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Siwa Major Cities and Towns
Siwa
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Description
The great oasis of Siwa is located in Egypt’s Western Desert, part of the greater Sahara Desert of North Africa. With a very rich culture and history, this oasis’s culture and unique language have remained greatly unaffected by the outside world as a result of its remote location.
The oasis is located about 50 km east of the Libyan border, and about 560 km from Cairo. It’s a small area, being only about 80 km long and 20 km wide. The population is relatively small, with there being just over 20,000 inhabitants living in Siwa. Siwans are ethnic Berbers, and so Arabic is not their language, with it being a dialect of Berber called Siwi instead.
The history of the Siwa oasis spans thousands of years, as it was first settled since at least 10,000 BCE, if not before. Though it is part of modern day Egypt, the first proof of a connection between Siwa and ancient Egypt is the construction of a necropolis during the 26th Dynasty.
There was an oracle at Siwa called the oracle of Amun, which is said to have played an important role in history when Alexander the Great visited the oracle before setting off to conquer Persia. The oracle told Alexander that he was of divine birth and the legitimate pharaoh of Egypt, giving him the extra confidence to go on and conquer much of the known world at the time.
Romans used Siwa as a place where they would send banished citizens to, though Christianity never really made it around there. In 708, the people of Siwa opposed a Muslim army, though it is likely that conversion eventually took place in the 12th century.
In 1819, Muhammad Ali Pasha officially annexed Siwa to Egypt. During World War I & II, Siwa witnessed some fighting, with British troops being stationed there.
The area’s most popular exports are dates and olives/olive oil. Extra virgin olive oil is a major export from Siwa, and is even exported to Europe. Siwa’s dates are also very famous and are quite popular all over Egypt. It’s said that the dates from the nearly 300,000 date trees are gathered by zaggala (stick bearers), who must remain celibate until the age of 40.
Siwa isn’t only famous for the oracle or the dates and olives. Its modern fame comes from the hot springs that are located in the oasis. There are nearly 1,000 springs in the area, and the water is said to have medicinal properties and tastes sweet.
Siwa is a beautiful and unspoilt oasis in the desert, absolutely worth visiting for its history and relaxation.
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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