandstone temple, dedicated to the Theban triad Amun, Mut and Khons. In later centuries, the…
Siwa Oasis
This small hill, at the northern end of Siwa Town, is honeycombed with rock tombs peppered with wall paintings. Its name, Gebel Al Mawta, means 'Mountain…
Siwa Oasis
The 26th-dynasty Temple of the Oracle sits in the northwest corner of the ruins of Aghurmi village. Built in the 6th century BC, probably on top of an…
Western Desert
The town of Hebet (‘the Plough’, now corrupted into Hibis) was the capital of the oasis in antiquity, but all that remains today is the well-preserved…
Siwa Oasis
A favourite Siwa excursion is the freshwater lake at Bir Wahed, 15km away on the edge of the Great Sand Sea. Once over the top of a dune, you come to a…
Western Desert
About 13km to the southeast of Baris, Qasr Ad Dush is an imposing Roman temple-fortress completed around AD 177 on the site of the ancient town of Kysis…
Western Desert
This restored sandstone temple is one of the most complete Roman monuments in Dakhla. Dedicated to the Theban triad of Amun, Mut and Khons, as well as…
Western Desert
Qila Al Dabba is Balat’s ancient necropolis. The five mastabas (mud-brick structures above tombs that were the basis for later pyramids), the largest of…
Siwa Oasis
This fairly secluded pool is on a small island in the salty Birket Siwa, accessible across a narrow causeway. Nicknamed ‘Fantasy Island’ for its idyllic…
Western Desert
Dominating the cliffs 2km to the north of the Necropolis of Al Bagawat, the ruined Monastery of Al Kashef is strategically placed to overlook what was one…
Western Desert
Set among breathtaking desert scenery, Bir Al Gabal is a gorgeous place for a soak. During the day in winter and spring any ambience here is overwhelmed…
Western Desert
The mountain Gebel Uweinat sits on the border of Egypt, Sudan and Libya. At 1934m, it is the highest point in Egypt. As it name in Arabic implies, there…
Siwa Oasis
Just north of Kharmisah, around 17km northwest of Siwa Town, the City of the Romans has about 100 tombs cut into the rock of the nearby hills and the…
Siwa Oasis
This almost totally ruined temple was dedicated to Amun. It was originally connected to the Temple of the Oracle by a causeway and was used during oracle…
Western Desert
This impressive fort sits on a ridge rising grandly out of the desert plains about 20km west of Qasr Al Labakha. It has one of the most complex…
Western Desert
The mud-brick houses of Baris Al Gedida lie about 2km north of the original town. Hassan Fathy, Egypt’s most influential modern architect, designed the…
Siwa Oasis
Following the track that leads to the Temple of the Oracle and continuing past the Temple of Umm Ubayd will lead you to Siwa’s most famous spring. The…
Siwa Oasis
Just above the entrance to the Fortress of Shali is the old mosque with its distinctive chimney-shaped minaret. The mosque was recently restored and a…
Al Kharga Museum of Antiquities
Western Desert
Designed to resemble the architecture of the nearby Necropolis of Al Bagawat, this two-storey museum is an old-school dusty trove of archaeological finds…
Western Desert
One of the major monuments of the Kharga Oasis is the Graeco-Roman temple of Qasr Al Zayyan, in the ancient village of Takhoneourit. The town, mostly…
Siwa Oasis
Sixty kilometres west of Siwa Town, this stunning salt lake on the edge of the Great Sand Sea is ringed by palm trees. It’s a popular stopover for…
Western Desert
These days Dakhla’s wonderful museum is only opened on request: ask at the tourist office (or call) and Omar Ahmad will arrange a time for your visit with…
Western Desert
Carved into the weird rock formations 45km towards Al Kharga, where two important caravan routes once met, are prehistoric petroglyphs of camels, giraffes…
Western Desert
Located on a hill to the right of the main road when heading north from Al Kharga town, the Temple of An Nadura has strategic views of the area and once…
Western Desert
Old Mut's visitors lived in fear of raiding Bedouin, so very few houses have outside windows, to protect against intruders and heat and dust. The…
Siwa Oasis
Abu Shuruf, a clean spring said by locals to have healing properties, is 27km east of Siwa Town and 7km east of Ain Qurayshat spring in the next palm…
Siwa Oasis
The best of Gebel Al Mawta's paintings are in this tomb, where beautifully coloured reliefs portray the dead man – thought to be a wealthy Greek landowner…
Siwa Oasis
Roughly 30km east of Siwa Town, this abandoned mud-brick village, beaten by the sand and wind, sits alone on the sandy plain. Hundreds of Roman-era tombs…
Siwa Oasis
In the Tomb of Niperpathot, one of the oldest in the oasis, the inscriptions and crude drawings are made in the same reddish ink you can see on modern…
Western Desert
During the stifling heat of summer, a plunge in Abu Nuss Lake offers instant relief from hot and sweaty afternoons. There's some interesting bird life…
Siwa Oasis
This small museum contains an interesting display of traditional clothing, jewellery and crafts typical of the oasis. It’s worth the entry fee just to…
Western Desert
The Roman spring of Ain Bishay bubbles forth in the desert 10km southwest of Qasr Al Farafra. It has been developed into an irrigated grove of date palms…
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