10 Top things to do in Siwa Oasis – The Hidden Gem of Egypt

Top things to do in Siwa Oasis

How to get to Siwa Oasis?

Siwa Oasis is located about 700 kilometers from Cairo. If you are looking to travel to Siwa you will find out that it can be pretty tricky. There are limited bus options departing from Cairo, Alexandria, and Marsa Matru. Bus tickets can only be purchased in person at the stations and sometimes tickets are either sold out or the bus might not be departing that day.

Flying to Siwa does not really save you any time. The closest airport is in Marsa Matruh, which is still about four hours away. Therefore, you will still need to arrange ground transportation from there.

If you’re looking to get to Siwa on a budget make sure you allocate extra time for the long bus journey.

We were quite skeptical about waiting until the next morning to determine if we could travel by bus. Additionally, we had to figure out how to get back in time to catch our flight home. Therefore, we decided to book a tour through a travel operator. This option was quite pricey, but it worked out best for us.

Our tour included a private van only for the two of us, a driver and a guide at all times, meals, lodgings, and other museum stops on the way to Siwa, and a tour of the coastal city of Marsa Matruh on the way back. We also passed through several military checkpoints where our passports and suitcases were checked. It is prohibited to bring alcohol or drones into this part of Egypt.

How many days do you need in Siwa?

Since you are already covering such a distance, I would recommend a minimum of 3 days and 2 nights. Below is a detailed itinerary on how to make the most of your time and see all the best things to do in Siwa Oasis.

To find out what to do in Cairo click here!

Day 1: Travel from Cairo to Siwa Oasis

Drive to El-Alamein and visit the WWII El-Alamein military museum, as well as the memorial to the Italian fallen. You can also see the German and Commonwealth memorials, but the Italian is the most interesting.

From El- Alamein you are approximately 4 hours and several military checkpoints away and will likely arrive close to sunset.

Luckily, Fatnas (Fantasy) Island just outside of Siwa is a great place to enjoy the sunset. An entrepreneurial Egyptian built a locale on the island so you can relax, drink tea and take in the views. Water from Siwa’s irrigation system was used to create this lake.

Day 2: Explore Siwa

Visit the temple of Amun, also known as the Oracle temple. This is where Alexander the Great sought confirmation that he was the son of Zeus. As you explore the temple you will notice the elements of Greek and Roman influence on Egypt.

At midday, when the sun is shining, head over to Siwa’s famous salt lakes. Located in the middle of a salt mine about a 30-minute drive from the center of town, these natural salt pools will blow your mind away. The concentration of salt is so high that you can float in them just like you would if you were in the Dead Sea. Even though the water was incredibly cold, floating aimlessly in these salt lakes in the middle of the Egyptian desert was my favorite activity. With its incredibly vibrant emerald-blue water contrasting with the pinkish sand and the light blue sky, you will also be able to capture amazing photos and video footage.

Just a heads up: you will have salt residue and taste like salt afterward!

Note: I highly recommend wearing water shoes as the salt can be quite pointy and any scratches you get will sting.

Siwa is best known for its hot springs and what better way to relax, cool down, and wash off the remaining salt than going for a swim in Cleopatra’s Bath? It is believed that Cleopatra swam here when she visited Siwa Oasis. Nowadays, this natural hot spring is located in the middle of a little town center, surrounded by shops and it is a popular bathing spot for both locals and tourists. 

Afterward, we headed back to the hotel to enjoy some traditional Bedouin tea and dinner by the fire.

Day 3: Continue Exploring Siwa Oasis

After breakfast, we headed to the center of town to explore more of Siwa. Our first stop was at the Shali Fortress. Built on a hill surrounded by mud-brick walls, this is where the inhabitants of Siwa used to live until the 13th century. Over time due to heavy rain and wind, what remains of the fortress is only a labyrinth of small corridors and paths where you can get incredible panoramic views of Siwa and its surroundings.

For our second stop, we visited one of Siwa’s main archaeological sites, the Mountain of the Dead. With over 300 tombs carved into the mountain, this is one of Siwa’s most important burial sites. It was discovered during WWII when the people of Siwa were hiding from the German, British, and Italian troops that were fighting over this part of the desert. You can go into several tombs, where you will see a clear depiction of Egyptian and Greek artistic styles.

Day 3.5: Glamping In The Great Sand Sea

After lunch, we headed to the desert on a 4×4 Jeep Toyota Land Cruiser for some thrilling desert safari adventure. Siwa is home to some of the highest dunes in the country. With some Bedouin music playing on the radio, our driver knew how to navigate the desert and we had a lot of fun off-roading in the Great Sand Sea. We also visited the freshwater lake at Bir Wahed and some hot springs made of natural sulfur water, that resembled a large jacuzzi. Here we learned that part of the Great San Sea was once a seabed, so it is quite common to find petrified seashells and marine fossils in the area.

We continued on our desert safari adventure and combined it with some sandboarding experience. While we were aware that we’d still be finding sand in our hair, shoes, and clothes in the coming days, we still had a blast. Our tour ended by watching the sunset over the dunes as we headed to our campsite to spend the night under the stars in the desert.

Day 4: Travel from Siwa Oasis to Cairo

Drive back to Cairo and stop in Marsa Matruh. This coastal Mediterranean city has over 7 kilometers of white sand beach spread along its shore. You will also have the chance to explore downtown, eat seafood, and visit the local markets where you will find many products from Libya.

Where to Stay in Siwa Oasis?

Ghaliet Ecolodge & Spa: Located near Amun Temple. Surrounded by palm trees and a building designed with pieces of stones mixed with silt, salt, clay, and sand. You will feel like you are in the Flintstones show. The rooms are spacious and have a transparent glass ceiling opening to make you feel like you’re sleeping under the stars.

Al Nyhaya: Luxury desert glamping located in the Great Sand Sea. The tents have a bell shape and sit on floor-heated platforms. They also have a freshwater pool and serve traditional recipes.

Did you Know

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Where to Eat in Siwa Oasis?

Abdu Restaurant: Frequented by both locals and tourists this place is quite popular. They serve a variety of dishes and have plenty of options for vegetarians. We ate here every day and the food was consistently good, fresh, and flavorful. Their ful, (the Egyptian staple dish of slow-cooked fava beans) was one of the best ones we tried in Egypt.

10 Top things to do in Siwa Oasis

After reading this guide on the top things to do in Siwa Oasis, I hope you’ve decided to add it to your travel list. This part of Egypt is full of natural beauty and history. From desert safari to ancient ruins, Siwa Oasis is one of the most incredible places to visit.