I just spent a wonderful 4 days travel in Siwa last week (April 11 – April 16). This time around I took my puppy Polly along and we all had swell time.
Here are the insights I gained from travelling with a dog to Siwa:
- The travel time from Cairo to Siwa took 9 hours and 12 hours to return (with 2 hours planned detour to Cleopatra Beach). These are long travelling time and quite boring for human and dogs alike.
- Travel with a private mini bus is definitely required. I don’t think I could manage the travel in a public bus to Siwa with Polly.
- Desert is a wonderful place to unleash a dog so it could run freely. However there are times where leash are warranted especially during breakfast and dinner time (all tables in the camp are set low and within easy reach of a puppy).
- Abdou restaurant in Siwa town is dog friendly. Nourwaha cafe/lodge is also dog friendly. Siwa Paradise hotel (where I stayed) is also dog friendly.
- The locals do not mind pet dogs at all. The little children around Siwa though were very curious about pet dog since they rarely encountered one.
- One of the local was not pleased when I took Polly to swim at Cleopatra Spring. In Abu Shoruf spring though no one cared.
- Bring a dog cage so that they can sleep next to you safely during the night in the open.
- The ground wind in the desert annoyed the dog especially since it is only 30 cm in height.
- Travelling with the jeep offers plenty of opportunities to do the favorite dog things: putting head out on the car window to feel the breeze.
- Watch out for sunstroke.
- There is no natural predator in the desert surrounding Siwa so it is safe to bring a puppy.
- All the donkeys and horses in Siwa
- All in all bringing a dog to Siwa is a pleasant experience. The joy of seeing a dog happily roam the desert vastly outweigh the pain of the logistic.