Download POST CONFERENCE TOUR TO SIWA OASIS

Geoarcheologic excursion To Siwa Oasis
A five-days tour from Cairo to Siwa Oasis, visiting several
geoarcheologic sites en route as well tour places
Siwa Oasis is a rich amalgam of different cultural, historical,
geographical, geological heritages; predynastic, ancient Egyptian,
Roman, Greek, Coptic and Islamic. Siwa oasis lies in the Western Desert
of Egypt with 20,000 inhabitants, near the border of Libya, at a
depression of 18 meters below sea level. The oasis is 80 km long and up
to 20 km wide. The economic basis of the oasis is agriculture. There are
300,000 date palms and 70,000 olive trees. The agriculture is fed by
natural springs as well as by artificial wells. It has 3 Larger Salt Lakes;
these are Birket Maraqi, Birket Siwa, and Birket Zaytun.
Day 1
Departure from Suco , via Cairo- Alex Road -Matruh- Siwa. 6.30 am
In the way we will recognized the scenery of pyramids of Giza
Group and Abu Roash Pyramid. The Giza pyramids (Eocene Plateau)
situated west of the Nile, bordering the Western Sahara Desert, the Giza
plateau rises up in its glory to present its full authority. Strangely, Khufu
decided to build his pyramid just to one side of the highest ground on the
plateau.
Oligocene sand and gravel as well as volcanic eruptions, flows and
dykes were observed on the vicinity of Abu Roash area, the oldest
Cretaceous rocks and dominated by many geological structures, doming,
folding, faulting and sedimentary facies related to the Syrian Arc system
of the Upper Cretaceous age will be the First witness stop. Abu Rawash
Pyramid (The last pyramid to the North of Egypt) is located in the
continuation of the Gebel el-Ghigiga, which is on the western fringe of
the Nile Valley (30o2'N, 31o4'E). This site with an elevation of about 150
meters which is located about eight kilometers north of the Giza
pyramids. Here, the funerary complex of Djedefre, the third ruler of
ancient Egypt's 4th Dynasty was built at the top of this escarpment.
Second stop
El Baramoos Monestry, Wadi Natrun ( about 110 km NW Cairo)
Wadi El- Natron is located 100 km to the north west of Cairo , it
is a natural depression in the desert it is consisting of salt lakes and
salt flats laying in the desert , this place in the bird watchers paradise.
This place was important to the ancient Egyptian since it was from which
they extracted the Natrun salt, and become more important during the
early era of Christianity in Egypt. Oligocene-Miocene-Pliocene fluvioclastic and marine sediments are encountered as well mangroves of
Miocene. The Oligocene sediments are as well the Miocene clastics are
bearing fresh water aquifers.
It is common to allege that Wadi Natrun was the actual birthplace
for Christian monasticism. The reason why the early Copts chose to
install themselves out in the desert was more than piety. Under the
Roman rule the Egyptian Christians were persecuted, especially around
year 300, and many found refuge out of the cities. It has many churches
such as:
Third stop (Lunch time 3.00 pm) : Mersa Matruh City
Observing sunset at desert plain of Marmarica limestone of Miocene age,
karst features in the way to Siwa. Reaching hotel at Siwa – Dinner time
Day Two
 Geomorphology of Siwa depressions
 Salt lake and Sabkha formation
 Natural hot spring and their origin
 Sand dunes and their geological significance
 Great sand sea
 The temple of the Amon:
The majestic remains of which are still here to be admired, is
mentioned for the first time during the 26th Dynasty (663 - 525 B.C.) as
the place to which the Pharaohs would travel to in order to consult the
Oracle. Alexander the Great was to pay a visit to the temple. Siwa’s
Oracle recognized his divine nature and predicted his conquest of the
world. From that moment onwards Alexander rightfully reigned over
Egypt as a Pharaoh. Under the Roman domination of Egypt, Siwa
continued to be a central node for caravan routes to the Mediterranean
coast. During Arabs and settling in the valley of the Nile, neglecting the
inner regions where conditions were much harder, the inhabitants of the
oasis of Siwa were left isolated from the flourishing civilization
developing elsewhere in the country.
 Shali:
In 1200 A.D. the population was reduced to few hundred souls that
built the fortified city of Shali in order to defend themselves. The remains
of the city still stand out to this day on top a hill from which one can gain
breathtaking views of the oasis below.
Day Three
 Death Mountain
 Natural Sabkha and inselberg
 Natural well Of Abu Sherouf
 El Dakrory Mountain ( Lunch time at 2.00pm)
 Sun set at Taghagheen Island
 Bedwain party at night
 Cleopatra s pool
Back to hotel for Dinner at 7.pm and free round till 10 pm at
City Shali (Old Siwa)
Fourth Day
Departure to Mersa Matruh early morning
Visits of the day
 Miocene, Pliocene and recent shore morphology, sedimentology
and lagoon environment at Ageiba area and Miocene fracture
system
 Pliocene raised beaches
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Recent Oolitization along the beach of Matruh
Lunch time at 2.00 pm
Ramses temple at Um El Rakham
Cleopatra s Path and beach karst morphology
 Free tour at Libya Market until dinner time at 8.00 pm
Fifth Day
Back To Cairo
( Alamain Museum, 270 km NW Cairo)
El Alamein is most notable as the place where the Allied forces of WW II
gained a decisive victory of the Axis forces. However, it was once
described by Churchill as having the best climate in the world. There is
also a war museum with collectibles from the Battle of El Alamein and
other North African battles. The only historical interest in this village
would be related to WW II, and includes an Italian and German military
cemeteries on Tell el-Eisa Hill just outside of town.
Lunch at Omar Oasis at Wadi Natrun