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Major city · Egypt

Siwaسيوة

Go for 2–3 nights, October to March: reach it via Marsa Matruh (300 km, 4 h by bus), not the Bahariyya road, which has been closed to foreigners.

Weather
see forecast
Currency
EGP
Best months
Oct–Mar
avoid Jun–Aug (near 40°C), and the summer sandstorm season
Airports
MUH · CAI
Nights
2–3
Not field-verifiedbasic guide
Print / PDF guide
3 pages, for the metro and roaming-off days
Map
Google Maps Apple Maps Street View
Rules in force · 8Nine African countries on this site have no trip line bec…
  • Africa ↗When a route touches a yellow-fever country — even a transit of 12 hours or more — keep the original yellow card (ICVP) in your hand luggage; health desks and airlines can refuse boarding or entry without it.
  • Africa ↗Nine African countries on this site have no trip line because governments advise against travel; several others have no-go regions. Read your government's advice for every country on the route before paying deposits.
  • North Africa ↗Plan links between North African countries by air or by ferry via Europe; the only regularly usable land borders for visitors are Tunisia–Algeria and Morocco–Mauritania via Western Sahara.
  • North Africa ↗Book Saharan nights (dunes, desert camps, oasis tours) between October and April; from May to September desert day temperatures regularly exceed 40 °C and many tours stop.
  • Egypt ↗Check visa rules for your passport on the official Egypt e-visa portal before flying; visa on arrival availability depends on nationality and can change.
  • Egypt ↗Drones need prior permission and are routinely confiscated on arrival; leave them at home.
  • Egypt ↗Do not photograph military sites, police, bridges or government buildings; some museums and tombs charge for or ban photography.
  • Egypt ↗During Ramadan, avoid eating, drinking or smoking in public in daylight; hotels and tourist restaurants still serve.

Siwa is Egypt's most remote western oasis: a Berber-speaking town of mud-brick ruins, salt lakes and hot springs, 300 km southwest of the Mediterranean coast at Marsa Matruh. There are no flights, so it costs a full travel day each way. Two or three nights is the useful minimum; one night is a waste of the drive.

Essentials

Quick answers and what things cost

Quick answers

The questions people ask first about Siwa, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.

Cost cheat-sheet

2026 desk estimate · check

Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.

  • Museum or sight ticketTemple of the Oracle entry, foreignerEGP 50
  • Budget bedBudget private room, shared bath, a night, per roomEGP 400
  • Mid-range bedBudget private room, shared bath, a night, per roomEGP 700
  • High-end bedBudget private room, shared bath, a night, per roomEGP 1,200

A day, not counting the bed: Budget EGP 700 · Mid EGP 1,500 · High EGP 3,000

Local prices, with USD next to them (rates 2026-09 (approximate); change it in the header). Ranges are desk estimates: check locally. Every price and the budget calculator →

Decide

What it is known for, and when the weather works

At a glance

What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.

Temple of the Oracle at AghurmiShali, the mud-brick old townGebel el-Mawta rock tombsSalt lakes and hot springsSiwa dates
Airports
MUH Marsa Matruh Airport (Closest airport, about 300 km north; seasonal and limited service — check schedules before relying on it.) · CAI Cairo International (Long way round: 550 km direct, but 750 km by either open road. Most travellers start here.)

Weather and climate

Forecast from Open-Meteo · averages rounded

Siwa: next 7 days

Loading forecast…

Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.

Air quality

Loading…

Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.

Jan

19°C

5°C

1 rd

Feb

21°C

6°C

1 rd

Mar

25°C

9°C

1 rd

Apr

30°C

13°C

0 rd

May

34°C

17°C

0 rd

Jun

38°C

20°C

0 rd

Jul

38°C

21°C

0 rd

Aug

38°C

21°C

0 rd

Sep

35°C

19°C

0 rd

Oct

30°C

15°C

0 rd

Nov

24°C

10°C

1 rd

Dec

20°C

6°C

1 rd

High / low °C · rd = rain days

Arrive & move

Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Getting around

Bicycles are the practical way to cover the springs, tombs and lakes; rent one for the day and test the brakes and frame before you pay. Donkey carts handle short hops in town and to Cleopatra's Bath — agree the price before setting off. For the far west (Bilad er-Rum, Maraqi, Ain Duheiba) you need a 4x4 and a driver.

See & do

Day-trips, door to door

Day-trips

Door-to-door, not ride time

Temple of the Oracle and Temple of Umm Ubeida

go

Door to door: Half a day with Cleopatra's Bath

Bike or donkey cart east of town, then walk up the hill of Aghurmi

The oracle Alexander the Great consulted in 331 BCE. Entry fee for foreigners; Umm Ubeida is free.

Gebel el-Mawta (Mountain of the Dead)

go

Door to door: 1–2 h

Walk or bike 1 km north of the centre

Ptolemaic and Roman rock tombs; the decorated group is on the northeast slope. No photography inside. Morning opening, shorter Friday hours.

Fatnas Island

go

Door to door: Half a day

Bike or cart 6 km west, or a 4x4 transfer

Hot spring, café and lake sunsets; bugs at dusk.

Bilad er-Rum and Maraqi

caution

Door to door: Full day

4x4 with a driver, 30–35 km west

Rock tombs and a ruined Doric temple; close to the closed Libyan border, so access can be curbed.

Great Sand Sea safari

overnight

Door to door: Full day or overnight

4x4 with a local operator, day trip or overnight

Sandboarding, dunes and desert camps; book through your hotel and agree the itinerary and price in writing.

Eat & sleep

Which area to sleep in

Where to sleep

Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.

Siwa town centre / Market Square

Walkable to Shali, the museum and restaurants; best for a short stay without a car.

Palm groves west of town

Lodges and eco-hotels among the palms, 5–15 min by bike or donkey cart from the centre.

Lake Siwa and Fatnas Island side

Quieter, sunset views over the lake; you need wheels or a cart for every trip into town.

Practical

What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Cost per day

2026 estimate, excluding the bed unless stated
Budget
EGP 700–1,200 excl. bed
Mid
EGP 1,200–2,500 excl. bed
High
EGP 2,500+ excl. bed

Trip budget

2026 estimate · converts to your currency
Palm-grove lodge double1 × 3 nights × EGP 2,500EGP 7,500
Food, local transport, entries2 × 3 days × EGP 1,500EGP 9,000
Bicycle rental, one day2 × EGP 100EGP 200
Donkey cart, short hop in town1 × EGP 50EGP 50
4x4 day trip with driver, per vehicle1 × EGP 2,500EGP 2,500
eSIM, about a week of data2 × EGP 300EGP 600
Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurgeEGP 1,985
Trip total≈ EGP 3,639 per person per day, bed includedEGP 21,835

2026 estimate in Egyptian pounds; long-distance transport to and from Siwa excluded. Your choices stay in this browser.

Prices of common things

Siwan tea, 500 g box of leavesEGP 15–40
Dates, 500 g boxStuffed with almonds or chocolate costs more.EGP 7–40
Simple entrée at a local restaurantEGP 6–25
Grilled half chickenEGP 20–60
Bicycle rental, per dayEGP 10–100
Temple of the Oracle entry, foreignerEGP 50
Gebel el-Mawta entry, adultEGP 50

2026 estimate; check locally.

Watch out

Safety

Siwa is a very conservative, traditional town and is generally very safe for travellers who dress and behave accordingly; the real risks are the long desert drive, summer heat, mosquitoes and unagreed donkey-cart or 4x4 prices.
  • The Bahariyya–Siwa road has been closed by the military since 2019; the only open approach is via Marsa Matruh. Confirm the current status locally before you plan around it.
  • The Marsa Matruh road is asphalt but has long gaps with no filling stations and blowing sand; carry water.
  • The Libyan border is about 50 km west and closed. Near-border areas such as Maraqi can be restricted by the military.
  • Siwa is conservative: dress modestly away from hotel pools, and ask before photographing people.
  • Mosquitoes around the lakes and springs, especially at dusk.

Emergency numbers

Police
122
Ambulance
123
Tourist police
126
Fire
180

Pocket card

One page · print or save as PDF

Fill in, then print or save as PDF

Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.

Siwaسيوة

Pocket card · Voykit

My bed tonight

—

—

—

لهذا العنوان، لو سمحتTo this address, please

Emergency

  • Police122
  • Ambulance123
  • Tourist police126
  • Fire180

Embassy

No embassies in Siwa; most are in Cairo. The US, UK, Canadian and Australian missions are all in Cairo — check the address and hours before you travel.

My embassy: —

Fare anchors (2026 estimate)

  • Cairo → Siwa, West Delta overnight bus: about 12 h, departs around 20:00 (check)
  • Marsa Matruh → Siwa, bus: about 4 h, at least daily (check)
  • Taxi, Marsa Matruh → Siwa: about EGP 1,000 (check)
  • Donkey cart, bus stop → town centre: from about EGP 1.50–3 (check)

Say or show

  • السلام عليكم — Hello (as-salaamu alaykum)
  • شكراً — Thank you (shukran)
  • بكام؟ — How much is it? (bikam)
  • غالي أوي — Too expensive (ghaali awi)
  • فين الحمام؟ — Where is the toilet? (fein el-hammam)
  • لا شكراً — No, thank you (la shukran)

Siwi (a Berber language) is the mother tongue in the oasis; Egyptian Arabic is widely spoken and some English is used in tourism.

Deep dive

What this guide covers so far, and its sources

Not a trip line yet

This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Siwa. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.

What we know, and what is coming

On this page

  1. Best months: Oct–Mar · avoid Jun–Aug (near 40°C), and the summer sandstorm season · month by month →
  2. 2 airports and 3 areas to sleep in
  3. Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
  4. Cost per day in 3 bands
  5. 5 day-trips, door to door
  6. 5 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers

Coming as the guide grows

  1. Airport-to-bed contract for MUH and the Cairo overnight bus: last departures field-checked, taxi fallback, overnight rung.
  2. Four walking or riding clusters with rescue anchors: Shali and Market Square, Aghurmi and Umm Ubeida, Gebel el-Mawta, Fatnas and the western springs.
  3. Place pages with verified cutoffs (Shali, Gebel el-Mawta, Temple of the Oracle, the museum) and eat pages with last orders.
  4. Border and road-status fixtures so the Bahariyya closure and Maraqi restrictions can go green or red.

Meanwhile

Back to Egypt

Sources