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In the Egyptian Oases you do not hear the sounds of airplanes, horns or loudspeakers,
but rather the sound of the wind as it blows and rustles through the palm and olive
trees, blowing the golden sand over a sea of desert. You hear the gushing of underground
currents, as water pours out into the picturesque springs, where no trace of pollution
exists, and the taste of the food is free of chemicals. The Western Egyptian Desert
includes areas that differ from one another. There are fertile areas as well as
rock desert. In the Desert's great depressions where the land is close to the water
tablets, the 5 oases of the Western Desert exist.
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The Baharia, Farafra, Dakhla and Kharga Oases are all joined by a main road and
if your journey begins in Cairo you would probably visit Baharia, then Farafra,
followed by Dakhla then Kharga and then you would head south to Luxor. The trip
would be reversed if you start it from Luxor.
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Baharia:
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Loacted 365km south west of Giza, the area is known for its archaeological findings
as well as environmental treatment. The oasis contains about 400 warm and cold springs
where the water is useful in the treatment of rheumatism, rheumatoid and skin diseases.
The springs available qualifies this area to be one of the best treatment resorts
in the world because of its dry moderate climate and the shinning sun all the year
round. Besides being a treatment resort, the oasis contains also archaelogical findings
which are:
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The Temple of Ain el-Muftella: The temple consists of 4 chapels that are
decorated and painted in a similar way to other Egyptian temples.
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The Temple of Alexander the Great: It is the only known temple of Alexander
the great present in Egypt. It was built during the Macedonian
ruler's lifetime and it was dedicated to the ancient Egyptians Gods
Horus and Amun.
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Valley of the Golden Mummies: In this area, over 100 mummies beautifully
decorated with some of them covered with a layer of gold were
recently discovered in this area. The tombs in which these mummies
were buried are definitely worth seeing.
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The Oasis heritage Museum: It provides a history of living in the desert
oasis as it displays the clothes and jewelry worn by the inhabitants
along with displays of clay figures engaged in the oasis activities.
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Farafra:
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It is the smallest oasis located in the Western Desert; with only 1 village available
there. The majority of the inhabitants are Bedouins who are strongly attached to
their traditions and culture. Most Farafra visitors take at least 1 swim in the
hot sulphur springs at Bir Setta and El-Mufid Lake. Badr's museum is one of the
famous places to visit in Farafra. Badr who is a contemporary local artist displays
in his museum some of his art work that are made from natural materials present
at the oasis. Most people go to Farafra to visit:
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Deir el Hagar: This temple has a well preserved outer mud brick. The temple
was dedicated to the Theban triad Amon-Re, Mut and Khonsu, as
well as to the god of the oasis, Seth.
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AL Qasr: Going to this place is like stepping back a thousand years. The
old town is built entirely of mud brick and is fairly substantial
in size.
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Fish Pond: It is an artificial lake that is worth the visit for bird watchers
as many birds migrate there from Europe.
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Kharga:
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The Kharga Oasis was known to the ancient Egyptians as the Southern Oasis and to
the Romans as the Great Oasis. Kharga is best described as a portrait featuring
green palm trees and fruit plantations in the foreground, while in the background
you would find the yellowish color of the desert rocks contrasting the view. There
are several ancient remains in the Kharga, some of which are still not fully excavated.
The main attractions are:
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Temple of Hibis: It is currently being restored and will soon be open for
tourists.
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Kharga Heritage Msueum: It displays antiquities found in the Kharga and Dakhla
Oases with artifacts ranging from Egyptian prehistoric era to
the Islamic period.
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Qasr el Ghueita: It lies on top of a circular mountain. When you walk up
to the temple, you would see that it looks impressive and huge.
Around the temple there was a village that must have housed a couple of hundred persons.
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Bulq and Nasser village Springs: They are thermal springs famous for their
water temparture that reaches 43 degrees and it acts as a good
treatment for rheumatism and allergies.
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Tombs of Bagawat: Located North to the temple of Hibis, it is considered
one of the earliest Christian cemeteries in the world. It contains
263 tombs mostly dating from the 4th through 6th centuries AD.
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Siwa:
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Siwa Oasis lies 50km from the Libyan border right on the edge of the Great Sand
Sea. If you think that you have seen all what Egypt has on offer, then Siwa proves
that there is even more. Siwa is almost surprisingly beautiful with outcrops of
honey-colored sandstone along with white chalks fringing the plateau. What enhance
the picture are the lush palm groves and the still surface of five huge silver lakes.
Among Siwa's attractions are:
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Mountain of the Dead: The Mountain houses almost 700 rock tombs, all of them
carved into the limestone hill. The tombs are equally beautiful
to the noble tombs in Luxor and Aswan given their inside wall
paintings.
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Dakrur Mountain: Famous for its hot sands, it is the best place to stop over
for a sand bath that is used as an effective natural cure for
rheumatism and rheumatoid.
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Fetnas Island: The Island has a very romantic setting. The place is totally
covered with palm trees except for a circular pool in the middle.
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Oracle Temple: Alexander the great visited this temple when he was trying
to reach for a confirmation that he was the son of Zeus. When
the temple is seen from a distance is looks like a floating mountain between palm trees.
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Madinet Shaly
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Fayoum:
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Fayoum is not a true oasis since it depends on Nile water instead of underground
springs or wells. However, it is a depression that has its own artesian wells, allowing
water to reach the surface from underground reservoirs. It’s hard to believe that
this peaceful and lush oasis is less than 100km southwest of the buzzing Cairo.
Egyptians have been vacationing here since the 13th pharaoh's dynasty. Fayoum is
extremely fertile which is why its green gardens seem to go on and on. The area
retains two natural lakes and is ideal for farming and harvesting. Places to visit
in fayoum:
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Lake Qaroun: it is the largest lake in the country and it located at 45m
below sea level. The lake is ideal for fishing, sailing, rowing
and swimming and is literally a breath of fresh air away from city life.
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Seven Water Wheels: The water wheels are used now as the official symbol
of Fayoum province. The water wheels are used to lift water
coming from a stream river up to a level where it could be transported
into the fields for irrigation. There are about 200 water wheels in Fayoum. The
most famous is the Seven Water Wheels.
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Wadi el Rayan Protected area: Wadi El Rayan is a valley in the middle of
Fayoum that is now totally covered by two gigantic fresh water
lakes. A waterfall is created where the two lakes meet, since they both have different attitudes. The place is spectacular and is blessed with
a beautiful setting.
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Pyramids Medoum and Hawara
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