Photo Essay: Isolated in the Great Egyptian Sand Sea

By Mark Wiens 27 Comments

The Siwa Oasis in Western Egypt (50 km East of Libya) is an isolated island of life in the midst of a parched sea of sand and brown earth that begins and never ends.  Tour guides throughout Siwa town offer desert safari’s for leisure, an opportunity to view the beauty of harsh reality from the windows of a speeding land cruiser.

Around the oasis are pockets of fresh cool water, living mirages, offering cool escapes to the barren mounds of the desert.  The entire area looks like all life has been sucked away, but the breeze of wind brings the dunes to life and creatures find routes of survival.  Driving around the desert on the brink of the Sahara was phenomenal!

Note: Details on how to take a desert safari, at the Siwa Oasis in Egypt, below.

Here are a few pictures I put together to display the desert safari (video to come soon!).

sahara-desert-egypt

our-truck-safari

toyota-land-cruiser

swimming-hole

egyptian-siwa-desert

sand-dunes-egypt

truck-stuck

bedouin-sahara-desert

seashells-egypt

desert-dunes-egypt

water-sand

sunset-egypt-siwas

truck-desert-sunset

sunset-sand-dunes

desert-sunrise

For more information or if you travel to the Siwa Oasis and would like to take a Desert Safari, I would recommend the same tour our group took:

Siwa Safari Desert Oasis Tours: Tours in the Western Desert and Oases
Name: Sayed Abou Seif
Website: http://www.siwasafari.org/
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 002 010 6893687

Price:
After a bit of negotiation our group formulated 2 cost plans for a full day and spending the night at a camp in the desert.

  1. All inclusive, food and drinks – 200 LE
  2. Without lunch or drinks – 150 LE

I went with plan 2 and was very satisfied with the activities and the entire program of the safari.

27 comments. I'd love to hear from you!

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  • Chuck Manley

    13 years ago

    Love the photos. You did a good job of showing the desolation of the desert.

  • John

    13 years ago

    Nice post with excellent pictures. The pictures alone would make me want to go there, because they show how much character the place has!

  • Norbert

    13 years ago

    Stunning photos! Love em’.

  • Red Nomad OZ

    13 years ago

    There’s some awesome shots there! But some of them have a certain similarity to parts of Australia!! Weird, huh?!

    Happy travels!!

  • Jade

    13 years ago

    Great photos- I can’t believe you guys had to change a tire and dig out of all that sand!! The clarity on the photos is remarkable!

  • Mark Wiens

    13 years ago

    @Jeremy: Thanks a lot Jeremy! Yes, the place is what matters the most!

    @Caz: At the moment I am not wearing it, but it is within reach of my hand right now!

    I made a video of Siwa Oasis and this desert safari, however, my internet here in Tanzania is not speedy enough to upload it. When I get back to Thailand, I’ll have it uploaded!

  • Caz Makepeace

    13 years ago

    Pretty amazing photos. What an inspiring place. Where is your Egyptian dress by the way?

  • Jeremy B

    13 years ago

    Wow, these are really stunning photos! Not sure how you take such awesome pictures but wish I could take them like that! Of course, the scenery helps! You make the desert look beautiful! 🙂

  • Mark Wiens

    13 years ago

    Thank you all very much for the comments, I appreciate it!

    @John: The Sahara is a brutal but incredible place, on the outskirts I wanted to continue deeper into the vastness of it. You will have a great time! Make sure you get you jellabiya!

    @Jim: Yes, actually, our driver told us they are seashells. Anciently, this areas was under water, pretty crazy to think about!

  • Jim

    13 years ago

    Yes, great photo essay. Hey, about halfway down a photo shows roundish scale things with holes in them scattered all over the sand. What are they? Pottery shards? Or ancient sand dollars pointing towards it having once been a lake or seabed?

  • Kerry-ann

    13 years ago

    Your photos are gorgeous. This must have been an awesome experience. Your photos really tell the story of magic, isolation, completeness and adventure…

  • John in France

    13 years ago

    I’m off to visit the Sahara next year, and these beautiful photos have got me excited!!! Thanks!

  • Laurel

    13 years ago

    Love the contrast of the sky and sand.

  • The NVR Guys

    13 years ago

    Wow. What great shots!

  • ayngelina

    13 years ago

    Love the warmth in these photos, really great tones.

  • Adam

    13 years ago

    Those are some unbelievable photos. The vastness just looks incredible. Can’t wait to go someday!!

  • inka

    13 years ago

    Brings back memories from a long, long time ago, especially getting stuck in the sand. A beautiful photo essay.

  • Sofia

    13 years ago

    Awesome photos, sounds like you had a great time 🙂

  • eat-laugh-love-anon

    13 years ago

    Amazing photos! I’ve wanted to go to Egypt for years. Now I want to go even more.

  • paulo

    13 years ago

    Stunningly beautiful.