Siwa is the westernmost of the five major oases of Egypt and the most isolated of them all. It is located nearly 50 km east of the Libyan border, and 560 km from Cairo, easily accessed from Bahariya and Marsa Matruh. Siwa spreads on 80 km long and 20 km wide.

In comparison with the other oases, the most striking feature of the Siwan landscape is the presence of several salt lakes, which diminish in size during the summer.

The salt also impregnates the soil, creating a big problem. Mud bricks have been used for centuries to build entire village ¬ fortresses, and are called "Qasr" in Arabic, such as Shali in Siwa, Qasr in Farafra, Qasr Dakhla in Dakhla and Qasr Kharga in Kharga. In recent times, all of them have suffered mainly from the rain rather than any human devastation.

Shali, in particular, has now been reduced to an impressive and dangerous ruin due to the high content of salt in its mud bricks.

Siwa is inhabited by 23,000 people who mainly descend from the Berbers of North Africa who speak a distinct language known as Siwi.

The area is famous for its dates and olives, and is one of the most beautiful landscapes in Egypt. Olive oil is still made in the area by crushing the olives from the 70,000 olive trees in the area with stones. The dates are gathered by saggala (stick bearers), who must remain celibate until the age of forty, and the area boasts some 300,000 date trees.

Main attractions
Cleopatra's bath, Gebel Al Mawta, Gebel Dakrur, the old town of Shali and the Temple of Amun.