About Siwa

		Introduction

Protected Status

In 2002, the Egyptian Government declared 7,800 square km in and around the Siwa Oasis a protected area, in recognition of Siwa’s cultural, biological and environmental value. The new status prohibits all activities that damage or deplete the natural environment, including indigenous flora and fauna, and has bolstered the movement to preserve Siwa’s invaluable resources.

Siwa is one of the world’s last remaining pristine oases, home to spectacular natural landscapes, ancient historical ruins and unique cultural traditions.

Famed as the location of the Oracle of Amon, whom Alexander the Great consulted before continuing his Persian conquest, Siwa exists today much as it always has. Majestic rock formations, lush groves and brilliant salt lakes that have nurtured and inspired its people since they settled here 12,000 years ago continue to enchant all who set foot in this secluded idyll in Egypt’s Western Desert.

Thousands of years of isolation in a vast and unforgiving desert have allowed the Siwan community to develop unique cultural traditions, building techniques, styles of embroidery and systems of agricultural production that are remarkable for their beauty and harmony with the natural environment.