Good For You

While many hotels boast rooms with a view, few can compete with the breathtaking panorama offered at Albabenshal Heritage Hotel. The corridors, open terraces and a magnificent outdoor dining area all look upon the dramatic remains of the historic fortress of Shali, a 13th century citadel in the centre of downtown Siwa.

This 11-room hotel has been constructed out of once inhabited kershef houses that were destroyed by unusually heavy rains. Spread over three levels connected by a network of whitewashed hallways, steep staircases and winding passageways, these regal rooms have been furnished in keeping with local traditions.

The Siwa Oasis is one of the most interesting and distinct regions of Egypt. A unique natural environment with exceptional geological features, a diversity of flora and fauna, and a plethora of ancient historical ruins and unique cultural traditions make this a fascinating and eye-opening holiday destination.

Good For Egypt

The Environmental Quality International (EQI), a private consulting firm established in 1981, is responsible for creating Albabenshal. The firm has partnered with the local community and local authorities to derive benefit from local knowledge of the environment and cultural heritage. EQI has recently extended its activities under the Siwa initiative in four new areas: eco-tourism, Siwan artisanship, sustainable agriculture, and renewable energy.

Set outside the jagged ruins of Old Shali, Albabenshal has been created to revitalise this important area in Siwa and encourage the continued restoration of the remaining abandoned homes surrounding the Shali Fortress. Ancient, dilapidated Siwan homes were restored using kershef, a mixture of sun-dried salt, mud and sand, to build a lodge modelled after the original structures that once filled the fortress.

Rooms

Food

Features & Facilities

• Restaurant
• Ensuite bedrooms
• Local tours

Local Info & Activities

Siwa Oasis and its surroundings represent one of the most interesting and distinct regions of Egypt. Siwa possesses a unique natural environment with exceptional geological features, a diversity of flora and fauna, and some 230 natural freshwater springs fed by the Nubian aquifer.

One of the world’s last remaining pristine oases, Siwa is home to ancient historical ruins and unique cultural traditions that have been maintained for thousands of years, due to the relative isolation of the oasis and its community.

Famed as the location of the Oracle of Amon, whom Alexander the Great consulted before continuing his Persian conquest, Siwa exists today much as it always has, boasting majestic rock formations, lush groves and brilliant salt lakes throughout the oasis.

Desert Adventures

One of the favourite activities in Siwa is exploring the great Western Desert. Take a safari ride through the endless hills of the Great Sand Sea, enjoy a cup of tea at the top of a sand dune and watch the sun set and you can also discover marine fossils imbedded in the sand and rock from the Tethys Sea some 40 to 50 million years ago.

Excursions also include visits to Siwa’s natural and historical attractions and offer the option to spend the night in a desert tent. Those who do will dine “About Mardam” style, having chicken roasted over charcoal, and sleeping soundly under the desert stars.

Salt Lakes

Siwa has several magnificent salt lakes, the largest being the famous lake of Al Zaytun, which extends for more than 25 km from the mountain of Dakrur. Sheyata is another spectacularly tranquil salt lake in the desert, 35 km southwest of Siwa. Gentle sand banks lightly shaded by palm trees make an ideal spot to unwind while away an afternoon.

Fresh Water Springs

Cleopatra’s Bath

Ancient visitors to the Temple of Amon were said to have stopped to marvel at Cleopatra’s Bath, a wonder they called the “Spring of the Sun”. Slip into this famous natural spring and imagine that two and a half thousand years ago, Herodotus did just the same. In fact, he left an account of the spring’s bubbling waters in his Histories, writing that it seemed boiling hot in the chilly evenings and cool during the heat of the day.

Abou Sherouf

Embraced in the cool shade of surrounding palm trees, the spring at Abu Sherouf is one of the largest natural pools in the oasis, showcasing some of Siwa’s most picturesque views. Abou Sherouf also offers a separate, smaller hot spring bubbling near by.

Ein Fatnas

This hot sulfur spring, tucked away in a patch of rich vegetation, lies 70kms south of Siwa. Arrange a desert safari to visit and stop along the way to see the Fossilized Forest, Al Arg Oasis and Al Bahrain, before plunging into Bir Wahed for a naturally cleansing, therapeutic bath.

Plants & Animals

Siwa possesses a distinct and wide-ranging collection of animal species, including at least two amphibians, 28 mammals, 32 reptiles, 52 insects, 92 soil fauna and 164 birds. Among these, several species appear to be unique to the Siwa region, and several more are endangered or threatened. Rodents, gerbils and fat sand rats are the most common species of mammal in the oasis, but it also home to two Saharan desert foxes, the Sand Fox and the Fennec Fox.

The oasis contains a number of resident and migratory birds, including the lesser flamingo, sooty falcon, thick-billed lark, lesser short-toed lark, red-rumped wheatear and the desert wheatear, as well as the European quail. The Al Qasr desert has been recently discovered to be the breeding ground for all these bird species.

Culture

Siwa possesses a unique cultural heritage rich in indigenous traditions and customs. Descendents of the Berbers, many Siwan families have distant relatives in the Libyan part of the Desert. Siwans are distinct in their traditions, dress, tools, and language. While Siwans are able to speak Arabic, they also have maintained their own language in its spoken form. Most Siwan families speak Siwi in their homes and when communicating with each other. Siwi is a dialect closely related to dialects spoken in other Amazigh (Berber culture) communities in Libya, Algeria and Morocco.

Annual Spiritual Journey

The 200 year-old annual Spiritual Journey, is a 3-day spiritual and religious Siwan festival that usually coincides with the full moon in October. Through prayer, ritualized feasts and celebrations, the Siwans gather to give praise, resolve disagreements, harvest dates and olives and also perform marriages on the mountain of Gabal al Dakrur, one of the oasis’ most awesome natural settings.

Siwan Artisanship

Siwan culture boasts a variety of traditional arts and crafts, such as silver jewelry, colorful woven baskets and embroidered and beaded garments and accessories. Siwa has long been celebrated for the exquisitely embroidered garments and stunning silver jewelry. Widely prized around the world for its beauty and craftsmanship, many of these adornments have traditionally served important functions as ritual icons, symbols of marital status, keepers of fertility and conveyers of tradition.

INSIDER TIP/S

Guests should bring the following: sun block, mosquito/insect repellent, moisturiser, lip balm, sun hat, sunglasses, walking shoes, warm sweater/light jacket, swimsuit and camera.

Sustainability

The Siwa Sustainable Development Initiative aims to direct private investment in commercial ventures towards sustainable development by promoting economic development that respects Siwa's rich natural assets and revitalises its unique cultural heritage. Environmental Quality International (EQI), a private consulting firm established in 1981, has been the principal investor and catalyst for action. The firm has partnered with the local community and local authorities to derive benefit from local knowledge of the environment and cultural heritage. EQI has also collaborated with various partners to improve solid waste management practices, rehabilitate Siwa's marketplace and selected historic sites, build Siwa's first bank, and reopen and restore Siwa's cultural centre and public library. In partnership with the Siwan community and with the International Finance Corporation (IFC), EQI has recently extended its activities under the Siwa initiative in four new areas: eco-tourism, Siwan artisanship, sustainable agriculture, and renewable energy.

EQI are responsible for creating Albabenshal, which has been constructed out of out of once inhabited kershef (a mixture of rock salt and mud to build the walls) houses that had been destroyed by unusually heavy rains. Albabenshal was created through a process of restoring and restructuring these dilapidated and abandoned homes. The lodge aims to revitalise this important area in Siwa and encourage the continued restoration of the remaining abandoned homes surrounding the Shali Fortress.

The Siwa Sustainable Development Iniatiative: Siwa Women's Artisanship Development Initiative

In August 2001, EQI launched a cottage industry aimed at revitalizing Siwa’s traditional handicrafts and promoting a culture of artisanship among women in the oasis. An initial grant from the British Embassy went towards upgrading the embroidery skills of 50 Siwan women to ensure workmanship of the highest standard. The community welcomed the project because it allows women to work from their homes, or in an all-women setting, in keeping with Siwan tradition. Within a year, the number of women participating in the project had reached 300. The embroiderers are currently applying their skills to two exclusive production lines - Siwa Creations and Ermanno Scervino - that have linked Siwa to mature markets prepared to pay for native creativity and quality craftsmanship. As a result, the artisans are able to earn a steady income that is comparable to - and sometimes higher than - the average earnings of Siwan men. The fact that their products are exhibited on the catwalks of Milan, and sold in high-end outlets in Rome, Paris and London, has given them a sense of pride in their accomplishments. It has also raised the awareness of the local community of the value of Siwan arts and crafts.

The Siwa Sustainable Development Initiative: Organic Agriculture & Agro-Culinary Production

In partnership with the International Finance Corporation (IFC), EQI is working to develop Siwa into a center of excellence for the production of organically grown produce and agro-culinary products, while improving the standard of living of Siwan farmers. The project, which is expected to benefit 300-450 farmers and 50 off-farm workers, aims to add value to Siwan agricultural produce by promoting the adoption of organic farming and farm management systems that are compatible with international certifications. Project components include a crop prefinancing scheme, a cattle-financing scheme, a renewable energy initiative, and a packaging warehouse.

Crop Pre-Financing Scheme: Currently, Siwan farmers are finding it increasingly difficult to maintain their small-scale organic farming activities due to lack of liquidity. Informal credit schemes available to them through Alexandrian traders, which rely on the pre-sale of crops, are insensitive to seasonal fluctuations in productivity. When crop yields fall short of pre-paid quotas, farmers are sometimes forced to sell parts or all of their land to pay their debts. In order to maximize their yields, farmers have begun resorting to chemical fertilizers. To overcome these financial constraints, the project is providing them with more comfortable credit terms, paying 40% - 50% more than the traders to pre-finance their organically grown harvest.

Cattle-Financing Initiative: This initiative aims to increase the limited amount of livestock in the oasis and, in turn, provide the farmers with access to organic fertilizer as well as milk, both of which are scarce in Siwa. By introducing 650 cows in Siwa over a period of 7 years, EQI plans to almost double the cattle wealth of the oasis.

Renewable Energy Initiative: Implemented in the village of El Gari, this demonstration project aims to introduce biogas technology oasis wide. Twenty-five biogas digesters will be installed during the two-year pilot phase, and organic raw material such as animal waste will be processed to produce both biogas and high quality organic fertilizer. Biogas will replace butane, a non-renewable form of energy that Siwans import from the coastal town of Marsa Matrouh, 300 km away, for cooking purposes. Biogas is also expected to cover a portion of the household lighting needs of El Gari in the future. The organic fertilizer produced through the digester will reduce the need for imports from Marsa Matrouh, and surplus fertilizer can be sold to supplement family income.

Packaging Warehouse:

In addition to benefiting the farmers, this activity will provide employment opportunities for Siwan women through the establishment of a packaging warehouse. The women will be trained to package the products in conformity with Eurep-gap and organic certification standards.

EQI is responsible for managing the funds, providing the necessary training and technical assistance, and undertaking all post-harvest activities up until shipment. Efforts by EQI are underway to brand the 'Siwa' product as one of excellence, and linkages are being established with regional and international markets, starting with Austria, Germany and England.

The Siwa Sustainable Development Initiative: Man, Eagle & Eye in the Sky

In November 2003, a land art event was organized by EQI and a London art dealer, in collaboration with members of the local community. The internationally celebrated artist Cai Guo Qiang, renown for his creative integration between culture and art, as well as for his spectacular use of gunpowder in art extravaganzas, was chosen to stage the event, which was funded by an international group of art patrons and the Prince Klaus Foundation. Over a period of five days, patrons, artists and international media representatives gathered in the oasis to observe Cai stage a kite-flying activity over town, temple, desert and mountain top. The artist worked with over 350 school children to decorate 600 silk kites in the shapes of eyes, eagles, and men. Using brushes and their hands, the children enthusiastically painted the kites in bright primary colors. Forty of the children then flew the heavy 5x5 silk kites over sites of historical and cultural significance in Siwa. In addition to engaging the school children in a process of artistic self-expression, the project gave visitors the opportunity to contribute to and learn from an oasis community with a rich and unique cultural heritage, and Siwans the opportunity to contribute to and learn from the outside world.

Getting There

There are several ways to get to Siwa:

By Bus

Air-conditioned coach buses from Cairo or Alexandria - these stop in the coastal town of Marsa Matrouh before heading to Siwa. Bus tickets cost around $10 each and should be bought in advance as soon as you get to Cairo.

Minibuses to Marsa Matrouh/to Siwa - these only cost a few dollars but tend to be packed, sometimes reaching 20 people per van. For a group of four or more people, consider buying all the seats on a minibus. The bus service between Siwa and Matrouh is limited to two trips daily.

By Car

The fastest and easiest option, but also the most expensive is to hire a car with chauffeur – this costs about US $170 one-way. One benefit to having a private driver is being able to stop anywhere along the way. Consider stopping to swim at Marsa Matrouh or to visit the battlefields of Al Alamein.

By Air

Siwa Oasis has a military airport, not a commercial airport. It can be used for landing of private and chartered planes. There is also a commercial airport in Marsa Matrouh, which is approximately a 4½ hour drive from Siwa.

Visit our Transport section for flights, hybrid car rentals and train bookings.

Rates & Bookings

Prices are in EURO per room per night and include breakfast.

• Single Room: €33 1
• Double Room: €43
• Triple Room: €53

booking & cancellation policy

A 10% deposit is needed to secure a reservation with the remainder payable directly to the hotel 14 days before arrival.

Want to avoid cancellation fees? Visit our Insurance section for information on travel insurance.