Fatnas Spring

Siwa Oasis

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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 setting, the pool is about 6km from Siwa Town, and surrounded by palm trees and lush greenery. It's an idyllic place to watch the sunset, and there’s a small cafe among the palms, which is good for a spot of tea or a puff of shisha.

A Ministry of Agriculture project to try to improve the lake’s drainage has left the ‘island’ high and dry, so sometimes the cafe may look out over salty mudflats rather than water. A tuk-tuk round trip from town will cost about LE50, with time to swim and hang out. Beware of mosquitoes at sunset.

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Nearby Siwa Oasis attractions

1. Fortress of Shali

2.29 MILES

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…

2. House of Siwa Museum

2.29 MILES

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…

3. Old Mosque

2.35 MILES

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…

4. Ain Al Arais

2.64 MILES

The closest spring to central Siwa is Ain Al Arais, a cool, inviting waterhole with a grotto-like bottom, just five minutes’ walk from the main market…

5. Gebel Al Mawta

2.77 MILES

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…

6. Tomb of Niperpathot

2.78 MILES

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…

7. Tomb of the Crocodile

2.78 MILES

This tomb's name comes from its wall painting of a yellow crocodile representing the god Sobek. Many of the paintings inside are badly deteriorating.

8. Tomb of Si Amun

2.8 MILES

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…

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