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Siwa is 560 km from Cairo and 50 km from the Libyan border, and it has its own language, its own architecture and almost none of Egypt's tourism machinery. The Shali fortress is a melted mud-brick citadel in the middle of town. Twenty minutes away the salt lakes are so dense you cannot sink, and the dunes of the Great Sand Sea run west to the horizon. Getting there is a night on a bus, which is exactly why it stays like this.
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When to go
October to April. Summer temperatures in the Western Desert routinely exceed 45°C and the desert excursions stop. March and October are the ideal months.
Siwa Oasis right now and the next 7 days
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Siwa Oasis, planned for you
A satellite map for every day with each stop pinned in order, photos of the places, timings, what each part costs, where to sleep and eat, and a checklist. One PDF that works offline: print it, or send it to everyone going.
- Day 1 Arrive in Siwa Oasis · Float in the salt lakes
- TravelBus via Alexandria: Alexandria → Marsa Matrouh → Siwa₹700
- 11:00Float in the salt lakes₹100
- 17:15Shali fortress at sunset₹100
- Day 2 Great Sand Sea 4WD and sandboard
- Day 3 Fatnas Island sunset
- Day 4 A slow day
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Siwa Oasis on the map
Tap anything in the list: the map zooms straight to it. Tap your starting city to see the way there.
The area
Getting there
Places to see
Day trips
Siwa Oasis · Open in Google Maps ↗
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Step 3 of 11Next: Cost↓What your trip costs
Change anything and the numbers update. Every price is what the bus, room or ticket itself costs. We take no commission and sell no packages, so this is what you pay booking each piece yourself.
Ballpark ranges, not live quotes. Prices last updated 6 October 2026. Prices move with season and demand, so check live fares before you book. Spot a wrong price? Tell us and we fix it.
On the ground: stay, food, local travel and tickets. Pick a route above to add the journey.
Siwa Oasis in 4 days: a day-by-day plan
Our suggested plan, in a sensible order with times. Move things between days, remove them or add more. It saves on this device, and you can share it.
- 11:00Float in the salt lakes2 h · ₹100 each · Denser than the Dead Sea. Do not shave that morning.
- 13:30Lunch break
- 17:15Shali fortress at sunset1 h 30 m · ₹100 each · Climb the melted mud-brick citadel in the middle of town. Free to wander.
- 08:00Great Sand Sea 4WD and sandboardHalf day · ₹3,500 each · Dune driving, fossil beds, and a hot spring after dark.
- 12:30Lunch break
- 13:30Temple of the Oracle, Aghurmi1 h · ₹200 each · Where Alexander came to be told he was a god. Very little left, and still worth it.
- 15:00Cleopatra's Spring1 h · free · A stone pool fed by a warm spring. Modest dress — this is a conservative town.
- 13:00Lunch break
- 17:15Fatnas Island sunset2 h · ₹100 each · Palm grove on a spit into the salt lake. Cycle out for it.
- A slow morning before the journey home.
How to get to Siwa Oasis
One-way prices per person. The cheapest sensible option is marked. Each button opens live times and fares for the date you picked above.
Flight + bus
Check fareFly to the gateway from wherever you start and check live fares. West & Middle Delta buses leave Cairo's Turgoman terminal in the evening.
Bus via Alexandria Cheapest
₹700Breaks the journey and lets you see the coast.
Shared taxi
₹900Faster than the bus on the final leg if you've come via the coast.
Getting around once you're there
Donkey cart (caretta)
₹200Still the normal way to get around Siwa town. Slow and entirely charming.
Bicycle
₹200The town, the springs and both lakes are flat and close. The best option.
4WD desert trip
₹3,500Into the Great Sand Sea for dune driving, fossils and a hot spring at sunset.
Tuk-tuk
₹150For the further springs when it is hot.
Where to stay in Siwa Oasis
Price per night for the room. The buttons open live availability for your dates.
Guesthouse
₹1,100/nightTraditional kershef construction — thick salt-and-mud walls that stay cool.
Eco lodge
₹4,500/nightCandlelit, no electricity by design. Siwa's famous splurge.
Budget hotel
₹800/nightSeveral around the market square; walking in is normal here.
Desert camp
₹2,500/nightOvernight as part of a 4WD trip. Dinner, fire, and no light pollution at all.
What to eat, and what it costs
Siwan vegetable tagine
₹150Slow-cooked in a clay pot. The local speciality.
Ful and taameya
₹80Fava beans and Egyptian falafel. Breakfast, everywhere, for almost nothing.
Grilled chicken and rice
₹200The standard restaurant meal around the square.
Dates and olives from the market
₹40Siwa's dates are famous across Egypt. Buy a kilo.
Places to visit and things to do in Siwa Oasis
Tap “Add to my plan” and it goes into your day-by-day plan above.
Shali fortress at sunset
₹100Climb the melted mud-brick citadel in the middle of town. Free to wander.
Float in the salt lakes
₹100Denser than the Dead Sea. Do not shave that morning.
Great Sand Sea 4WD and sandboard
₹3,500Dune driving, fossil beds, and a hot spring after dark.
Temple of the Oracle, Aghurmi
₹200Where Alexander came to be told he was a god. Very little left, and still worth it.
Cleopatra's Spring
FreeA stone pool fed by a warm spring. Modest dress — this is a conservative town.
Fatnas Island sunset
₹100Palm grove on a spit into the salt lake. Cycle out for it.
Day trips and next stops
Marsa Matrouh & the coast
₹700Bus north
Bahariya Oasis & the White Desert
₹3,500Desert convoy — check current permissions
Alexandria
₹900Bus via Marsa Matrouh
Cairo
₹800Overnight bus
Know before you go
Mistakes to avoid
- Siwa is conservative even by Egyptian standards, and home to the Siwi, an Amazigh (Berber) people with their own language. Cover shoulders and knees, and swim in clothing at the springs.
- Alcohol is not sold in Siwa and the community does not accept it: do not bring any. Trips into the Great Sand Sea need a desert permit, which licensed local guides arrange.
- Summer heat here is dangerous: avoid June to August, and treat May and September as borderline. The Libyan border is close, so carry your passport for military checkpoints.
Ways to spend less
- Bring cash from Cairo. The town's ATMs run dry regularly and there is no alternative.
- A bicycle covers everything in the oasis except the Sand Sea, for ₹200 a day.
- October and March give you the desert without the heat and without the winter nights.
Say it in Arabic
A few words go a long way, especially when you ask a price.
The pronunciation is a simple guide, not a native recording. Spot a mistake? Tell us.
Before-you-go checklist
Siwa Oasis in pictures
Tap a photo to see it full size.
Step 11 of 11Next: FAQ↓Questions people ask
When is the best time to visit Siwa Oasis?
On our month-by-month scores, the best months are Mar, Oct–Nov. October to April. Summer temperatures in the Western Desert routinely exceed 45°C and the desert excursions stop. March and October are the ideal months.
How do I reach Siwa Oasis?
Overnight bus: Cairo → Siwa, 10 h, about ₹800 one way. Bus via Alexandria: Alexandria → Marsa Matrouh → Siwa, 8 h, about ₹700 one way. Shared taxi: Marsa Matrouh → Siwa, 4 h, about ₹900 one way.
How much does a 4-day trip to Siwa Oasis cost?
On the ground (stay, food, local travel and tickets), one person spends about ₹4,800 on a shoestring, ₹7,200 mid-range or ₹13,600 in comfort over 4 days. Add the journey: the cheapest sensible option is bus via alexandria (Alexandria → Marsa Matrouh → Siwa) at about ₹700 each way.
How many days do you need in Siwa Oasis?
4 days is right for most people. That covers Shali fortress at sunset, Float in the salt lakes, Great Sand Sea 4WD and sandboard, Temple of the Oracle, Aghurmi without rushing.
Is Siwa Oasis good for families or solo travellers?
Out of 5 on our scores: solo 4, couples 5, families 4, groups 5. It works well for families. It is easy to do on your own.
Is vegetarian food easy to find in Siwa Oasis?
Genuinely easy. Egyptian street food is largely vegetarian by default — ful, taameya, koshari, baba ghanoush, salads and bread. Siwan tagine is typically vegetable-based. Vegans do well here too.
Will my phone and cards work in Siwa Oasis?
Phone signal: Works in town, nothing in the Sand Sea. Cards and UPI: A couple of the lodges, unreliably. Cash: Almost everything in Siwa.
Guides for Siwa Oasis
Longer reads from our blog that cover this trip.
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Set your dates and group at the top, shape the days, then book each piece directly.
Back to the planner ↑Costs are indicative ballparks for doing it yourself and change with season and demand. Always check live fares, rates and opening rules before you book. Trip Under is not a travel agency: we don't sell packages or bookings, we take no commission, and we link to maps and official sites, never to booking sites. Every guide is free; our only paid products are optional downloadable trip plans and itineraries. Photographs come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences; see credits.
By Gokul · Updated 6 October 2026 · Photo: Michael Hermann · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source · Photo: Sara Nabih · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source · Photo: Wael Saad · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source · Photo: Wael Saad · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source · Photo: ولاء · Public domain · source
