Bahariya Oasis
Bahariya Oasis which Means the northernmost Oasis because it is the closest to the Mediterrenean from the seven major Oases of the Sahara desert in Egypt, it consists from a group of villages the central most is called Bawiti.
Bahariya Oasis in Egypt Bahariya Oasis is located 330 km southwest of Cairo and 180 km from the Nile Valley, on a natural depression of 2000 km2, in a mountainous site. In ancient times Bahariya was considered a bridge between Egypt and Libya, ruled by a Libyan family under the control of the Pharaohs of the 26th Dynasty. It was called 'Little Oasis' as opposed to Kharga. This "northern" oasis was always fertile, producing wine from the Middle Kingdom, a wine press was discovered with its crushing zone, which suggests that the northern oases were covered with vines that provided a popular wine on the tables of Greece and Rome. Dates, citrus fruits, onions and poultry - especially turkeys - are still being shipped to the Nile Valley. The city was prosperous until the fourth century AD. The oasis has abundant hot springs and remains a huge producer of dates. Bahariya Oasis Tour Planning any tours to Egypt? or from our varieties of tours from Cairo, you can easily see Bahariya Oasis with Cairo Top Tours. Bahariya is controlled by pharaonic power from the 6th dynasty, as attested by the presence of mastabas in Balat where the governors of the oases rest. In the Middle Kingdom, the trade region with the Nile Valley; a stele of the twelfth dynasty attests to political relations with Abydos and Thebes. Later, after the fall of the 13th Dynasty, a Kamose stele, discovered in 1954 in the Karnak Temple, tells us that Apopi, king of the Hyksos, sends a message to the Prince of Kush to attack Egypt from the south. The messenger and his message are intercepted by Kamose; Egypt can be reassured.
In the 18th dynasty, Thutmose III reorganized the control of the oases. The stele of Intef (in the Louvre) recognizes the name of Abydos, his authority over the oases, while governors of the oases go to Thinis (Abydos) and Thebes. Texts found in the tombs 39 and 100 of the Valley of the Kings testify well these exchanges between the capital, Thebes, and the oases. Our highly qualified guide, Cairo Top Tours, will accompany you every step of the way and answer all your questions.
Bahariya Oasis which Means the northernmost Oasis because it is the closest to the Mediterrenean from the seven major Oases of the Sahara desert in Egypt, it consists from a group of villages the central most is called Bawiti.
Bahariya Oasis in Egypt Bahariya Oasis is located 330 km southwest of Cairo and 180 km from the Nile Valley, on a natural depression of 2000 km2, in a mountainous site. In ancient times Bahariya was considered a bridge between Egypt and Libya, ruled by a Libyan family under the control of the Pharaohs of the 26th Dynasty. It was called 'Little Oasis' as opposed to Kharga.
Bahariya is controlled by pharaonic power from the 6th dynasty, as attested by the presence of mastabas in Balat where the governors of the oases rest. In the Middle Kingdom, the trade region with the Nile Valley; a stele of the twelfth dynasty attests to political relations with Abydos and Thebes.
Additionally, Bahariya gained worldwide attention in 1996 with the discovery of the Valley of the Golden Mummies, where over 250 beautifully preserved Greco-Roman mummies were found, shedding light on burial customs and wealth in the oasis. Tourists today can also visit the Temple of Alexander the Great, the only known temple in Egypt bearing his name, making Bahariya a destination rich in both natural beauty and archaeological significance.
Bahariya also holds deep historical significance. It came under pharaonic rule during the 6th Dynasty, as shown by the mastabas in Balat, the resting place of oasis governors. During the Middle Kingdom, Bahariya functioned as an important trade region with the Nile Valley. A Twelfth Dynasty stele documents political and commercial relations with Abydos and Thebes.
