Western Desert Oases: Places to Explore

Dakhla Oasis

Dakhla's rich patchwork of shifting yellow dunes, red earth, green farmland, and ancient mud-brick villages is like a mirage against the backdrop of pink and white cliffs that rise up sharply to shelter the oasis. This was once a breadbasket for the Roman Empire, and its fields and orchards still flourish on the iron-rich soil.

A number of significant sites from antiquity are spread across the oasis, including the restored Roman-era Temple of Deir al-Hagar, the ruins of a large Roman settlement called Amheida, and the tombs of several Old Kingdom governors. Yet Dakhla is better known for its fortified Islamic towns, most notably Al-Qasr and Balat, which are built on Roman foundations and probably sit atop pharaonic settlements. There's strong evidence that the oasis has been inhabited continually since Neolithic times.

Dakhla Oasis at a Glance

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