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The Desert Oasis
"O, that desert were my dwelling place" (Byron) The word oasis if often used to describe a place where you can forget the cares of everyday
life, relax, rest and renew yourself. Egypt's oasis are just that unspoilt refuges from the modern world, pockets of civilisation in the dramatic setting of the desert surrounded by sand and sky, the oasis have a sense of timelessness rare in the 20th century. Man and nature have co-existed here since the stone Age, but the stars, the rock formations and the dunes defy the calculaion of human calendars. Oasis was originally an Egyptian word ( from the Coptic ouahe) and Egypt's oasis are still the most oaried in the world, each with a special chatacter of
its own. Wherever you stay, enjoy the tranquility of the Bedouin lifestyle, the date groves, pigeon towers and blue-washed mud houses. For adventure and excitement explore the majesty of the desert by camel or jeep, spend a night under the stars and take a morning dip in the hot springs. Let the night skies and the silent spaces create your own personal oasis- an inner peace to take back with you when you leave


Fayoum Oasis	New Valley Oasis	Bahariya Oasis	White Desert Oasis	Dakhla Oasis

Fayoum Oasis
"The bud on the stem of the Nile"
Fayoum is not a true oasis since it depends on Nile water, not underground springs or wells: the ancient Bahr Yussef
canal runs through the centre of the city and irrigates the land. The name Fayoum originates from the hieroglyphic
word Bayoum, which meant" the Sea," a reference to the large inland lake, Karoun.
The New Valley Oasis
"The desert-circle spreads Like the round ocean, firdled with the sky." (Southey)
The four New Valley oasis are situated along a dead, prehistoric branch of the Nile and depend on springs and wells
tapping water under the desert. Isolated from each other and from the rest of the outside world these oasis have
only been accessible to tourists since the 1980s.
Bahariya Oasis
Set in a depression covering over 2000 sq. Km. Bahariya Oasis is surrounded by black hills made up of ferruginous quartzite
and dolorite. Most of the villages and cultivated land can be viewed from the top of the 50-metre-high Jebel al-Mi'ysrah, together
with the massive dunes which threaten to engulf some of the older settlements. Wildlife is plentiful, especially birds such as whiatears;
crops (which only cover a small percentage of the total area) include dates, olives, apricots, rice and corn. Bawiti is the largest village in the oasis; its picturesque hillside quarter overlooks lush palm groves irrigated by the Ain al-Beshmo, a natural spring hewn from the rock in
Roman times which gushes water at 30 C . The neighbouring village of al-Qast was built on the remains of a 26th dynasty temple-nearby,
at Qarat Hilwah, you can still see tombs with paintings dating from the same period. Famous for its mineral and sulphur springs, including
Bir Mathar and Bir al-Ghaba, Bahariya is also Known amongst local Bedouin for informal music and poetry recitals. Go on desert excursions
by day and spend your evenings relaxing in the cafes smoking shisha, playing backgammon and listening to authentic Bedouin music. Travellers can now go on eiter to Siwa, via a new road, or to Farafra, taking in a night in the White Desert en route.
The White Desert
A trip to the White Desert is something that no visitor to the New Valley should miss. Travellers coming from Bahariya will cross
through the Black Desert, passing the tiny oasis of El-Hayiz on the way.Nearby there are sime Roman ruins, including a church with
Coptic graffiti. Bahariya and Farafra are separated by huge golden sand dunes which make a stunning photograph during the journey.
Once through the Al-Sillim Pass you enter the White Desert, a unique landscape of surreal wind-eroded rock formations which is
particularly magical at sunrise or sunset. At these, as the moom rises over the white crags, it is easier to believe that you are
surrounded by icebergs and snowdrifts or on a lunar landscape than in the middle of the desert On moonless nights, sit
around a driftwood fire as the galaxy spreads above you and the sky is lit by shooting stars. Camel and jeep trips,
including a hot meal and fresh bread, made in the sand Bedouin-style, can be arranged from Farafra
Dakhla
Dakhla Oasis is a collection of fourteen different settlements, dominated on its northern horizon by a wall of rose-
coloured rock. Fertile cultivated areas growing rice, peanuts and fruit are dotted between sand dunes along the roads from
Farafra and Kharga in this area of outstanding natural beauty. The capital, Mut, named after the ancient goddess of the Theban
Triad, houses the Museum of the Inheritance, a traditional house, with and intricate wooden combination lock. Rooms, with sculpted
clay figure , are arranged to show different aspects of Dakhlan culture and family life. Al-Kasr, about 35 km. fron Mut, was originally
a Roman settlement which later became the medieval capital of Dakhla. The old town is a labyrinth of mud-walled alleys narrowly separating houses with elaborately-carved wooden lintels; there is also an Ayyubid mosque. Climp to the rooftop of the 10th century madrassa for wonderful views of the surrounding area. Bir al-Gbel, a palm-fringed salt lake where you can camp and picnic, is on the road back to Mut.
Other day trips from Mut coul include the 1st-century al-Muzawaka tombs and Deit al-Hagar, a temple which was originally dedicated
to the Theban Triad and later rebuilt by the Romans. After exploring the temple, bathe in the hot sulphur spring nearby. Visit Bashendi
to see Roman tombs and a factory where carpets are still woven with scenes of Dakhlan life. At nearby Balaat village, a trading
post with ancient Nubia, archeologists are still uncovering dozens of 6th dynasty mastabas.


FarafraOasis	Siwa Oasis	Kharga Oasis

Farafra
Farafra, known as Ta-iht or the Land of the Cow in pharaonic times, is a single village. The most isolated of the New Valley
Oases it is renowned for its strong traditions and piety. According to folklore the villagers once lost track of time and had to send a
rider to Dakhla so they could hold the Friday prayers on the right day. The oldest part of the fillage, on a hillside. is next to peaceful
walled palm groves; a short fide away there are hot sulphur springs at Bir setta and swimming at El-Mufid Lake. As in other oases many
of Farafra's houses are painted blue (to ward off the Evill Eye) but here some are also decorated with landscapes, birds and animals, the handiwork of local artist, Badr. A combination house, museum and studio exhibiting his paintings and ceramics is situated in a garden
full of sculptures made from objects found in the surrounding desert. Another local, known as Mr Socks, sells beautiful hand-
knitted camel-hair sweaters, socks and scarves. Day trips by jeep and camel treks frp, here to the White Desert, Bahariya,
Dakhla and Siwa can be arrnged through Saad's Restaurant.
Siwa
Siwa, the most inaccessible of all Egypt's oasis until very recently, is also one of the most fascinating. On the edge
of the Great Sand Sea, its rich history includes a visit from Alexander the Great to consult the Oracle of Amun in 331 BC. Siwans
have their own culture and customs and they speak a Berberf language, Wiwi, rather than Arabic. Many women still wear
traditional costumes and silver jewellery l ike those displayed in The Traditional Siwan House museum in the town centre. Siwa
remains one of the best places to buy jewellery, rugs, baskets and traditional robes and head-dresses decorated with antique coins.
The original settlement, Aghurmi, was superseded by Shali, founded in 1203. Built of salt-impregnated mud of kharsif, the fortress-like community expanded upwards rather than outwards . Set among thick palm groves, walled gardens and olve orchards, with numerous
freshwater springs and salt lakes, modern Siwa clusters beneath the remains of ancient Shali. Climb through the ruins of the old city
for magnificent views of the whole oasis . Walk, hire a bicycle or ride in a caretta (donkey cart) to outlying sights and bathing places.
These include 26th Dynasty tombs with murals and inscriptions at Jebel al-Mawta (The Hill of the Dead) and the Oracle of Amun,
and acropolis temple dating from around 550 BC. Near the Oracle is a ruined Temple of Amun and the famous Cleopatra Bath,
a deep pool of bubbling water where you can bathe. Anthor favounite bathing spot is Fatnis Island, on the salt lake of
Birket Siwa, surrounded by palm trees and beautiful scenery.
Kharga
Used to be the last but one stop on The Forty Days Road, the infamous slave-trade route between North Africa and the tropical
south. Today, it is the biggest New Valley oasis and its modern city houses 60,000 people, including 1,000 Nubians who moved here
after the creation of lake Nasser. Outside the main centre is the Temple of Hibis, built on the site of an 18th dynasty settlement of
Saites, persians and ptolemies One ot the few persian monuments in Egypt, the 6th century BC temple is well- preserved with
painted vultures and huge reliefs of Darius greeting Egyptian gods on the outer walls. Ten kilometres away, the Necropolis of Al-
Bagawat contains 263 mud-brick chapels with Coptic murals, including the Chapel of Peace with images of Adam and Eve and the
Ark on its dome and the Chapel of the Exodus with frescoes of pharaonic troops pursuing the Jews led by Moses, out of Egypt.
Pharaonic monuments include the al-Hhuwaytah Temple which dates from 522 BC and the Temple of Amenebis. The thermal
springs at Bulaq and Nasser villages to the south, are famous for water temperatures of up to 43 C and reputed to be suitable for
the treatment of rheumtism and allergies. Camping facilities are available near both villages. Further south is Baris Oasis, the
second largest settlement in Kharga. Houses designed in traditional Nubian style by Hassan Fathy remain uninhabited- local people
refused to live in them because of their similarity to tombs and building stopped in the late 1960s. Ancient monuments include
the Temple of Dush, dedicated to Isis and Serapis. Its name derives from Kush, the ancient Sudanese capital which traded with
Egypt along the Nile. Arcgeologists are still unearthing the ancient city of Kysis with wgucgtge temple is associated
and elaborate system of clay pipes and and abandoned Christian church, suggest that Kysis was abandoned when
its underground springs dried up but the exact date remains a mystery ---

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The Desert
Oasis

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