Siwa Oasis Egypt: Untouched Treasure From the Past

Siwa Oasis: How strange can it be that the place with the largest underground water reserve in Egypt is in the middle of the desert? To be honest, it is an oasis with tens of thousands of olive trees, with palm trees, apricots, flowers, medicinal plants. And many salt lakes, with Al-Zaitoun having one of the highest salinities in the world. And hundreds of springs, right at the gate of the sandy sea.

And for the picture to be complete, the Siwa Oasis houses true treasures, such as the Temple of the Oracle, where Alexander the Great was declared a demigod. Son of Amon-Ra, God of the Gods, Zeus to the Greeks. And many other fantastic archeological sites. Let me show you what makes the Siwa Oasis one of the most beautiful places in Egypt and in the world!

Located about 60 kilometers from the border with Libya and 600 kilometers from Cairo, the Siwa oasis has been inhabited since time immemorial. Specifically, 12,000 years ago. But from the inscriptions found so far, the civilization dates from 3200 BC. It is still debated whether Alexander the Great was buried here. Scientists disagree about the remains attributed to the great leader who visited Siwa at least once in his life. Possibly several times to consult the Oracle.

The people of this region are more "special", they have their own rules, agreeing to comply with Egyptian law only in 1840, when power was taken over by Muhammad Ali. Which sent the army over them. Hard times followed, but still, the inhabitants kept their traditions, organization and laws of the tribes, although they obeyed the modern ones.

The approximately 35,000 inhabitants of the ancient Amazigh population are Berbers. I speak Arabic, but also their language. I am the easternmost Berber tribe in Africa. In fact, there are 11 tribes, united and not all of them live in the oasis. Many live in the much-loved desert, which I beat far and wide. They have completely different traditions and customs than in other parts of Egypt, sacredly preserved over the millennia. They marry within the tribe, very very rarely mixing their blood with others. They have their own festivals, it's a special community. But they are very happy guests.

The salt lakes of Siwa and the over 200 springs make this place recommended for a beauty and health treatment. The waters of the lakes are healing for sinuses, skin, eyes. For relaxation and recreation. The locals have been treating their rheumatism here since ancient times, they got rid of back pain, wrists, psoriasis.

Sulfur springs also have amazing properties. With hot and warm water, the minerals present are similar to the most famous wellness springs in the world. After a bath in a salt lake you actually feel reborn.

Siwa Oasis is located 18 meters below sea level. With a lot of water here, everything pays off. There are hundreds of palm trees, tens of thousands of olives, apricots, pomegranates, lemons, figs. And many plants used in natural medicine and beyond. Acacia, tamarisk trees, mint, millet, castor, daisy, basil and many other wonders, all grown organically, without pesticides. The meat also comes from free-range animals. In fact, pollution is almost non-existent here, the only sources being trucks and cars. Few, however, is not heavy traffic.

And roll over the doll, Siwa is a relaxing place, a real balm to recover from the hustle and bustle of today's life. Everything seems to unfold in slow motion here and time seems to expand.