Siwa Oasis The most
famous outstanding Oasis in all Egypt, located between the Quattara depression
and the Egyptian Sand Sea in the Libyan Desert, lying some 60 feet below sea
level, it has a rich history beginning with Alexander the Great.
Its location is perfect
for a quiet vacation; it is 50km away from Libya 560km away from Cairo. Siwa was once considered
to be the most unreachable of all Egypt’s oasis until recently, but now you can
easily reach the Siwa Oasis by either car or bus from Cairo, Alexandria or
Marsah Matrouh.
Tourism in Siwa is
gradually increasing day after day. Known for its fascinating and most
beautiful landscapes in Egypt, is also famous with its olives and dates' palms
therefore it economic is basically based on agriculture. It said that there is
about 70, 000 olive tree in the area, Siwa was the site of some fighting during
World War I and World War II. The British Army's Long Range Desert Group was
based here.
The ancient fortress of
Siwa, built of natural rock, made of salt, mud-brick, and palm logs and known
as the Shali Ghali, Other local historic sites of interest include: the remains
of the oracle temple; Gebel al Mawta (Mountain of the Dead), a Roman-era necropolis,
"Cleopatra's Bath", an antique natural spring and Fatnas Island, which became a palm-fringed
peninsula located on the edge of a saltwater lake.