Egypt is very much desert, and the number of oasis
are smaller than many might imagine. There are 7
oasis communities interesting to a traveler, plus
a handful of places where people do little but
work and long for the day when they can return to
their home town.
Getting to the oases is straightforward these
days:
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Dakhla. Dakhla is the best to visit because it offers the best preserved
architecture of all of Egypts' oases. there is a selection of fine
oasis gardens, and a pharaonic temple makes you realize how deep the
history of the oases really is.
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Siwa. Siwa ranks high because of charm, beautiful oasis gardens,
bathing possibilities and pharaonic temples too. What Siwa lacks is
well-preserved traditional quarters. The Shali (attractive enough!) is too
ruined to give a true image of old times.
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Fayoum. Fayoum ranks high because of the fabulous oasis gardens, the
surreal lake and the many pharaonic monuments. The drawback, is that it
really doesn't feel like an oasis, travelling from the Nile or Cairo, you
will not pass through any desert.
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Farafra. Although no oasis offers as limited number of sights as Farafra,
it is highly recommended because of charm, great bathing possibilities. The
gardens are nice and there are some remaining traditional houses too.
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Kharga. As oases go, Kharga is not the
best. The modern city owes almost nothing to the past, and the
gardens are a bit difficult to access. Yet, Kharga has its attractions, with
more
historical monuments than any of the other oases.
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Qara is the smallest of all inhabited oases, and also the
least touched by modern times.
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Bahariya. Bahariya offers the least attractive village of all the oases,
and the oasis gardens are not among the fines. But hotels are good, it is
easy to reach from Cairo (you will pass through much desert) and it is the
best starting point for the Black and
White deserts. |
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