2 Days Trip to Siwa Oasis from Cairo

Your detailed trip plan

A suggested sequence — every flight, hotel and day can be changed.

• 1Destinations
• 3Transport

1. 22 Oct

   Cairo

   Stay from
   

   • Egypt
   • 1 nights

   Cairo, one of the largest cities in both Africa and the Middle East, is the capital of Egypt. Cairo has been a centre of great importance to many civilisations, cultures and religions. From Pharaonic and Greco-Roman to Ottoman and European, and passing by Jewish, Christian, and Islamic, each of its identities has left a strong imprint on Cairo, thus making it one of the most fascinating cities in the world. The Giza Plateau, that includes the Pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx, is the only remaining monuments of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World and the country's most famous tourist attraction. The sheer mass of the pyramids is awe inspiring. Islamic Cairo, the centre of historic Cairo, is best done on foot. Located east of downtown, it is full of charming little mosques and water fountains. The most important sites to visit are the Citadel, Mohamed Ali Mosque, Khan el Khalili, the main bazaar, some historic mosques and displays of medieval architecture, as well as some of Cairo's Turkish baths or Hammams. No visit to Cairo is complete without seeing the Egyptian Museum. Exotic atmosphere, chaotic traffic, thousands of minarets, noise, charming people, Cairo is a fascinating city. Few cities in the world surpass Cairo in number of monuments or architectural styles. Cairo is not an ordinary city, Cairo is a whole world.
2. 22 Oct

   2 Days Trip to Siwa Oasis from Cairo

   Guided tour
   

   • days 1–2

   Day 1: Cairo to Siwa Oasis (L, D)

   Your adventure begins in the early hours with pick-up from your hotel in Cairo or Giza at 01:00 am - an early departure that covers the 750-kilometer, roughly 8-hour drive west to the remote Siwa Oasis. Arriving around 09:00 am, you'll dive straight into Siwa's rich attractions, starting with the Temple of the Oracle, also known as the Temple of Alexander the Great, where it's believed the legendary conqueror sought confirmation that he was the son of Zeus. From there, the journey continues to the Salt Lake, where hyper-saline waters - similar to those of Jordan's Dead Sea - let you float effortlessly, and their renowned healing properties are said to be stronger than ordinary seawater. Next comes Cleopatra's Bath, the spring long linked in local legend to Cleopatra herself, followed by the Temple of Umm Ubaydah, also called the Amun Temple, built by Pharaoh Nectanebo of the 30th Dynasty near the Temple of the Oracle. After a traditional Siwan lunch at a local restaurant, the afternoon turns to adventure with a 4x4 jeep excursion into the Great Sand Sea, one of Egypt's premier spots for sandboarding, before relaxing at the hot and cold springs of Bir Waheed and watching the sunset over Bedouin tea. The day closes with dinner in Siwa and an overnight stay at the unique Ghaliet Ecolodge, a nature-built retreat near the Amun Temple.

   
   

   Day 2: Siwa, Marsa Matrouh, Cairo (B)

   After breakfast at 07:00, the second day of your Siwa Oasis journey begins with a return into town to explore the Shali Fortress, an extraordinary maze of mud-brick buildings built on a hill and encircled by a protective wall, which served as the heart of Siwan life for nearly 800 years since its construction in the 13th century. Its massive salt-block walls and still-functioning mosque tell the story of a community shaped by isolation and resilience. From Shali, you'll continue to the Mountain of the Dead, or Gebel Al-Mawta, a conical hill just north of the fortress riddled with tombs from the 26th Dynasty, Ptolemaic, and Roman periods - the most striking being the Si Amun Tomb, adorned with an exquisite painting of the goddess Nut beside a sycamore tree. Leaving Siwa Oasis behind, the drive back to Cairo passes through Marsa Matrouh, Egypt's Mediterranean coastal gem known for its white sandy beaches and crystal-clear waters, where local legend holds that Cleopatra once bathed. From there, the journey continues on to Cairo, bringing this unforgettable desert escape to a close.

   
   

   B = Breakfast | L = Lunch | D = Dinner