Frequently Asked Questions

This page was last updated on Saturday, August 19, 2023
  • Can I bring my pet with me? Yes, you can bring your pets to Siwa. There are wide open spaces for your pets to roam around and enjoy nature. If you travel with us for your desert trip, we will accommodate a special place for your dogs/cat in our campsite.
  • Are there any snakes or scorpion in the desert? Maybe but extremely rare.
  • Should bring my swimsuit? Yes. There are plenty of amazing fresh water springs in Siwa and the surrounding desert to swim in
  • Do I need to bring mosquito repellant? In the desert there is no mosquito. However, you will encounter them in Siwa.
  • Is it cold at night? Early morning is quite cold in Siwa. It is a desert after all.
  • How many days should I spend there? We recommend 2 nights and three days but there are enough activities and sites to visit in the surrounding desert to keep you busy for a full week.
  • Do I need a guide or travel operator? If you are just exploring Siwa, there is no need for a guide or travel operator. Most of Siwa can be explored on foot or bikes. However if you decide to head out to the desert (which we highly recommend), you will have to take a local desert guide. It is not recommended to drive your own 4x4 to the desert.
  • Do you cater for vegetarians? Yes. Just let us know in advance whether we should prepare vegetarian food for you for the desert camp. The restaurants in Siwa also cater for vegetarian (and they have great produce in the village).
  • What kind of animals can I see? In the village, donkeys mainly with some horses. There are however plenty population of wild birds.
  • How should I dress? Just dress comfortably as you usually do in travel.
  • Is it hot ? Siwa is cool in the winter during the day. The early morning in the winter can be especially cold (4 C). In the Summer (June, July, August) the high temperature can go up to 40 degrees (although it averages around 30s) and with low 20's in the evening. The great thing about Siwa though is that it's never humid. Also Siwa itself is very green so there are plenty of spaces to get under the shades. The trip to the desert during the Summer is usually scheduled in late afternoon when the temperature of the desert has gone down.
  • Where can I go swimming? In Siwa you can go to Cleopatra spring to swim in a fresh water natural spring. There are several lakes and water source around Siwa where swimming is possible as well although some of them require hiring a jeep/guide.
  • What kind of restaurants are available? You can find several of them in Shali (town).
  • Can I travel there independently? Yes, there are multiple ways to get to Siwa. The most convenient is take the daily bus from Turgomen station in Cairo.
  • Is the food safe to eat? Yes. Remember Siwa is an Oasis so their source of water is fresh and clean without any pollution (there is no factory in Siwa).
  • Can I bring my children? We recommend only bringing children above the age of 4.
  • How's the camp? It is a site in the desert. You stay either in a tent or outside, with the sky as your roof.
  • Is it safe for solo female traveller? Yes. It is a small village with a strong tribal bond. Unlike other more touristic places in Egypt (such as Luxor), female harassment is virtually unheard of in Siwa. This makes this place special. Pretty much everybody in town mind their own business.
  • Is Siwa safe? Yes. Egypt as a country is generally safe, even including the period of political turmoil due to the 25th January revolution. Cairo is one of the safest large cities in the world in terms of crime rate. Even more, Siwa is a small village isolated from the large cities in Egypt. There is also virtually no car traffic in Siwa. Accidents do happen in desert trips in Siwa but majority of them involves high performance rally and touring that professional drivers and riders do (similar to Paris Dakkar rally).
  • What should I pack?
    • Swimwear (to swim in the various water springs)
    • Sandals
    • Warm clothes (it is cool in the evening)
    • Sunscreen
    • Toilet wipes (there is no toilet in the desert)
    • Sunglasses
    • Sleeping bag (if you have one)
    • Long sleeves so you don't get sunburn
    • Hat
    • Phone
    • Shoes
    • Mosquitto repellent
    • Camera
  • Can I travel from Siwa to Bahariya Oasis directly? Unfortunately the desert road between Siwa Oasis and Bahariya Oasis is not accessible to the public right now. So it is not possible to travel directly between these two oasis.
  • Can I travel to Siwa during summer time?. Yes. Summer time is low season for Siwa so you get to experience the place without anyone around. Siwa is very green and very dry so the heat is very managable. All the accommodation also provide AC in your rooms. Because it is surrounded by the desert, the evening is cool.