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Voykit pocket guide · Egypt
Siwa
سيوة
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.
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.
- Country
- Egypt
- Local name
- سيوة
- Best months
- Oct–Mar
- Avoid
- Jun–Aug (near 40°C (104°F)), and the summer sandstorm seasonJun–Aug (near 104°F (40°C)), and the summer sandstorm season
- Stay
- 2–3 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- EGP
- Money
- Currency is the Egyptian pound (EGP, also written LE or £E). Hotels, cruise boats and larger restaurants take cards; taxis, markets, small cafés, tips and toilet attendants are cash.
- Daily spend
- Budget EGP 700–1,200 excl. bed · Mid EGP 1,200–2,500 excl. bed · High EGP 2,500+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Vodafone, Orange, Etisalat (e&) and WE sell tourist SIMs at Cairo airport with passport; about EGP 500–1,000 for 20–40 GB — check.
- Emergency
- Police 122 · Ambulance 123 · Tourist police 126 · Fire 180
- Plugs
- Types C, F · 220 V · 50 Hz · European round-pin sockets.
- Tipping
- Restaurant: 10% even when service is added (it rarely reaches staff).; Guide, full day: US$10–20 per person.; Driver, full day: US$5–10.; Cruise crew: About US$5–10 per person per day in the envelope.; Toilet, porter, small help: EGP 10–30.
- Water
- Tap water is chlorinated in cities but most visitors drink bottled; do not drink Nile water.
- Toilets
- Western toilets in hotels and restaurants; attendants at sites expect EGP 10–20. Carry tissue.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Siwan tea, 500 g box of leaves | EGP 15–40 |
| Dates, 500 g box | EGP 7–40 |
| Simple entrée at a local restaurant | EGP 6–25 |
| Grilled half chicken | EGP 20–60 |
| Bicycle rental, per day | EGP 10–100 |
| Temple of the Oracle entry, foreigner | EGP 50 |
| Gebel el-Mawta entry, adult | EGP 50 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- MUH · Marsa Matruh Airport
- Closest airport, about 300 km (186 mi) north; seasonal and limited service — check schedules before relying on it.Closest airport, about 186 mi (300 km) north; seasonal and limited service — check schedules before relying on it.
- CAI · Cairo International
- Long way round: 550 km (342 mi) direct, but 750 km (466 mi) by either open road. Most travellers start here.Long way round: 342 mi (550 km) direct, but 466 mi (750 km) by either open road. Most travellers start here.
Typical fares
- Cairo → Siwa, West Delta overnight bus
- about 12 h, departs around 20:00 (check)about 12 h, departs around 8:00 PM (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)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get 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 and do
Known for
- Temple of the Oracle at Aghurmi
- Shali, the mud-brick old town
- Gebel el-Mawta rock tombs
- Salt lakes and hot springs
- Siwa dates
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Temple of the Oracle and Temple of Umm Ubeida | Bike or donkey cart east of town, then walk up the hill of Aghurmi | Half a day with Cleopatra's Bath |
| Gebel el-Mawta (Mountain of the Dead) | Walk or bike 1 km (0.6 mi) north of the centreWalk or bike 0.6 mi (1 km) north of the centre | 1–2 h |
| Fatnas Island | Bike or cart 6 km (3.7 mi) west, or a 4x4 transferBike or cart 3.7 mi (6 km) west, or a 4x4 transfer | Half a day |
| Bilad er-Rum and Maraqi | 4x4 with a driver, 30–35 km (19–22 mi) west4x4 with a driver, 19–22 mi (30–35 km) west | Full day |
| Great Sand Sea safari | 4x4 with a local operator, day trip or overnight | Full day or overnight |
Sleep
- 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.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | السلام عليكمas-salaamu alaykum |
| Thank you | شكراًshukran |
| How much is it? | بكام؟bikam |
| Too expensive | غالي أويghaali awi |
| Where is the toilet? | فين الحمام؟fein el-hammam |
| No, thank you | لا شكراًla shukran |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: 'Salam alaykum', handshake; wait for a woman to offer her hand; avoid: Hugging strangers
- Eating: Right hand; accept tea; avoid: Refusing hospitality flatly
- Bargaining: Humour and patience; avoid: Anger
- Dress: Shoulders and knees covered in cities; avoid: Beachwear outside resorts
- Baksheesh: Keep small notes ready; avoid: Showing a thick wallet
- Photos: Ask; pay if agreed; avoid: Photographing police or military
Scams and watch-outs
- 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.
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.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Siwa yet. Suggested stay: 2–3 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Temple of the Oracle at Aghurmi
- Shali, the mud-brick old town
- Gebel el-Mawta rock tombs
- Salt lakes and hot springs
- Siwa dates
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikidata — Siwa Oasis: www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q193376
- Wikivoyage: Siwa, revision 5322354 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5322354
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Siwaسيوة
لهذا العنوان، لو سمحت
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
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.
Siwi (a Berber language) is the mother tongue in the oasis; Egyptian Arabic is widely spoken and some English is used in tourism.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/siwa). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.