Bahariya Oasis is one of the most fabulous Egyptian oases in the western desert, as Egypt contains six oases El Fayoum Oasis, Farafra Oasis, Farafra Oasis, Kharga Oasis, Dakhla Oasis, and Siwa Oasis. It is affiliated with Giza Governorate.

The history of Bahariya Oasis Like other Egyptian oases, Bahariya Oasis was an important stop point on the trading route between the Western Desert and the Nile Valley.

Bahariya Oasis are two Arabic words meaning the northern oasis in English. This oasis played an important role during the ancient Egyptian civilization as it was known with two names (Djesdjes) and (wḥꜣt mḥtt).

Its importance increased during the Greco-Roman period as it was used as a trading route and began producing a lot of goods such as cereals, dates, olive oils, and wine.

The main economic sectors of this society are iron ore mining, tourism, and agriculture as they are growing guavas, mangos, dates, and olives.

The attractions in Bahariya Oasis Bahariya Oasis is surrounded by mountains and has numerous springs. It is considered as the start point for many safari trips into the western desert as it is the closest oasis to Cairo, as well provides immediate access to the White Desert, Black Desert, and the Crystal Mountain.

• El Bawiti is the largest and the administrative center in Bahariya.
• El Hayz: In El Hayz, the golden mummies have been discovered. It is a necropolis housing nearly 10,000 mummies dating back to the Greco-Roman period.
• Bir Al-Ghaba: it is a hot spring worth visiting in this oasis.
• Bawiti Museum: it is an Ethnographic museum displaying the customs and traditions community of Bahariya Oasis. It was built by Mohamed Eid, one of the oasis’s local artists.
• The White Desert is divided into two deserts: the old white desert, where the Mushrooms and tents area, and the new white desert with its limestone formations. In ancient times, this desert was covered with the sea leading to its rocks contain some seashells. It is located on the road between Bahariya and Farafra.

• The Black Desert contains mountains formed from black stones and rocks created due to volcanoes.

Farafra Oasis is one of the most fabulous Egyptian oases in the western desert, as Egypt contains six oases El Fayoum Oasis, Bahariya Oasis, Farafra Oasis, Kharga Oasis, Dakhla Oasis, and Siwa Oasis.

Farafra is located on the southern road between Cairo and Bahariya. Farafra Oasis is affiliated to the Al-Wadi Al-Gadid governorate in Southern Egypt, the largest governorate in Egypt in terms of space.

The history of Farafra Oasis As other Egyptian oases, Farafra Oasis was an important stop point on the trading route between the Western Desert and the Nile Valley.

Farafra Oasis had a great position during the ancient Egyptian civilization, especially during the reign of the 10th dynasty, as it was named (Ana Akhet), meaning the land of the cow referring to the goddess Hathour.

During the Roman period, Farafra and other oases were famous for growing grains.

During the Coptic period, the Egyptian Copts escaped to Farafra and other oases due to Roman persecution.

This oasis is considered partly isolated what explains why its community still committing to its old traditions and customs. It is famous for growing dates, olives, and apricots.

The attractions in Farafra OasisFarafra is the start point for tours desert safari in the western desert to visit the white desert, the black desert, and the Crystal Mountains.

• The Qaser Al Farafra or the Farafra Palace is a roman monument.
• Qaser Abu Monqar is a roman attraction.
• Farafra Oasis houses other roman attractions as some rock-cut tombs and ruins of a Roman Temple.
• The White Desert is divided into two deserts: the old white desert, where the Mushrooms and tents area, and the new white desert with its limestone formations. In ancient times, this desert was covered with the sea leading to its rocks contain some seashells. It is located on the road between Bahariya and Farafra.

• The Black Desert contains mountains formed from black stones and rocks created due to volcanoes.

• Badr’s Museum: it is a mud-brick house owned by Badr Abdel Moghny, who is a local artist. It displays the customs and traditions of the Farafra community.

• Farafra distinguishes with its geographical location and geological formation, so it contains natural water wells using in therapeutic tourism as it has sulfurous wells for treating some respiratory diseases.

Petra city is one of the largest historic and archaeological sites in the world. It is situated between the Red Sea and the Dead Sea in the south of Jordan.

It is also known as the Red Rose City, due to most of its buildings were established by using red stones. This city is considered a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1985, as UNESCO described Petra city as one of the most precious cultural properties of man’s cultural heritage.

Petra is the Greek name of this city which means the rock or the rocky site, but its original name is Raqmu.

The history of PetraThe great history of this city began at the beginning of the 4th century BC with the Nabataeans as they took it as a capital for their kingdom. They controlled a huge tract of the Middle East from the Levant to the northern Arabian Peninsula.

It is thought that the Nabataeans were nomadic Arabs who exploited the strategic location of this city as it is located close to trade routes. They had skills in harvesting rainwater, agriculture, and stone carving.

Later, the Nabataean kingdom was occupied by the Romans during the first century BC. After that, the trade of the Nabataeans began to wane.

The tourist destinations in Petra Petra are famous for their rock-cut buildings, as it is half-built, half-carved into the rock, as well as water conduit system. The buildings of Petra vary between the Nabataean and Greco-Roman architectural styles.

Al-Khazneh (the Treasury) The most famous building in this city is Al-Khazneh structure. Al-Khazneh is an Arabic word meaning treasury. It is believed that Al-Khazneh is dedicated to being the mausoleum of Nabataean king Aretas IV.

Al-Khazneh has been considered one of the New Seven Wonders of the World since 2007. You can reach Al-Khazneh through a gorge called the Siq.

Egyptian Adventure team is allowed to visit this red rose city from different cities in Egypt as Taba, Dahab, and Sharm El Sheikh.

Saint Catherine’s Monastery is located on the slopes of Mount Sinai. It is considered one of the oldest monasteries in the whole world. This monastery was added to UNESCO’s World Heritage List in 2002.

The Saint Catherine’s Monastery It is famous Saint Catherine’s Monastery, but its original name was Sacred Monastery of the God Trodden; this monastery gets its name from Saint Catherine of Alexandria, who was martyred in the early 4th century AD. They found her corpse on nearby Mount Saint Catherine, as it is said the angels transferred her body to this place.

The history of Saint Catherine’s Monastery

The Byzantine Emperor Justinian I commanded to construct this monastery in 527 AD to house the monks of the Sinai Peninsula.

The buildings of the monastery includes many buildings as:
• The Church of the Transfiguration of Christ the Savior. This church houses nine other smaller churches. One of these nine churches is the Burning BushChurch, where the god spoke to the prophet Moses.

The Scripture mentioned that the god ordered the prophet Moses to lead the Israelites out of Egypt by speaking to him from this bush. The fire was set into this bush, although it was unaffected by the fire.

Empress Helena, the mother of Constantine the Great, the first Roman emperor to convert to Christianity, established a church on the site of the Burning Bush in the 4th century AD. Emperor Justinian I rebuilt this small church and included it in the Church of the Transfiguration of Christ the Savior, the larger church.

• The monks’ rooms.
• The refectory.
• The olive press.
• Ossuaries.
• The Fatimid Mosque dates back to the 12th century AD in 500 AH / 1106 AD during the reign of the Fatimid Caliph al-Amir bi-Ahkam Allah. This mosque was the fruit of the harmonious relationship between Muslims and Christians. This mosque became a stop for pilgrims on their way to Mecca.

• The library of Saint Catherine’s Monastery houses rare books and 6,000 manuscripts, so it is considered one of the most important libraries attached to the monastery. The project of restoring the library in 2017 detected many manuscripts, among them a Greek medical manuscript dating back to the fifth century.

Al Minya is one of the most important governorates of the upper of Egypt as its location between northern and southern Egypt. As well, it houses many historical sites and destinations dating back to different historical times.

During the ancient Egyptian history This city was once one of the great capitals of ancient Egypt. Also, it houses three of the most famous historical sites in Egypt. These sites are Beni Hassan, Tell El-Amarna, and Tuna El-Gebel.

• Beni Hassan was a necropolis during the middle kingdom in ancient Egyptian civilization, as local rulers and military ‎leaders built their tombs there. It houses approx. 39 carved tombs in a limestone hill. These tombs reflect the power of the high officials at that time.
• Tell El-Amarna: It is also called Akhetaten. It was the capital of ancient Egypt during king Akhenaten or Amenhotep IV period in the eighteenth dynasty, the New Kingdom. Also, it was the center for worshipping the god Aten.
• Tuna El-Gebel was a necropolis during the Greco-Roman period. The ancient Egyptians considered it the center of worshiping the god Thoth or Djhuty, the god of wisdom and knowledge in ancient Egyptian civilization.

The significance of Al Minya during the Coptic period It was one of the stages of the Holy Family during their holy journey in Egypt.

The significance of Al Minya during the Islamic period Al Minya is proud that a number of companions of the Prophet Muhammad’s (peace be upon him) visited it and were buried there, as Khaled Ibn El Walid. As well, it was the home of one of the Prophet Muhammad’s (peace be upon him) wives, who Marya the Copt.

Museums of Al Minya city

• Mallawi Museum: It opened for the first time on July 23, 1962, but it was closed after being vandalized in August 2013. Then it reopened in September 2016 after restoration for the building and collections. The museum displays the history of Al Minya through different historical periods.
• Akhenaton Museum: when the Akhenaton Museum will be opened, it will be the largest in Upper Egypt. The concept of this museum will expose the religious thought of King Akhenaten and the reunification period.

Aswan is one of the Egyptian cities in the upper of Egypt. It is located in the north of Nasser Lake. Aswan city distinguishes with its natural beauty, as it has the most beautiful views of the Nile River in Egypt ever. In addition, it houses unparalleled monuments dating back to several historical times as ancient Egyptian history, the Greco-Roman period, the Christian period, the Islamic period, and modern history. So it is considered an attractive tourist destination in Egypt.

Aswan city consist of 5 islands are Philea or Elephantine, Seheil, Agilkia, Bigeh, Kitchener’s islands.

The meaning of Aswan: Aswan is derived from the ancient word swan, meaning the market, as this city is located in an important commercial site linking Egypt and the southern lands.

The history of Aswan city: During ancient Egyptian history, Aswan houses several quarries for different types of rocks as granite, sandstone, and quartzite. These quarries were used by the ancient Egyptians to establish their temples and buildings. Also, it was the starting point of the military and commercial campaigns to the south to African countries.

During ancient times, Aswan was the center for many gods of ancient Egyptian beliefs, as the god Khnum, the god of the source of the Nile, and the goddess Isis.

One of the great historical events occurring in Aswan was the project of UNESCO for saving the Nubian monuments after the building of the High Dam.

The monuments of Aswan:

Aswan contains monuments dating back to several historical times, as:
• The monuments dating back to ancient Egyptian history are the Unfinished Obelisk and Abu Simbel Temples
• The monuments dating back to the Greco-Roman period are Philae Temple, Kom Ombo Temple, and Temple Of Edfu
• The monuments dating back to modern history are the High Dam, Nasser Lake, Mausoleum of the Aga Khan, the Nubian Museum, Botanical Garden, and The Nubian Village.

Deir El Medina is one of the most famous sightseeing on the west bank of Luxor city, as it is a city for the locals located inside a royal site. Here, you will see another kind of tombs; they are not royal tombs but belong to ordinary citizens who built the royal tombs.

The history of Deir el-Medina Bernard Bruyère discovered this site in the 90s, after the discovery of Howard Carter to the tomb of Tutankhamun, Bernard Bruyère considered this is a unique discovery, as there were many of ostraca are discovered on this site. These ostraca documented the lifestyle and community of ancient Egypt meticulously, as they refer to the Women’s lifestyle, the Law, and the medical care in this community.

This place was the village where the ancient Egyptian workers and artisans of the 18th, 19th, and 20th dynasties of the New Kingdom were lived. Those workers and artisans worked in the Valley of Kings and the Valley of Queens, as they carved the tombs, which dazzle the whole world, in the mountain and decorated them.

Perhaps, the Egyptian authorities ordered to establish this city apart to keep what was happening inside the Valley of Kings and the Valley of Queens secret for avoiding being stolen.

It is believed that the first usage of Deir el-Medina was during King Thutmose I reign, while it was abandoned during the Ramesside Period.

The city housed approx. 70 families and sixty-eight houses varying in their size. The style of these houses was the same, as the walls were made of mud brick. Houses consisted of four to five rooms, comprising an entrance, main room, two smaller rooms, kitchen with cellar, and staircase leading to the roof.

Also, this place contains the tombs of those workmen. These tombs appear in one room decorated with reliefs depicting the owner of this tomb with his family and during his journey to the other world.  You can imagine how amazing the decorations of these tombs are, as it was ornamented by the artisans who decorated the wonderful tombs in Valley of the Kings. For example, these tombs are Inerkhau and Sennedjem tombs.

The names of Deir el-Medina The ancient Egyptian name of this site was (Set maat), which means the place of truth. Also, the habitants were named servants in the place of truth. Deir el-Medina, the most famous name for this site now, is an Arabic word meaning the monastery of the city, as there was a temple for goddess Hathor beside the city. This temple was built during the Ptolemaic period, but it is changed to be a Christian monastery.

Luxor city is the most famous city in Egypt and the whole world housing destinations and attracting tourists, as it is considered the world’s greatest open-air museum because it contains two-thirds of the landmarks of the world. It contains sightseeing dating back to ancient Egyptian history, the Greco-Roman period, the Christian period, and the Islamic period.

Luxor city is also known as the city of a Hundred Gates because it contains several gates of temples. These temples are like Luxor Temple and Karnak Complex.

The Nile River divides Luxor city into two parts, the east bank of Luxor, containing the temples of gods, and the west bank of Luxor that houses the mortuary temples and tombs of kings.

In Luxor, you will be able to see the mummy of King Tut, the temple of Queen Hatshepsut at Deir el-Bahari, the Valley of Kings, the Valley of Queens, Colossi of Memnon, Habu Temple, the avenue of Sphinxes, and the Luxor Museum.

The ancient history of Luxor city Luxor is the modern city, where the ancient Egyptian city, Thebes or Waset in the ancient Egyptian language. Thebes was the capital of ancient Egypt twice; the first time was during the 11th dynasty, the Middle Kingdom, while the second time was during the New kingdom.

From Thebes city, kings who reunified ancient Egypt after the First Intermediate Period hailed from, king Thutmose III went out on his campaigns, and Queen Hatshepsut planned her expedition to Punt Land.

After the New Kingdom, the significance of Thebes city remained as a religious capital of ancient Egypt, as its triad was (the god Amun Ra, the goddess Mut, and their son Khonsu).

This city is called Luxor, as when the Arabs entered this city, they thought that the remains of its temples are palaces, so they called it Luxor or al-uqsur.  Luxor or al-uqsur is the plural form of the Arabic word meaning the palace.

Egypt distinguishes with housing six oases located in its western desert. These oases are EL Fayoum Oasis, Bahariya Oasis, Farafra Oasis, Kharga Oasis, Dakhla Oasis, and Siwa Oasis. All of these oases characterize by having a unique history and natural and charming beauty.

Siwa Oasis Siwa oasis is described as a green space sitting among a huge ocean of yellow sand, as it distinguishes with its breathtaking sceneries. It is located on the west of Egypt, on the Egyptian-Libyan border.

Generally, Siwa has a good climate throughout the year, but it is better to be visited from October to April to avoid the heat of the summer.

Siwa has its own style, as when you visit it, you will be able to recognize the ancient history, enjoy breathtaking sceneries, and do healing activities.

The attractions of Siwa Oasis

1 – The Temple of the Oracle The Temple of the Oracle is one of the most famous landmarks in Siwa oasis in ancient history and nowadays. It was built during the 26th dynasty by King Ahmose II. The most famous event associated with the Temple of Oracle is the visit of Alexander the Great to the temple for asking the oracle of Amun god about his fate and who is his father?

2 – Mountain of the Dead The Mountain of the Dead is a rocky hill housing more than 1500 tombs dating back to the late period of the ancient Egyptian civilization and the Greco-Roman period.

3 – Shali Village Shali is a Siwi word meaning city. Shali village is famous for its own style of construction, as their houses were built from clay saturated with salt, which when drying up, becomes similar to cement in its hardness.

When you visit Shali village, you will enjoy climbing up its hills, where you will be able to see a fabulous view of palm trees, as Shali contains dates and olives groves.

4 – Spring of Cleopatra Cleopatra’s spring is a natural pool the locals and tourists swimming in it for its healing benefits.

5 – Fatnas Island Fatnas Island, as Cleopatra’s spring, distinguishes with its hot springs, where you will be able to swim to enjoy its healing benefits.

6 – Siwa House Museum Siwa House Museum displays the traditions and customs of the Siwan, for example, the museum exhibits their traditions at the wedding, as you will be able to see the wore of the bride.

7 – Dakrour Mountain Additionally, Siwa Oasis is famous for therapeutic tourism, whereas it has Dakrour Mountain or Gebel Dakrur, containing hot sulfurous wells for curing a lot of diseases such as arthritis, back pain, spinal pain, and rheumatism.

There is a tourist festival occurring every October or November in Gebel Dakrour. It takes three days. In this festival, Siwan are celebrating with the harvest, their friendships, and settle quarrels.

The community of Siwa Oasis The community of Siwa distinguishes having its own cultures till now, as the local inhabitants of Siwa have their own language, looking like the Berber language.

Abusir Necropolis is considered an essential part of the Memphis Necropolis, where the ancient Egyptian kings of the fifth dynasty built their pyramids.

Abusir Necropolis houses fourteen pyramids, but the most famous pyramids there are the pyramids of king Neferirkare, Niuserre, and Sahure, dating back to the fifth dynasty.  Additionally, the temple of the sun distinguishing the fifth dynasty and tombs are belonging to members of the royal family as the mastaba of Prince Nakhtkare.

• The third dynasty: the tomb of Ity and the tomb of Hetepi.
• The fourth dynasty: the tomb of Kaaper, architect, and priest.
• The fifth dynasty: the tomb of Rahotep, the tomb of Fetekti, and the mastaba of Ptahshepses.
• The sixth dynasty: the tomb of Qar and his sons.

What do you think Abusir means? The name of Abusir is derived from the ancient Egyptian word (Pw-Wsjr), meaning the House or Temple of the god Osiris.