Siwa & Great Sand Sea in 4 Days
- Daily departures
- 4 days
- English-speaking guide
4-Day Siwa Oasis Trip — Great Sand Sea Safari, Shali & the Oracle Temple
Overview
SIWA OASIS & GREAT SAND SEA IN 4 DAYS — KEY FACTS
- Duration: 4 days / 3 nights, private, daily departures from Cairo
- Highlight: a full day in the Great Sand Sea by private 4x4, with a picnic in the dunes and dinner under the stars
- You also see: the Old Town of Shali, the salt lakes, the Mountain of the Dead, the Oracle Temple of Amun and Cleopatra’s Spring
- Transport: private car from your Cairo hotel to Siwa and back (about 9–10 hours each way)
- Stay: 3 nights in a Siwa eco-lodge, full board, with dinners at Albabenshal and Taziry Eco-Village
- Price: from $899 per person (triple); $999 in a double
- Operator: Egypt For Travel — ETA licence No. 1947 · Egypt For Travel LLC, New Mexico, USA
Four days is the right length for Siwa Oasis. You drive from Cairo into the Western Desert, near the Libyan border, and you have time for everything without rushing: the mud-brick fortress of Shali, the salt lakes, the tombs and the Oracle Temple of Amun on one day, and a whole day in the Great Sand Sea on the next, deep in one of the largest dune fields on earth. Three nights in an eco-lodge built in the traditional Siwan style, full board and your own guide and 4x4 make it a private desert journey from start to finish.
Siwa in 4 days at a glance
| Day | Plan | Meals |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Early departure from Cairo, drive to Siwa; Old Town of Shali, salt lakes at sunset, dinner at Albabenshal | Lunch, dinner |
| Day 2 | Mountain of the Dead, Oracle Temple of Amun, Cleopatra’s Spring, sunset over the lake, dinner at Taziry Eco-Village | Breakfast, lunch, dinner |
| Day 3 | Full day in the Great Sand Sea by private 4x4: dunes, sandboarding, picnic, sunset and dinner under the stars | Breakfast, lunch, dinner |
| Day 4 | Breakfast in the oasis and drive back to your Cairo hotel, arriving in the evening | Breakfast |
Is the 4-day Siwa trip right for you?
Yes, if you want the real desert: this trip gives the Great Sand Sea a full day of its own instead of a few hours, and the oasis sites a relaxed pace. It suits couples, friends, photographers and families with older children who enjoy outdoor days.
Honest advice: the drive is long, about 9–10 hours each way, and day 1 starts at about 04:00. If you only have three days, our 3-day Siwa Oasis tour covers the main sites with a shorter desert safari. If this is your first time in Egypt, see Cairo and the Nile first, then add Siwa.
What you will see
Shali and the salt lakes: the Old Town of Shali, a fortress town founded in the 13th century and built of kershef, a mix of salt rock and mud. At sunset you float in a salt lake so dense you cannot sink.
Ancient Siwa: the Mountain of the Dead (Gebel el-Mawta), rock-cut tombs from the Late and Greco-Roman periods, some still painted; the Oracle Temple of Amun on the Aghurmi rock, where Alexander the Great came in 331 BC; and Cleopatra’s Spring, a stone pool fed by a natural spring.
The Great Sand Sea: a full day with your own 4x4 and desert driver: high dunes, fossil beds from the time this desert was a sea floor, a natural spring when the route allows, sandboarding, a picnic in the dunes and the sunset before dinner under the stars.
4 days or 3 days in Siwa?
| 4-day Siwa trip (this page) | 3-day Siwa tour | |
|---|---|---|
| Nights in Siwa | 3 | 2 |
| Great Sand Sea safari | A full day on its own | Afternoon, combined with sightseeing |
| Pace | Relaxed, more time at each site | Full days |
| Best for | The best Siwa experience | A long weekend |
Why book with Egypt For Travel
- Licensed since 2010: Egyptian Tourism Authority licence No. 1947 (Category A) and Egypt For Travel LLC, registered in New Mexico, USA.
- Private from door to door: your own car and driver from your Cairo hotel, and your own 4x4 and desert driver in the Great Sand Sea.
- Permits handled: we arrange the desert permits needed for the Great Sand Sea.
- Eco-lodges we know: Ghaliet, Kenoz Shali or Albabenshal, all in traditional Siwan architecture.
- Fast, real answers: a personal reply within 2 hours, every day from 8:00 to 22:00 Cairo time.
Ready for the Great Sand Sea?
Send your dates and get a personal plan and price within 2 hours.
| Duration: 4 Days / 3 Nights | Type: Private Tour | Run: Everyday |
Included
- Private car with driver from your Cairo hotel to Siwa and back
- 3 nights in a Siwa eco-lodge (Ghaliet Ecolodge, Kenoz Shali Lodge, Albabenshal Lodge or similar)
- Full board from lunch on day 1 to breakfast on day 4, including dinners at Albabenshal and Taziry Eco-Village
- Full-day Great Sand Sea safari in a private 4x4, with picnic lunch and dinner in the desert
- English-speaking guide in Siwa
- Entrance fees: Shali, Mountain of the Dead, Oracle Temple of Amun, Cleopatra’s Spring
- Desert permits, internal transfers and service charges
- Bottled water throughout
Excluded
- International flights
- Egypt entry visa (US$30 on arrival or e-visa)
- Drinks with meals and personal expenses
- Tips for the guide and drivers
- Travel insurance
Itinerary:
Day 1: Cairo to Siwa — Old Town of Shali, salt lakes and dinner at Albabenshal
Your private driver collects you from your Cairo hotel at about 04:00 for the drive to Siwa along the Mediterranean coast and through Marsa Matrouh, with breaks on the way. You arrive in the early afternoon, check in to your eco-lodge and have lunch.
In the afternoon you explore the Old Town of Shali, the 13th-century fortress town built of salt rock and mud. At sunset you float in one of Siwa’s salt lakes, with dunes and palm groves around you. Dinner is at the Albabenshal heritage restaurant, on a terrace beside the ruins of Shali. Overnight in a Siwa eco-lodge.
Included Activities :
· Siwa Salt Lakes
· Albabenshal Heritage Restaurant
Meals Included :
Day 2: Mountain of the Dead, Oracle Temple of Amun and Cleopatra’s Spring
Day 3: Full-day Great Sand Sea safari by private 4x4
Day 4: Siwa to Cairo
Prices:
Accommodation
Prices
Notes:
Prices per person (USD)
| Room | Price per person |
|---|---|
| Triple | $899 |
| Double | $999 |
| Single | $1,699 |
One price all year. Prices are per person in US dollars; euros and pounds sterling are also accepted. Prices may be higher over Christmas, New Year and Easter. Once your booking is confirmed, your price will not change.
Good to know
- Long drives: Siwa is about 800 km from Cairo, roughly 9–10 hours by road each way with stops. There are no regular flights to Siwa.
- Best season: October to April, with warm days and cool nights. Bring a warm layer for the desert evenings. From June to August days are very hot, so the safari avoids the midday heat.
- Passport: carry your passport; there are checkpoints on the road and desert permits are issued in your name.
- What to bring: a swimsuit, sandals and a towel for the salt lakes, sunglasses, a hat and sunscreen for the dunes.
- Flights: don’t book a flight on day 4; you arrive back in Cairo in the evening.
Child policy
| Age | Rate | Condition |
|---|---|---|
| 0 – 1.99 years | Free | Sharing the parents’ room |
| 2 – 5.99 years | 25% of the adult rate | Sharing the parents’ room |
| 6 – 11.99 years | 50% of the adult rate | Sharing the parents’ room |
| 12 years and over | Full adult rate | — |
Payment
A deposit of 25% confirms your booking (50% in peak season). The balance is due one week before departure, or in cash on arrival. Bank transfer or card (Visa, Mastercard). Instalments over 6, 9 or 12 months are available: ask us on WhatsApp at +20 155 555 2466.
Cancellation policy
| Cancellation received | Charge |
|---|---|
| 61 days or more before arrival | 10% of the total price |
| 31 – 60 days before arrival | 20% of the total price |
| 15 – 30 days before arrival | 50% of the total price |
| 1 – 14 days before arrival | 100% of the total price |
If a government or airline travel advisory stops your trip, you receive a full refund or a 12-month travel credit. Cancellations must be sent in writing to [email protected].
Tipping guide
- Guide: $10–15 per person per day
- Drivers: $5–8 per person per day
Egypt For Travel — ETA licence No. 1947 · Egypt For Travel LLC, New Mexico, USA · WhatsApp +20 155 555 2466 · [email protected]
