After a long drive through the barren landscape of the Western Desert, you won’t believe your eyes when you reach Siwa for the first time. See an edenic island full of mineral springs, salt lakes and endless Olive and Palm groves.
For a cultural tour in Shali, the oasis’ main town, check out the strange ruins of the Shali Fortress which dominate the town center and walk along sandy paths to find the Temple of the Oracle, once visited by Alexander the Great himself to consult the Oracle of Siwa. Finish your day by taking a dip at Cleopatra’s Pool, where the legendary queen herself is believed to have once swum. Don’t forget to buy some Siwan Crafts on your way, and spare an hour or two for a visit to the charming Siwa House Museum.
Adventurous travelers will also get their fix of fun and excitement by heading for a safari into the great sand sea or trying out quad biking in the Western Desert of Egypt.
It is advisable to visit Siwa and any other Western Desert destination in the cooler months of the year, from October to April that is. Temperatures in summer can reach  up to 35-45 C.

The traditional culture of Siwa shows many unique elements, some reflecting its longstanding links with the isolated Oasis life and the fact that the inhabitants are Siwi Berbers. Until a tarmac road was built to the Mediterranean coast in the 1980s Siwa’s only links with the outside world were by arduous camel tracks through the desert. These were used to export dates and olives, bring trade goods, or carry pilgrims on the route which linked the Maghreb to Cairo and hence to Mecca.