The Siwa Oasis is located 820 kilometers (510 miles) from the capital, between Cairo and the Egyptian-Libyan border. The eastern gate to the Amazigh lands, it is also known as the Palm Land, called Sekht-am by the pharaohs. Its hot springs are one of the best regarded tourist destinations in the world.
Yet, what most Egyptians and visiting tourists do not know is that most of isolated Siwa, which sits at 18 meters (59 feet) below sea level, is a virgin oasis unpolluted by urbanism nor exploited by businessmen. In addition to the therapeutic sulfur-rich springs and sand baths, Siwa is also a site for cultural and archaeological tourism.