# Siwa Oasis - Page: https://www.sunnyegypttravels.com/en/destinations/siwa-oasis - Last updated: 2026-10-14 - Bookable trips: 10 A remote desert oasis near the Libyan border — salt lakes, palm groves, and star-filled skies. 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. ## Things to do - Float in Siwa's salt lakes - Sandboard the Great Sand Sea's dunes - Visit the Oracle Temple ruins - Watch sunset from Fatnas Island ## Best time to visit October–April — summer desert heat is extreme and the drive is long. ## Travel tips - It's an 8-hour drive from Cairo — consider flying to Mersa Matruh first - Nights get cold in the desert even when days are warm ## Trips in Siwa Oasis - [Siwa Day Trip: Cleopatra's Bath & Oracle Temple](https://www.sunnyegypttravels.com/en/trips/siwa-cleopatras-bath-oracle-temple-day-trip) — Full Day, from USD 43.75 per adult - [Siwa Great Sand Sea Overnight Camping](https://www.sunnyegypttravels.com/en/trips/siwa-great-sand-sea-overnight-camping) — 1 Night, from USD 112.50 per adult - [Siwa Hot Springs Evening Soak](https://www.sunnyegypttravels.com/en/trips/siwa-hot-springs-evening-soak) — 2 Hours, from USD 18.75 per adult - [Siwa Mountain of the Dead Tour](https://www.sunnyegypttravels.com/en/trips/siwa-mountain-of-the-dead-tour) — 1.5 Hours, from USD 32.46 per adult - [Siwa Oasis 2-Day Desert Safari](https://www.sunnyegypttravels.com/en/trips/siwa-oasis-2-day-desert-safari) — 2 Days, from USD 262.50 per adult - [Siwa Palm Grove Bike Tour](https://www.sunnyegypttravels.com/en/trips/siwa-palm-grove-bike-tour) — 2 Hours, from USD 22.50 per adult - [Siwa Salt Lakes & Fatnas Island Sunset Tour](https://www.sunnyegypttravels.com/en/trips/siwa-salt-lakes-fatnas-sunset-tour) — Half Day, from USD 31.25 per adult - [Siwa Shali Fortress Night Photography Tour](https://www.sunnyegypttravels.com/en/trips/siwa-shali-fortress-night-photography-tour) — 1.5 Hours, from USD 34.62 per adult - [Siwa Stargazing Desert Night](https://www.sunnyegypttravels.com/en/trips/siwa-stargazing-desert-night) — 2 Hours, from USD 25 per adult - [Siwa Traditional Village & Handicrafts Tour](https://www.sunnyegypttravels.com/en/trips/siwa-traditional-village-handicrafts-tour) — 2 Hours, from USD 37.22 per adult ## Frequently asked questions **What's there to do in Siwa Oasis?** See Siwa Oasis: Egypt's Most Remote and Different Destination for an overview, and Siwa Great Sand Sea Overnight Camping for the signature multi-day trip. **Can I camp in the Great Sand Sea from Siwa?** Yes, Siwa Great Sand Sea Overnight Camping and the longer Siwa Oasis 2-Day Desert Safari both cover it. **What's Cleopatra's Bath in Siwa?** A natural spring pool locals say Cleopatra once bathed in — see the Siwa Day Trip: Cleopatra's Bath & Oracle Temple. **Is there a hot spring in Siwa?** Yes, Siwa Hot Springs Evening Soak covers an evening soak specifically. **What's the Mountain of the Dead in Siwa?** An ancient rock-cut necropolis overlooking the oasis — see Siwa Mountain of the Dead Tour. **Can I go stargazing in Siwa?** Yes, Siwa Stargazing Desert Night takes advantage of Siwa's very low light pollution. **Is there a bike tour in Siwa?** Yes, Siwa Palm Grove Bike Tour covers the oasis's palm groves by bike. **What's the Shali Fortress in Siwa?** An abandoned mud-brick fortress town at Siwa's center — see Siwa Shali Fortress Night Photography Tour for a night-photography angle on it. **Can I visit local artisans in Siwa?** Yes, Siwa Traditional Village & Handicrafts Tour covers local crafts and village life directly. **What's the Oracle Temple in Siwa?** The temple where Alexander the Great reportedly consulted the oracle — covered in the Cleopatra's Bath & Oracle Temple day trip. **How do I get to Siwa Oasis?** Siwa is remote — most visitors arrange it as a dedicated multi-day desert trip rather than a day trip from another city; ask Sunny Egypt for a tailored plan via Consultation. **Is Siwa worth the trip if I've already seen the Western Desert oases?** Siwa is culturally distinct from other oases (its own Amazigh/Siwan-Berber heritage, language and traditions), so it's a genuinely different experience, not a repeat.