The Nile Valley and Delta were known as the “Black Land” because of the hue of the alluvial deposits when the Ancient Egyptians first arrived. Beyond this lay the desert, which had either a practical or metaphysical importance. The Egyptian desert is reached in minerals and has roads to the Red Sea coast. East of the Nile, and to the west of the Nile, was the Kingdom of Osiris, the lord of the Dead, where the dead were thought to travel to meet him.
Egypt’s rulers had to contend with the Western Desert Oases as suppliers of exotic commodities and possible staging locations for invaders once it was known that human communities were out there. Though they have been tied to Nile Valley civilization since antiquity, they have always been distinct — and continue to be so.
Egypt features nearly seven Oases, which are located in the western and eastern deserts of Egypt, where the weather is quite harsh throughout the year, and the Bedouin tribes have lived in these oases for many years. And we will speak here about the most interesting Oasis for activities and tourism.
Egyptian western desert is considered one of the interesting tourist destinations, have many tourist activities, and we include below the most important Egyptian Oases names:
Siwa Oasis is located in the Western Desert of Egypt. It lies in a depression in the middle of the desert, approximately 18 Meters below sea level. The Oasis is 185 Miles south of the Mediterranean, 262 Miles west of Bahariya Oasis, and about 451 Miles Western Desert. The Most Significant one, considered one of the biggest oases in Egypt, where great historical events have taken place, Alexander the Great was crowned as a real Pharaoh in the Amun Temple. Siwa ranks high because of its charm, beautiful oasis gardens, bathing possibilities, and Pharaonic temples too.
Siwa, one of the most mysterious of all Egypt’s oases, is also the most fascinating. Its history has not only been shaped by all major civilizations, but also by the contrast of the surrounding desert. You can enjoy many visits in Siwa as the Temple of the Oracle and the Mountain of the dead.
For Siwa Tour click here
Bahariya is the closest oasis to Cairo, is more known and visited by travelers who utilize it as a starting point for desert safaris, Bahariya, known in ancient times as the Northern Oasis, and sometimes called the Small Oasis, lies in a large depression 224 Miles southwest of Cairo, wherever you stay, enjoy the tranquility of the Bedouin lifestyle, the date groves, and pigeon towers. Bahariya Oasis is famous for its palm trees, olives, apricots, rice, and corn. Bawiti is the capital of the Bahariya Oasis, which occupies a hillside.
The oasis is famous for its 398 mineral and sulfur springs. The most famous are Bir Hakima, Bir Halfa, Bir Al Matar, and Bir El Ghaba. Moreover, you can enjoy the hilltop ruin ‘the English House’, the Temple of Alexander the Great, and the Golden Valley Mummies, which has been recently discovered in a Roman necropolis,
Enjoy a visit to Bahariya with our white desert Egypt tour
Farafra is known as Ta-iht or the Land of the Cow in Pharaonic times. It lies north-west of El Dakhla, where the ruins of Kasr El Farafra and Kasr of Abou Monkara and also the cemetery of El Bagawat, 349 Miles Western Desert Cairo and is bordered by a limestone escarpment. There are hot sulfur springs at Bir Setta and El-Mufid Lake where you can swim. Moreover, the oasis houses Qasr Al-Farafra and Qasr Abu Minqar, which are ruins of Roman buildings. The dominant geological feature to the northeast of the Farafra depression is the white desert.
Although no oasis offers a limited number of sights like Farafra, it is highly recommended because of its charm, great bathing possibilities. The gardens are nice, and there are some remaining traditional houses too.
El Dakhla Oasis is located 466 Miles from Cairo, about 193 miles to the southeast of Farafra. Dakhla is the best to visit because it offers the best-preserved architecture of all of Egypt’s oases. In some villages, people still live almost like the way their ancestors did. Also, there is a selection of fine oasis gardens, and a Pharaonic temple makes you realize how deep the history of the oases really
Kharga is Egypt’s most developed western oasis and the largest among the other 5 oases. The main town is quite functional, with all modern amenities and almost no remnants of ancient architecture. Despite being surrounded by an oasis, it lacks the atmosphere of an oasis, unlike all other oases in this part of Egypt. The oasis surrounding the modern town of Kharga is densely forested with thorn palm, acacia, buffalo thorn, and jujube. This area is home to several endangered wildlife species.
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For more information about Egyptian Oases, click here
and re-written in part by Hesham El Gammal; on April 3rd, 2025 + fact-checked.
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