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Al Kharga Oasis:
Al Kharga used to be the last
but one stop on the Forty Days Road, the infamous slave-trade route between
North Africa and the tropical south. Today, it is the biggest New Valley
oasis. Outside the main centre is the Temple of Hibis, built on the site of
a Saite, Persian and Ptolemaic settlement. One of the few Persian monuments
in Egypt, the 6th century B.C. temple is well-preserved with painted
vultures and huge reliefs of Darius greeting Egyptian gods on the outer
walls. Ten kilometers away, the Necropolis of Al-Bagawat houses 263 mud
brick tombs with coptic murals, including the remains of one of the oldest
churches in Egypt: the Tomb of Peace and the Tomb of the Exodus. Pharaonic
monuments include Al-Ghuwayta Temple which dates from 522 B.C., Nadoura
Citadel, Qasr El Zayyan that dates back to the Ptolemaic era, and the Museum
of Antiquities.The thermal springs of Bulaq and Nasser to the south, are
famous for water temperatures up to 43oC and reputed to be suitable for the
treatment of rheumatism and allergies. Camping facilities are available.
Further south in Baris Oasis, the second largest settlement in Al Kharga. It
houses Roman Temple of Dush, dedicated to Isis and Serapis.
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