Siwa Oasis: Egypt's Most Remote Corner

Siwa sits 50 kilometres from the Libyan border and 560 from Cairo, and it does not feel like Egypt. The population is Berber, the language is Siwi, and the pace is glacial in the best way.

Getting there is the hard part

Around ten hours by road from Cairo, or eight from Alexandria. There is no airport.

This filters out day trippers entirely, which is much of the appeal.

What to actually do

Float in the salt lakes. The density is higher than the Dead Sea and you cannot sink.

Shali, the mudbrick fortress town that partly dissolved in a three-day rainstorm in 1926.

The Oracle Temple of Amun, where Alexander the Great came to be told he was a god.

A 4x4 run into the Great Sand Sea at sunset, with sandboarding and hot springs.

Practical notes

Siwa is conservative even by Egyptian standards. Dress accordingly, and ask before photographing people.

Alcohol is not sold in the oasis.

Cash only in most places. Bring more than you think.