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During our 21-day trip to Egypt, we dedicated three days to exploring the Siwa oasis. The only way to reach the oasis is by bus, a journey of over 11 hours covering nearly 600km from Cairo.
Photo: Tam Bui
An oasis in the desert is very much like an island in the middle of the ocean, isolated from modern life on the mainland. In the past, crossing the desert required traveling in groups, carrying large quantities of food and water. Members had to strictly obey the "captain's" orders, because once in the desert, disobeying could lead to death due to foolish mistakes. Sometimes, the caravan would unfortunately encounter rebels, be robbed, or worse, lose their lives. Now, however, a simple bus ticket is all it takes to get there.
Photo: Tam Bui
Siwa borders Libya to the west and the Mediterranean Sea to the north. We arrived just as dawn was breaking. We hired a rickshaw driver to take the whole group to the hotel, where we slept soundly after the long and tiring journey. We woke up around noon, had lunch, and immediately headed out with our cameras slung over our shoulders.
The setting sun casts a golden glow over the 700-year-old fortress.
Photo: Tam Bui
We climbed to the highest point of Shali Fortress to admire the panoramic view of the oasis at sunset. The oasis was surrounded by layers upon layers of date palm trees. Everywhere I went on this oasis, I could find ripe dates scattered on the paths. Date palms resemble palm trees, but their leaves are thinner. The fruit grows in clusters like betel nuts, but the fruits are smaller. When ripe, they darken in color, ooze a lot of sugar, and have a starchy flesh. Every day we would pick up the fallen dates in front of our hotel room and eat them with great relish.
Photo: Tam Bui
Photo: Tam Bui
Photo: Tam Bui
The Shali Fortress, often described as the jewel of Siwa, is a must-see for any visitor to the oasis. Built in the 13th century, the fort was constructed using a mixture of salt from a nearby lake, stone, and clay. Because the desert receives almost no rain, this material mixture has remained durable over time. It took us nearly 20 minutes to climb from the base to the top of the fort. But for the best view, we had to climb a hill about 2km further. In the afternoon, the ancient ramparts were bathed in golden sunlight. A few families used parts of the fort as homes or souvenir shops for tourists.
Photo: Tam Bui
Despite being a remote area in the middle of the desert, the oasis still thrives thanks to numerous underground springs that gush forth daily. This piqued my curiosity. Our Egyptian guide took us to a lake. Next to it was an underground spring gushing from the ground. Locals often gather here to cool off at midday. On either side of the lake, the Berber people cultivate crops to maintain the self-sufficient lifestyle of their ancestors for centuries.
Photo: Tam Bui
Photo: Tam Bui
Living a nomadic life amidst the desert night sky.
We hired a 4WD vehicle with a driver, provided by the hotel, to take the whole group on a tour of the desert to watch the sunset. The sun descended like a fiery cauldron over the distant sand dunes. That night, we slept at a tourist campsite in the middle of the desert. The outside temperature dropped very low, only 7-8 degrees Celsius. With our stomachs rumbling with hunger, we gathered around a campfire to warm ourselves and wait for our grilled chicken. The oasis chicken was placed in a metal barrel, covered, and buried in the sand. A large fire was lit right on top of the barrel to cook the chicken inside. Hungry and cold, the aroma of the grilled chicken was irresistible. And then, we had the opportunity to enjoy what was perhaps the most memorable meal of our lives.
Photo: Tam Bui
The desert night sky was crystal clear, dotted with countless stars. We dressed warmly and headed up a nearby hill to photograph the Milky Way.Milky WayWhile I was taking pictures, a desert fox approached, seemingly wanting to make friends! Feeling threatened, I quickly climbed onto a nearby high rock. The fox, noticing the commotion, ran away. It seems it had been "scouting" the strangers that night, because when I woke up the next morning, I saw fox footprints all around the tent. That was quite a scare!
Photo: Tam Bui
Photo: Tam Bui
Our campsite consisted of about 10 small tents, pitched around in a rectangular shape. None of the tents had doors. The largest tent could sleep around 15 people, while the smaller ones could accommodate 4-5. Blankets and pillows were provided. Each person also received a very thick sleeping bag to protect against the cold at night. In the middle of the desert, there was no electricity, so from dusk onwards, everyone started lighting torches around the tents. The camp leader built a large bonfire in the middle of the campsite to keep us warm throughout the night.
Photo: Tam Bui
It felt like we were living in the world of "One Thousand and One Nights." In the cold, silent desert night, huddled in our small tent, we chatted and shared ancient Arabian stories. It was a truly unique and fascinating experience that everyone should try at least once when visiting Egypt.
Additional information
+ Journey: From Ho Chi Minh City, you will have a layover at Abu Dhabi airport, then take a connecting flight to Cairo. There are many airlines to choose from, with Etihad being the most affordable. If you book your tickets a month in advance, you will get a good price, around 850 USD for a round-trip ticket.
From Cairo to Siwa, you continue by bus, which is the most popular mode of transport for this journey. The journey is quite tiring as it involves an 11-hour bus ride on rough roads.
+ Visa: Egyptian visas for Vietnamese tourists are issued with a simple procedure, but are only issued in Hanoi. If you are in Ho Chi Minh City, you should choose a visa application service in Hanoi to save time and travel costs. The fee is 30 USD per person.
+ Unique Experience: One of the most unique tours in Siwa is camping overnight in the desert. This tour is operated by an Egyptian travel company; you can find information at your hotel. It costs approximately $45 USD per person for a one-night stay in the desert. Private transportation is provided to and from your hotel. Staying overnight in the desert is usually sufficient, as there's little to do at night except light a campfire, eat grilled chicken, and stargaze.
+ Cuisine: Egyptian food has a slightly challenging flavor profile for Vietnamese people. Therefore, our group often sought out small restaurants frequented by Western tourists. Experience showed that places where Westerners enjoyed the food typically offered international cuisine, meaning it wasn't overly local and therefore not palatable to everyone.
+ Travel costs: Our group traveled to Egypt for 21 days, with a total cost of 45 million VND per person for food, transportation, sightseeing, and hotels. On average, each person spent 2.1 million VND per day.
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