A journey into Egypt's western desert

There is much more to be found in Egypt when straying from the usual tourist destinations

Sunset at Fortress of Shali, Siwa Oasis, Egypt
The Shali Fortress in Siwa, a lush oasis town
(Image credit: photography by Ulrich Hollmann / Getty Images)

Most foreign visitors to Egypt stick to the Nile Valley or the Red Sea coast, but that's to miss the bulk of this huge country – the deserts that stretch westwards from the river to the Libyan border.

Amid these "unfathomable distances" lie ancient Christian monasteries, oasis temples and thrillingly "surreal" landscapes, said Stanley Stewart in the Financial Times – and most are relatively free of tourist crowds. On a private trip with Original Travel, I visited Cairo and Alexandria before heading into the desert in a 4x4 with a local guide. Our ultimate destination was Siwa, where in 331BC Alexander the Great consulted the oracle at the Temple of Amun, a striking ruin today. But there were many other "wonders" to see on the way.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up
Explore More