Our trip to Siwa Oasis near Egypt’s border with Libya took around 10 hours from Alexandria, with the route being flanked all the way by the Western Desert. Once we had arrived, we were greeted by a cool breeze and the special scent of pure air.
The latter became almost a motif during our heavenly retreat in Siwa, where almost everything looks authentic and untarnished by modernity and where the landscape is dotted with palm trees bathed in bright sunlight and fanned by clear air.
We stayed in a hotel located in one of the oldest parts of the oasis, known throughout Siwa for its traditional charm, and we were eager to hear tales about the oasis from its inhabitants.
The hotel was near the historic Shali Fortress, so-called after Siwa’s original Pharaonic name. While simply furnished, it had a particular allure for those seeking a retreat in the beauty of nature where palm trees grow around freshwater lakes. Natural springs feed swimming pools where the water temperature remains constant throughout the year.
We were excited to visit the ruins of the ancient mudbrick settlements I had read about. We also planned to go on a medical tour and take a plunge into the renowned therapeutic mineral springs dating back to the Roman era. Our site-seeing tour also included an investigation of the workshops and farms in the larger Oasis.
It is no wonder that Siwa Oasis has been listed as one of Egypt’s key tourist attractions. The UN World Tourism Organisation declared it to be among the 54 most beautiful villages in the world this year. Some foreign and Arab websites call it one of the nine most isolated places on earth.
Today, the oasis has become an important tourist destination. The government’s Information and Decision Support Centre highlighted the importance of medical tourism for Egypt in a recent report, pointing in particular to the 230 natural freshwater springs in Siwa and its 1,000 natural wells. The Dakrour Mountain in the oasis is also famous across Egypt and is an important health spa for the treatment of rheumatic diseases.
However, whether you are visiting Siwa for medical reasons, or simply to enjoy its extraordinary location, one of the most unforgettable scenes for all visitors is the orange sunset watched from atop the oasis plateau. The sinking of the sun behind the neighbouring high mountains, its rays reflected on a landscape of water and palm trees, is literally breathtaking.
As the fresh air fills your lungs and you sip drinks tinged with the taste of basil and lemongrass, you can enjoy the kind of exquisite experience that can hardly be found elsewhere.
Siwa Oasis is rich in archaeological monuments dating back to the Pharaonic and Roman eras. Some of the most important attractions are the Temple of Jupiter Amon, the Treasury Temple, and the Mountain of the Dead, which includes Pharaonic tombs dating back to the ancient Egyptian 26th Dynasty, as well as the place where Alexander the Great was declared Egypt’s Pharaoh during his visit to the oasis in 331 BCE.
MEDICAL TOURISM
Siwa today is an important destination for medical tourism, due to its medicinal springs and hot white sand, recognised for its special properties that help in the treatment of rheumatic diseases and joint and spinal pains.
The Cleopatra Bath is one of the most famous natural springs in Siwa, though it also has many others, including the Ain Al-Arayes, Fontas, Melloul and Hamwat springs, all of which are also considered therapeutic, particularly because of the dry weather that reigns in the oasis throughout the year.
The hot springs in the oasis are divided into two types, those in which the water is hot and pure and those in which there is also a mix of sulphur, the latter being located 18 km away from the heart of Siwa.
The sulphur springs have been scientifically shown to be effective in the treatment of many skin diseases, particularly when used in the form of therapeutic mudpacks, and they are also known to help in the treatment of some respiratory problems.
The weather itself is an important asset. The dryness and purity of the air can provide a healing environment for those suffering from respiratory problems, and the oasis is an excellent location for rehabilitation in general.
Studies carried out on the sand of Mount Dakrour in Siwa have shown it to help in the treatment of rheumatism, psoriasis, and problems with the digestive system. Many Arab and foreign tourists, as well as Egyptians, head to Mount Dakrour to bury themselves in its therapeutic sand, especially during the months of July and August each year.
Meanwhile, the Ain Kivar, or Kivar Spring, has been found to have a similar therapeutic value to the springs at Karlovy Vary, an international medical resort, main tourist destination, and important source of income for the Czech Republic.
The Kivar Spring looked so tempting that we could hardly resist taking a plunge on our recent visit to Siwa. A feeling of relaxation immediately permeated every part of our bodies, our skin felt refreshed, and our muscles felt relaxed — even our souls felt washed clean from the inside. Once out of the spring, we were eager to try one of the hot meals prepared by local Bedouin, among them chicken cooked in pots plunged into hot sand.
The meal was tasty and healthy, especially as we were eating it in such a friendly and pleasant atmosphere. Siwa is famous as a place for healing and meditation and has been certified by international experts as one of the world’s best healing retreats.
After two days, we moved to another hotel overlooking one of the natural springs in Siwa that had a different, also very enjoyable, ambiance. It was on the third day of our trip that we ventured to the salt lakes, reachable by walking along winding roads lined with palm trees.
The lakes look like swimming pools, and they are formed from natural springs passing through rock salt a few metres below the surface that is also mined by local miners. Water collects in the mines that are formed as a result, its turquoise colour contrasting with the white of the salt at the bottom and on the sides and making it look like lakes surrounded by ice.
Swimmers are allowed to swim in the salt lakes for no more than half an hour because the salinity of the water is very high. The high salinity means that the body floats on the water, and it is said that it can help to rid the body of any negative energy, making one feeling refreshed after taking a plunge.
INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITION
The special qualities of Siwa Oasis are being more and more recognised in the wider world.
The UK newspaper The Daily Telegraph ran a report earlier this year titled “The Desert Oasis that’s Home to one of the Planet’s Most Extraordinary Hotels” that listed a number of the main tourist attractions in Siwa, for example.
The report mentioned the environmentally friendly hotels that distinguish the oasis and attract visitors owing to the surrounding landscape. It also highlighted the wonderful weather of Siwa, where the sun shines almost all day throughout the year. It advised visiting the oasis in autumn, often considered the best time of the year.
It suggested visiting the must-see tourist attractions that characterise the oasis, including Old Siwa, which has winding lanes built of mudbricks, mosques, gardens, minarets, wells, and ancient gates. Tourists may also enjoy buying distinctive souvenirs since the oasis has the purest types of salt and olive oil in the world and is rich in olive trees, the article recommended.
It outlined a number of activities that can be practised in Siwa, ranging from allowing your body to be buried in sand for therapeutic purposes to swimming in salt water lakes, jumping over scattered sand dunes, visiting the Cleopatra Spring where a plunge is recommended, and visiting surrounding places, particularly the Temple of Amun associated with Alexander the Great.
The report concluded that Siwa is a must-visit destination for its unparalleled beauty.
At a recent seminar organised by the local Heritage Preservation Initiative in Siwa, Mohamed Omran Gehri, director of the public library in the oasis and a member of the Sons of Siwa Association for Tourism and Environmental Preservation, showed how Siwa has layers of history that date back to the ancient Egyptian, Hellenistic, Roman, and Islamic eras.
The oasis has “a number of important tourist and archaeological sites such as the ancient Shali Fortress, which is marked by its distinctive architectural style,” Gehri said.
There is also an ancient mosque that dates back 500 years, and the Temple of the Oracle of Amun, visited by Alexander the Great, which dates back to the 30th Dynasty, and the Mountain of the Dead and its tombs, which have great historical and architectural significance.
Gehri pointed to the diversity of tourist activities, which range from safari trips to the surrounding Great Sand Sea, camping in the desert, swimming in salt lakes, visiting salt caves, and health tourism in the Dakrour Mountain area.
He also shed light on the social components of the oasis as another source of attraction. Siwa has about 40,000 inhabitants and 11 local tribes. It is classified into administrative divisions that include the city of Siwa and the villages of Agurmi, Abu Sharrov, Al-Maraki, Bahieddin, and Qarat Um Al-Saghir.
It is known for its distinctive handicrafts and traditional industries. These range from silver artefacts, natural rock salt lampshades, sewing and embroidery work, and handicrafts made from palm leaf stalks. The oasis is also famous for its dates, olives, olive oil, mint, hibiscus, mallow, lemon grass, and jams.
MUD AND SALT LIBRARY
Just a few km away from the Shali Fortress, one of Siwa’s most important landmarks, stands the Black Lions Library built of clay mixed with rock salt, which is abundant in the oasis and is often used for building.
The columns of the library are made of palm trunks to match the ancient architectural style of the oasis, and though it has only recently opened, it has now become one of the most important landmarks in the oasis, attracting thousands of Egyptian, Arab, and foreign visitors.
Jibril Al-Senussi, a librarian, said that “the library was the brainchild of Italian heritage scholar Sergio Volpi, who was passionate about Siwa Oasis and its people.”
The library was inaugurated in November 2020, as part of the Earth Architecture Centre in Siwa, which also includes a museum. Besides its distinctive architecture, “the library is testimony to many outsiders’ passion for this beautiful Egyptian oasis,” Al-Senussi said.
The library has an important collection of books and other references to facilitate the study of the history and antiquities of Siwa and to spread environmental awareness among young people in particular. It has a special section displaying books on Egyptian history and antiquities related to the Pharaonic and Islamic civilisation, in addition to photographs, maps, manuscripts and historical documents that reflect various aspects of the past life of the inhabitants of Siwa.
A selection of documentary films and TV and radio programmes related to Siwa is also on display.
One remarkable book is Siwa in the Writings of British Travellers 1792-1920 authored by six British travellers and translated into Arabic by Mohamed Azab and May Mowafi. This contains records of visits to Siwa over nearly a century and a quarter and is an invaluable historical resource.
“There is no doubt that there is no other oasis in North Africa that still has so many inhabitants and retains so much of its ancient heritage,” the book says. “Despite its proximity to the gates of Europe, the Western influence is not overwhelming, and despite its tourist attractions, European travelers have not visited it except rarely.”
“The oasis remained outside the framework of time and space for a long time. It retains its pristine nature rich in bounties and in a picturesque landscape. Its legends lie in its infrastructure; its fame soared even before the dawn of time; and its monuments are preserved to date in the form of broken statues and columns as well as buildings inside the mountains.”
TOURISM IN SIWA
Attracting more visitors to Siwa has recently become the focus of debate, and there is almost a consensus that a civilian airport should be built in the oasis if tourism is ever to be revived.
This was the conclusion of the Media and Prospects for Tourism Development in Siwa conference that was organised by Matrouh governorate in cooperation with the State Information Service (SIS) a few months ago.
The conference called for an airport to be built in Siwa to receive regular charter flights in cooperation with EgyptAir. It recommended the building of a larger network of roads with signs in more than one language to facilitate tourism. However, it also highlighted the importance of maintaining the historic character of the oasis and preserving it as a nature reserve.
The Chamber of Hotel Establishments at the Ministry of Tourism has also published a report on its website highlighting the importance of building an airport to attract more tourists to Siwa, pointing out that tourism and transport are two sides of the same coin.
Mohamed Hassan, chairman of the Siwa Committee of the Chamber of Tourist Hotels, said that Siwa Oasis is “an exceptional Egyptian tourist destination with a wonderful mix of history, landscapes, and medical tourism.”
Its most important markets are Italy, the Czech Republic, Kazakhstan, Poland, and Indonesia, he said.
“Siwa used to be a winter resort, but now it has become a tourist attraction throughout the year,” Hassan said. He called on the ministries of civil aviation and tourism and antiquities to include Siwa in plans for low-cost aviation. After all, he reasoned, “tourism and aviation are also two sides of the same coin.”
“Flights heading to Siwa should increase to attract more foreign tourists,” Hassan said.
During his recent visit to the oasis, Prime Minister Mustafa Madbouli said that “Siwa could easily attract at least one million tourists a year, due to its pristine natural environment and picturesque landscapes.” He added that during a meeting with a number of senior figures in Siwa it had been agreed that achieving this target would require a complete vision for the development of the oasis.
Madbouli said that he had ordered all the façades of the buildings in the oasis to be painted the same colour to achieve greater harmony. He said the work would conform to the original architectural style of the buildings to preserve the identity of the oasis.
He confirmed that the roads in Siwa would be upgraded in a way that was sensitive to the nature of the oasis, and that more environmentally friendly hotels would be built to attract more tourists.
“We are currently upgrading the road linking Matrouh to Siwa, and if there is a significant increase in the flow of tourists to the oasis, an airport will be operated to receive regular flights,” Madbouli told the press during his visit.
He stressed that the oasis has the potential to attract millions of tourists, and Matrouh governorate has now been tasked with designing a comprehensive vision for the development of the oasis.
“We are ready to allocate funds to implement this vision,” Madbouli said. “In the meantime, we are ready to discuss suggestions submitted regarding the development plans.”
His call resulted in a flow of suggestions from conference attendees, including for more desalination plants and improvements to the local electricity network. Other suggestions included doubling the highway linking the oasis to Cairo to facilitate access to the capital and allocating land to build a branch of Al-Azhar University in Siwa.
Some also suggested allocating land to establish a complex for services and development projects, as well as for a medical complex in Matrouh.
The Siwa market was our last stop before our dream visit to the oasis was over. We decided to buy some handmade jewellery and medals of olive wood as souvenirs. These were not only inexpensive, but also gave you the sense that you were embracing the nature of Siwa in your hands.
A famous Siwi shawl with Bedouin embroidery in cheerful colours and traditional olive-oil Siwi soap made by housewives over generations were perfect choices for souvenirs.
We also ventured to taste a number of Siwa’s unusual jams, such as those made out of dates, hibiscus, and olives, all of which were original and unmatched. Egypt is the largest exporter of dates in the world today, and most of these are produced in Siwa.
Salt lampshades made in the oasis and said to help remove negative energy also make a perfect idea for souvenirs.
Siwa is an outstanding nature reserve and an ideal destination for those seeking tranquility, recreation, and a healing journey in a pristine natural environment. It also has great potential for investment, employment, and business. It is a must-visit gem on any visit to Egypt.
* A version of this article appears in print in the 11 July, 2024 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly
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