Farafra Oasis

Farafra oasis is found in the core of the western desert of Egypt loaded with natural treasures that changed the shape of the entire civilization of Egypt since its conception. This celestial small oasis holds many beautiful sceneries of the divine Nature of Egypt while being in the center of the harsh desert which only shows that Egypt is blessed with the essence of life, granted the gift of untold riches and everlasting beauty.

Every second spent in Egypt will be filled with sensations of pure serenity, peace of mind, and belonging while making the memories of a lifetime. Farafra oasis is pleased with countless gems that shed light on rare points of history and cultural shifts of this legendary attraction which is able to make every moment feel like magic.

Overview of Farafra History

Everyone will be amazed at the epic history of this golden attraction of Farafre oasis that played a role in shaping the civilization of Egypt. There is strong archaeological evidence that proves that the oasis was inhabited during the late Pleistocene, more than 15,000 years ago as it was the subject of heavy rain that attracted many ancient Egyptian to live and grow plants.

The oasis acted as a bridge of connection between the Egyptian and Libyan deserts as it held many transit points and trading routes between the Nile Valley and the Western Desert. During ancient Egyptian times, the oasis was known as "Tjhw" & "Ana Akhet" which is known as the land of Cattle and cows as a symbol of fertility and also to honor Hathor. It was mentioned many times in the ancient Egyptian texts during the middle kingdom (2055 BC–1650 BC).

The Farafra oasis gained the name of being a city of conquest and invasion due to its far remoteness. During the new kingdom (1570 – 1050 BC), Pharaoh Ramses II is known to have imported stones from Farafra oasis to create his many ancient temples in the golden city of Luxor. It was known during the Roman period (30 BC – 641 AD) as the land of grains that were grown there. There are a number of Roman ruins found all across the oasis such as the Qaser Al Farafra, the Farafra Palace, Qaser Abu Monqar, and many rock-cut tombs.

It was the home of the Egyptian Copts who flee the aggressiveness of the Romans and were ever able to build a small civilization there. During the Islamic Arab Period, the dates and olives trades flourished between the Nile Valley and the Farafra oasis which used camel caravans which would trade products of tea and cloth across the Nile Valley. Even in the 19th century, many domestic and foreign forces took interest in the oasis and tried to search for it across the western desert like Gerhard Rudolf. It was also the center for Senusiyya which was a Muslim political-religious system that was created in Libya and the Sudan region in 1837 and remained so all the way to the start of the 20th century.

Location, Population & Weather of Farafra Oasis

The Farafra oasis is found in the New Valley Governorate which acts as a geological depression that is about 980 km2 (380 sq mi) located in the center of the western desert between Bahariya oasis and Dakhla oasis. The Farafra oasis is located about 627 km away from Cairo and just 370 km southeast of the Mediterranean sea. 

It second biggest oasis by size in the western desert and has the smallest population of 20,000 people in 2020. It is filled with many farms which cover more than 10,000 hectares near a well called Bir Qarawein. The oasis is linked with a number of routes with other oases in Egypt that links them to the Nile Valley.

Qaser Farafra is the capital of the oasis that dates back to the 19th century. It is known to be a famous tourist attraction all across the world due to its warm weather and calmness and travelers from all over the world choose to escape within its magical beauty. The oasis is filled with magical cultural wonders and architectural marvels plus many of the hot springs at Bir Sitta and the El-Mufid lake.

It is known that the weather in the oasis of Farafra has an average temperature of 86°F (30°C) between October and March that reaches a high temperature of 90°F (32°C), plus September is known to have an average rain season of 1mm of rainfall.

Best Attractions in Farafra Oasis

Farafra oasis is a truly blessed wonder which is filled with countless living miracles which stood the stood that come in every shape, color, and form that offers everyone the chance to have the most incredible and thrilling travel adventure across:

1. The White Desert

The beautiful white desert national park of Egypt is found 45 km (28 mi) north of the town of Farafra and is a miraculous marvel that acts as a protected natural area since 2002 across 3,010 km2 (1,160 sq mi) of the surface. This golden wonder is filled with a magical rock formation that has incredible shapes of mushrooms, animals, and some strangely shaped rocks. 

The white desert is proof that nature is the art of god as seen across the extraordinary rock formation finger of god “Al Qubar” which is 20 m high leading all the way to the universe. The white desert was covered with a sea in ancient times and all the white chalk where the rocks were deposited from this sea was as there are seashells found in the halls of the rocks.

The rock formations of Aqabat or “Obstacles” are found in the northeast of the white desert which makes it hard to pass through the white desert. Some of the rock formations have quirky shapes like a rabbit and a chicken. Twin peaks mountain can be found in the heart of the white desert which acts as a captivating marvel. The White Desert is filled with Rhim gazelle, Barbary sheep, Dorcas gazelle, Rüppell's, red and fennec foxes, jackals, and the sand cat.

2. Black Desert and the Crystal Mountain

The marvelous black desert is made of enchanting rock mountains which started as a volcano of black stones and rocks that sit on an orange-brown background that gives the most epic sensations of wonder. One of the most mythical attractions found in the oasis is Crystal mountain which is made of barite that is less hard than crystal.

The crystal mountain is partially broken by the Egyptian government to create a road between the Bahareya oasis and the Farafra oasis which in turn made the crystal rocks shine more brightly which made it into a more famous natural attraction.

3. Water Wells

The heavenly Farafra oasis is blessed with a magical geological formation and geographical location which possess 100 wells spread all across the golden natural land of Farafra. The natural wells of the oasis were used in the aggregation of the amazing cultivated land of the oasis which became a very entertaining tourist destination. Some of the most famous water wells in the Farafra oasis are Bir Sitta, (well 6 in Arabic), Bir Sab'a (well 7), and Bir Ithnian Wa Ishrin (well 22).

Due to the small percentage of Sulfurous and warm temperatures, the wells are the finest examples of relaxation and swimming. The area has a magical huge lake and a magical well that has the name Abu Nus located just 15 km north of the oasis. The wells were responsible for the creation of an irrigated grove of date palms together with citrus, apricot, olive, palm groves, carob trees, and more amid this arid landscape.

4. Qasr El Farafra

Qasr El-Farafra is a magical ancient Roman granary that is found in El-Farafra oasis located across Egypt which dates back to the Roman period between the 1st and 3rd centuries AD. The ruins of the fortress are very magical to explore as it has many forts to guard the camel caravan route leading across the oases and the Nile Valley.

It was expanded during the middle ages and the walls were over 10 m high. It was 125 rooms which were made of mud and rock bricks made for economic, residential, and administrative purposes. the fortress began to crumble after heavy rainfall in the 1950s

5. Badr Museum

The marvelous Badr Museum is one of the most mythical and amazing places in Egypt. It was constructed in a traditional Farafroni manner with clay bricks, a large courtyard, and narrow doors. It is dedicated to a self-taught artist from the modern era and showcases his works in Cairo and abroad.

Within the museum are incredible pieces of art showcasing Farafroni history, culture, and traditions sculptures, plus sand, oil, and watercolor paintings exhibiting the suffering of people from all over the world. The museum is known to hold classes that teach sand painting and sculpture making.

6. Djara Cave

In 1873 the German explorer Gerhard Rohlfs discovered the magical Djara Cave which is known as Gara Cave, Qara Cave, and Jara Cave that is found next to the Darb Asyut which is a magical old caravan route that connects the incredible Farafra oasis and Asyut. It is 30 meters (33 yards) in diameter and 8 meters (9 yards) in height and is known for its magical neolithic engravings and marvelous stalactites and stalagmites chambers. It is a very incredible and exotic attraction to discover.

Conclusion

The mythical and mesmerizing Farafra oasis is a golden wonder where everyone can enjoy their time during one of our incredible Egypt vacations and have the time of their lives. There are three amazing hotels in the oasis where are Aqua Sun, Sunrise, and Badwiya hotel where everyone can enjoy their holiday by having all the delicious foods and the finest shopping experience. From this incredible oasis, everyone can discover the essence of the golden mystical Nile River which can be discovered through the most entertaining Nile River cruises ever. Live the adventure of a lifetime and make every moment count by witnessing this divine wonder.