Itinerary

Day 1

ARRIVE ALEXANDRIA, EGYPT You either arrive directly by air into Alexandria today or arrive by
private car and driver from Cairo (a journey of 3 hours). If you drive from Cairo, there is the option to
visit one of the 4th and 5th century Coptic monasteries in Wadi Natrun en route. The area gets its name
from the natron used in the Ancient Egyptians’ mummification process. Natron comes from the deposits
which were left behind when the huge salt lakes that once covered the area dried up. Sightseeing today
will depend upon arrival time and the schedule may be adjusted accordingly.
Alexandria is a legendary place. Founded by Alexander the Great in 331 BC and once the most
cosmopolitan of cities, it is typically Mediterranean with a sweeping corniche and harbor complete with
eternal fort and watchtower - in this case the restored 15th century Fort Qait Bey. The writer Herman
Melville who visited in 1857 wrote of it: ‘...sighing of waves. Cries of watchmen at night. Lanterns.
Assassins. Sunstrokes. A daub of Prussian blue.’ ï€ In the period leading up to the Second World War,
during Alexandria’s heyday, its denizens provided ample fodder for Lawrence Durrel’s ‘Alexandria
Quartet’. Those days went into decline at the end of the war and were killed off by Nasser in the 50's
when his massive nationalization program led many of the city’s Italian, French, Greek and Jewish
citizens to leave the country.
This afternoon you’ll visit Kom-ash-Shogafa, the catacombs, which were discovered by accident in 1900
when a donkey fell down a shaft. The underground passages hewn out of rock contain niches for statues, a
banqueting hall where relatives of the dead gathered to remember them, and the Hall of Caracalla. The
interiors are a hybrid of Greek, Roman and Pharaonic influences. Time permitting, you’ll also wander
through the remains of the only Roman amphitheatre in Egypt. Its white marble terraces and colorful
mosaics are well-preserved which will make an easy task of imagining the grandeur of its original state.
Nearby you’ll see the misnamed Pompey’s Pillar, the last vestige of the great temple complex devoted to
Serapeum, the man-made god of Alexandria. Dinner this evening is at your leisure.

Day 2

ALEXANDRIA After breakfast, you’ll tour the Biblioteca Alexandria, a stunning new building housing
the new version of the ancient Library of Alexandria. Aside from the library there is a small but fine
museum dedicated to the city of Alexandria and its history. From there visit the equally stunning new
National Museum housed in a 10th century Italianate villa.
After lunch at one of the city’s well-known fish
restaurants, enjoy a leisurely afternoon in the
gardens of the El Montazah Palace which is
located on a bluff overlooking the Mediterranean
Sea. Built as a royal summer retreat, the palace
now serves Egypt’s presidents. While wandering
through the lush gardens, you’ll likely see many
locals picnicking under the shade of palm and
pine trees. You may also want to pay a visit to
one of the city’s cafes to play backgammon,
smoke “shisha” with its distinctive apple-flavored
tobacco, or simply drink some sweet mint tea or a
Turkish coffee. Dinner tonight is on your own.

Day 3

ALEXANDRIA TO SIWA You set off early, driving west along the Mediterranean across the Libyan
plateau to Siwa, largest of Egypt’s oases, following in the footsteps of Alexander the Great who stopped
here on his way to visit the Oracle in Siwa in 331BC. Siwa is located west of the great Qattara Depression
which is 440 feet below sea level and one of the lowest points on the African continent. South of Siwa is
the Great Sand Sea, an area five times the size of Massachusetts which holds stretches of sandy dunes as
high as 600 feet. According to the great historian Herodotus, this desert harbors the remains of a 50,000
strong Persian army sent in 524 BC to attack Siwa. Instead they fell victim to a blinding sandstorm. Until
relatively recently the only travelers who crossed this unforgiving land were the date traders in their
camel caravans.
Siwa itself, despite its inhospitable
surroundings is watered by more than three
hundred underground springs which
nourishes its verdant green acres. It is the
epitome of the oasis of the imagination.
Famous for its dates and olives, the groves
of palms appear as if by magic against a
backdrop of mud-brick houses, the whole
surrounded by a sea of sand and saltencrusted
lakes. (The springs are said to be
beneficial to the health.)
Siwa is peopled almost entirely by Berbers,
a native North African people. They are
extremely conservative – alcohol is
forbidden in Siwa - with their own
distinctive culture and language. They are well known for their weaving and basketry, and this evening
you’ll visit the market to see and buy samples of their work. Dates and olive oil are also good buys here.
During your time here you will stay at the unique Adrere Amellal Ecoresort made of local materials
including salt rock and palm.

Day 4

SIWA You have two days to explore this desert outpost. Today you begin with a visit to the old 13th
century town of Shali. This was the original oasis town built of the local kershef, a mixture of salt rock
and straw, but in 1926 after heavy rains, the town was abandoned and over the years it literally fell apart.
It is mentioned in the Siwan manuscript, a document recording the entire history of the oasis from the 7th
century AD passed down through generations by oral tradition. Like many desert cities, Shali was subject
to attack by nomads and they built high walls to protect themselves. As they could not live outside the
walls, they were forced to build upwards. It was not until 1820 that Shali fell under the control of the
Egyptian authorities.

Day 5

SIWA Today you take the local form of transport, donkey and cart, to visit Cleopatra’s Spring, the
Temple of the Oracle at Aghurmi, where in 331 BC Alexander the Great visited the great oracle of Jupiter
to have it confirmed that he was descended from the god, Amun, and the nearby temple of Um Obaidah.
Continuing the local theme you’ll tour the palm groves where you’ll see that not a single piece of the
palm tree goes to waste; aside from the fruit, the dead fronds are used to make windbreaker fences, the
trunks are used as beams and cut in half and used for doors, and the fiber is used for rope.
From here you’ll visit the Siwan Heritage House which has a collection of local costume, jewelry and
household goods, and “fantasy island”, a delightful palm-fringed island set in a saltwater lagoon. You’ll
also spend some time off-road in the desert around Siwa.
After lunch at a local restaurant, you’ll tour the tombs of Jebel al-Mawt or ‘hill of the dead’. The villages
west of Siwa were the subject of controversy a few years ago when a Greek archaeologist claimed she had
found the site of Alexander the Greats tomb at Maraki. This has never been verified, but the villages of
Kharmisah and Bilad Ar-Rum do contain many tombs cut into the nearby hills.

Day 6

SIWA TO CAIRO The drive to Cairo will take approximately eight hours. You’ll set out early and see
the morning sunlight playing on the sand dunes that lie just beyond the oasis. Tea and snacks will be
provided for your overland journey. You’ll enjoy lunch en route and arrive in Cairo this evening.

Day 7

DEPART CAIRO You’ll transfer to the airport for your flight to your next destination. Geographic
Expeditions’ arrangements end here.

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