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BAHARIYA OASIS
Spanning over 2000 sq. km. the Bahariya Oasis is a lush haven set in the midst of an unforgiving desert
and surrounded by black hills made of quartz. The Oasis is home to amazing ruins, such as the Temple of
Alexander the Great, beautifully painted Ptolemaic tombs and very old churches.
The recent discovery of the golden mummies, the pride of Bawiti Museum today, turned the oasis’ main
town, into a tourist magnet, and its proximity to the Black Desert have earned Bahariya a high rank on
the tourist map of Egypt.
Go for a short hike up to the mountains of Bahariya for an aerial view of the oasis, dunes and great
sunsets. Visit ancient Egyptian and Greco-Roman sites, such as the Tomb of Banentiu, haggle with the
locals for a scarf or a rug, enjoy a moment of solitude among wildlife, or relax in the hot waters of the
Bir Sigam hot spring. Your options in Bahariya are wider than you can imagine.
Black Desert
A little to the North of the White Desert, the Black Desert is closer to Bahariya than Farafra;
approximately 50 km to the South of Bawiti. The mountains have eroded to coat the desert with a layer
of black powder and rocks giving it its name. Towards the end of the Black Desert are black volcanic hills
that ages ago erupted a dark volcanic material called dolerite, which is what the black rocks are made of.
Climb up the English Mountain which is the highest point in the Black Desert and you will be awarded
with an amazing view of the strange landscape. The Black Desert can be seen as you pass the road from
Bahariya to Farafra, but if you want to venture in to its depths a tour guide is advised, tours can easily be
arranged from either Bahariya or Farafra.
Alexander The Great Temple
The Temple of Alexander was built during his reign on a site he may have visited during a journey he
made to consult the oracle of Amun in Siwa Oasis. Located about 5km east of Bawati, the only town in
Bahariya, the sandstone temple has many mud-brick rooms that serviced the priests and the principal
diety. Stand next to the bas-relief of Alexander, say cheese!
Bawati Museum
Also known as the Antiquities Inspectorate Museum - to see the famous Greco-Roman mummies and
their gold painted sarcophagi. Discovered in 1996, the mummies are a part of a vast necropolis believed
to contain more than 10,000 mummies. The mummies are decorated with ornate masks and jewellery.
Note the life-like curly hair and eyelashes of some of the mummies.
Tomb of Banentiu
Wine from the Bahariya Oasis brought so much wealth in the past that a local merchant built himself a
tomb fit for a pharaoh. The preserved Ancient Egyptian wall paintings within the tomb, which depict
mythological celestial journeys and mortuary rituals, are still rich and earthy.
Bir Sigam Hot Spring
Soak in the heat at Bir Sigam, a hot spring that can help overcome rheumatism. Located at 7 km east of
Bahariya on the Cairo road, the spring is usually crowded in the day but empty at night.