At 6:00 am Pickup from your Hotel in Cairo with AirBus Holidays guide and go by our air condition vehicle. Start your Siwa journey at Jabal Al Mawta or Mountain of the Dead. Yes, it’s as somber as it sounds, but the story is incredible. Jabal Al Mawta is an entire mountain of tombs dating back to the 26th dynasty covering both the Greek and the Roman periods. Most of the tombs have been rummaged and robbed, but the most well-known one that remains is one belonging to Si-Amun. AirBus Holidays guide will tour his beautifully painted burial chambers! Next, head over to the Amun Temple, which has several names including Qaryet Aghormy, Temple of the Oracle, and the Iskander Temple. The temple was initially built to honor the sun god Amun-Ra, but this is only the beginning of the story.  Now that you’ve toured the temple and wrapped up a solid morning of history, head over to the serene Cleopatra’s Pool. Having nothing to do with Cleopatra, this natural spring pool offers a nice mid-day dip. The pool is surrounded by small shops and beautifully decorated cafés.

Start day 2 bright and early and take a dip in Siwa’s famed Salt Lakes. The salt lakes have similar hyper-salinity properties to those of Jordan’s Dead Sea. This also means that the lakes hold great healing properties, much stronger than regular seawater. In all cases, they make for a wonderful swim! Through your visit, you’ll learn more about how salt is used in everyday life. And you can also grab a few salt-made souvenirs to take home, a popular one being salt lamps. Dry up and make your way to Jabal Dakrour. Dakrour Mountain is known for its tombs and dwellings carved inside the hard rocks. It’s now mid-day, and it’s time to rinse off, change your clothes and embark on a safari. The highlights of the Siwa safari are of course off-roading in 4x4s, sand-boarding down the soft desert dunes, visiting hot springs, and enjoying the sunset while sipping Siwa tea. Wrap up your day at Mountain Camp. Certainly, the most lively and famed camp in Siwa is one of the few camps that have a hot spring in the middle of the establishment. At the camp, you can take a dip in the spring, enjoy local Siwa dances, music, and a hefty dinner.

Finally, on day three discover the world of the Old City of Shali or locally known as Shali Ghadi. There’s history, and then there are the local tales. If you’re more interested in the local myth. Locals say that Siwa was ambushed by invaders and to protect themselves from intruders they built the fortress. The fortress had and continues to have only one entrance through a high set of stairs. The ancient fortress is entirely made of salt and mud-brick, which only adds to the distinctiveness of the architecture. Much of Shali is now destroyed due to heavy rains that crumbled the town. However, it remains open for visitors and is well worth the hike. Check out the remarkable view from the top of Shali. Later we start heading back to Cairo.