Siwa Oasis
Desicription
With a population of about 23,000, Siwa, the most inaccessible
of all Egypt's oasis until very recently, is also one of the
most fascinating, lying some 60 feed below sea level.. On the
edge of the Great Sand Sea, its rich history includes a visit
from Alexander the Great to consult the Oracle of Amun in 331
BC. Archaeologists, such as Liana Souvaltsis and implied that
the great military leader was burried here, but no real evidence
has come from this. The King of Persia lead a 50,000 man army
to the area to distroy the oracle, but the entire army was lost
in the desert.
The area has a nice climate, chilly in winter, hot in the summer
and moderate in the spring and autumn. Lake Siwa to the west
of the town of is a large, saltwater lake.
 The
area is famous for its dates and olives, and is one of the most
beautiful landscapes in Egpt. Olives oil is still made in the
area by crushing the olives from the 70,000 olive trees in the
area with stones. The dates are gathered by zaggala (stick bearers),
who must remain celibate until the age of forty, and the area
boasts some 300,000 date trees. It is located on the old date
caravan route, yet until recently, it received few other visitors
and retained much of its heritage. In fact, until the battles
which took place around the oasis in World War II, it was hardly
governed by Egypt, and remained mostly a Berber (Zenatiya) community
for the prior thirteen centuries. Siwans continue to have their
own culture and customs and they speak a Berber language, called
Siwi, rather than Arabic. Interestingly, each October there
is a three-day festival during which Siwans must settle all
of their past year's disputes.
The area is also famous for its springs, of which there are
approximately 1,000. The water is sweet, and is said to have
medical properties.
Though relaxing and certainly now a part of the tourist community
in Egypt, it is very traditional, and visitors should keep this
in mind when traveling to the area. Girls of the area are often
married by the age of 14, and afterward where completely covering
clothing, and allowed little communications with the world outside
their immediate family. Many women still wear traditional costumes
and silver jewelry like those displayed in The Traditional Siwan
House museum in the town center. In fact, the area is also well
known for its crafts, particularly woven cloth, which is unique
in Egypt.
How to get to the Siwa Oasis
From outside Egypt
International flights direct to Cairo, then either an internal
flight (see below) or overland by bus or by car.
From Cairo
Overland
You may like to book a tour through a travel agent or hire
your own transport. Bear in mind that desert driving has special
requirements and be sure to get a suitable vehicle and guidance
on possible hazards. 0therwise you can travel to each location
by bus or service taxi and arrange trips from there.
Siwa:
Train, flight or bus to Alexandria then a bus direct from Alexandria
or via Mersa Matrouh.
Contact the New Valley Tourist Information office for the most
recent information on the New Valley oases. Tel: +20-88-901205/401206.
For
Siwa contact the Siwa Information office on +20-3-933192/931841
ext. 7.
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