The Sahara Desert

I was anxious to get to my final destination, Turkey, but at the same time, I couldn't resist making a final stop at one of the many oasis that dot the Egyptian desert. From my information gathering I ascertained that the most beautiful and, not so coincidentally, remote place to go was the Siwa Oasis in the Western desert, also know as the Sahara. As we travel further and further West, the most immediately impressive thing is the emptiness. The buildings become fewer and further between.

Here you can see that this outhouse is the only building on the horizon.

We then arrive in Siwa and immediately the number of buildings skyrockets. All life is centered around this Oasis and the naturally occurring pools of hot and cold water which they use for irrigating crops. Above you can see the Shali Mud Fortress which is a remnant from 600 AD. This marks the center of town.

As you climb to the top of the Fortress you can look around and see the expanse of mud and clay houses and the landscape, including a giant rock that looks like a big turd.

I wandered around this sleepy little town finding nice little gardens and pools. Here is a sweet, or cold, pool called Cleopatra Springs. Siwa was the original tourist location with tourists from the Egyptian to the Romans stopping by for relaxation and seeking youth and beauty.

The next day I took a tour out into the dessert. This area is called the Great Sand Sea.


I thoroughly enjoyed the day, riding around in a four-wheeler, relaxing in remote pools, and even dune surfing which is like snowboarding but on sand.

We then watched the sun set over the dunes and had dinner at a bedouin tent camp. All in all an amazing way to end my time in Egypt.