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“What do you think about the Israeli / AUC controversy?” |
Egypt’s Famous Western Desert Oases
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| David Harvey/CARAVAN STAFF ITS BLACK: The Black Desert is 250 miles southwest of Cairo |
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| Alfred Megally, study abroad student,
riding bikes in siwa.tif David Harvey/CARAVAN STAFF |
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| walking through white desert - Michael
Roose, non AUC.tif ITS WHITE: The soft white sand of the White Desert is what gave it it’s famous name David Harvey/CARAVAN STAFF. |
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| David Harvey/CARAVAN STAFF IN THE MIDST OF ALL THE GREENERY: Siwa Oasis is 800 km away from Cairo |
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| EXPEDITION: renting a bike and enjoying
the scenery is one of the activities Siwa is famous for The Twin Temples of Abu Simbel |
Although they’re very distinct from each other, the
five main oases of the Western Desert are usually visited together as
a package. If you’re thinking of a four-day-trip, Siwa, Dakhla,
Kharga, Baharia and Farafra, Egypt’s Western Desert oases, are all
known for their historic origins and fascinating environments. The oases
are also known for chains of sand dunes, huge rock formations and palm
tree groves as well as the healing springs that give life to these desert
oases.
Baharia is the first stop on the trip to the five different oases. It
is known for the famous Black & White deserts trip. “I was amazed
by the bright white sand in the White Desert that shines with the reflection
of the sun; the whole trip is an unusual experience,” said Maha
Aly, who has been to Baharia.
If you want to experience the beauty of nature in the desert, the Adrere
Amellal, 16 kilometers away from Siwa, has it all. The German-owned eco-resort
features traditional adobe houses, uses candles and oil lamps for lighting
and receives no telephone signal.
“It was a great place to get away from everything and relax for
a weekend. Not many other tourists are around, so you can just head out
to the desert and find some peace and quiet. The whole town [Siwa] had
a wonderfully relaxed attitude,” said Gregg Carlstrom, an AUC graduate
student.
Going on with the trip, the Kharga oasis is a perfect relaxing destination.
It is known for having hot springs with carbonates used in treatments
for rheumatism and allergies. It is located in the Lybian desert, close
to Egypt’s El Wadi El Gedid, or the New Valley. It has ancient monuments
and temples worth visiting.
Bordered by the Great Sand Sea, the Farafra oasis had the first road paved
in the New Valley. The oasis is known for its numerous sand dunes and
the steep-sided hills.
“The sand dunes are amazing; we took the cars and slid on the hills,
but there aren’t many of ancient monuments to see in Farafra,”
said Hana Hegazy, a business administration senior.
If you have a four-wheel-drive or like hiking, you can get a tour of Farafra’s
desert rocks.
Connected with Farafra and Kharga, the Dakhla oasis features green lands
and traditional villages, located in the center of the sand sea. The oasis
had been known once for its numerous springs but most of them have dried
up. More information on the western oases can be found at www.egyptmyway.com/tours/western_desert.html
