Siwa Oasis Tours & Things to Do 2026

Visitors to this remote oasis near the Libyan border float in salt lakes, walk among palm groves, ride sandboards down the dunes of the Great Sand Sea and stand in the ruins of the temple where Alexander the Great consulted an oracle. The best months are October–April, because summer desert heat is extreme and the drive is long.

What you see and do in the oasis

Water and sand shape the days here. The salt lakes are dense enough that you can float in them. Palm groves surround the town. Beyond it, the dunes of the Great Sand Sea are used for sandboarding. At the end of the day, many visitors watch the sun go down from Fatnas Island. Overhead, the desert sky fills with stars.

The main activities are:

• Floating in the salt lakes
• Sandboarding on the Great Sand Sea's dunes
• Visiting the ruins of the Oracle Temple
• Watching the sunset from Fatnas Island

The language and the oracle

Siwa is a Berber-speaking oasis town. Its residents speak Siwi, the easternmost Berber language and the only one native to Egypt. Siwi is closer to the speech of Berber communities than to the Egyptian Arabic heard in the rest of the country. It is still the main language of daily life, even though Arabic is gaining influence and many locals speak it too.

The oracle temple explains why the oasis became known far beyond Egypt. Alexander the Great went there to win the oracle's backing as a legitimate pharaoh and ruler of Egypt. He was proclaimed the "son of Amun". That single visit raised the temple's standing across the Mediterranean. Leaders who came after him treated it as a stop they had to make, and the oracle's fame grew throughout the Greek and Roman worlds.

When to go and what the climate is like

Plan for October–April. In summer the desert heat is extreme, and the road is already a long one: it is an 8-hour drive from Cairo. Flying to Mersa Matruh first is one option for that journey. Nights in the desert get cold even when the days are warm, so the temperature drops sharply after dark.

Our trips in Siwa

Our programme covers the oasis from several angles, from short outings to overnight stays in the desert:

• Siwa Oasis 2-Day Desert Safari
• Siwa Day Trip: Cleopatra's Bath & Oracle Temple
• Siwa Great Sand Sea Overnight Camping
• Siwa Salt Lakes & Fatnas Island Sunset Tour
• Siwa Shali Fortress Night Photography Tour
• Siwa Traditional Village & Handicrafts Tour
• Siwa Mountain of the Dead Tour
• Siwa Hot Springs Evening Soak
• Siwa Palm Grove Bike Tour
• Siwa Stargazing Desert Night

Frequently asked questions

When is the best time to visit Siwa? October–April is the best period. In summer the desert heat is extreme, and the long drive adds to the strain.

What language do people speak in Siwa? Most residents speak Siwi, a Berber language found nowhere else in Egypt. Many also speak Arabic.

Why is the Oracle Temple famous? Alexander the Great came to the oracle to confirm his claim to rule Egypt as pharaoh, and he was proclaimed the "son of Amun". His visit made the temple well known across the Greek and Roman worlds.