October 13 – 17, 2016 – sign up before October 7!!

On September 30 we announced an absolutely fantastic program for a five day visit to Siwa oasis in Egypt’s Western desert.

With this visit we introduce you to Siwa’s natural health and wellness community, the European Women of Siwa (see Maadi Messenger of May, 2016), Oasis agriculture traditional Siwan culture  in the annual Sufi festival. We have been able to make a great arrangement with Siwa Shali Resort at the foot of Daqrour mountains. Their website says it all:

... the boundless Sahara: infinite skies above vast lakes and endless dunes, the whisper of the wind through the palm groves and the trickle of flowing water.

A history of thousands of years, the mythical and godlike Alexander the Great, Pharaoh in the Oasis. Nature at its most pure and uncontaminated, and a welcoming reception in a hotel built so that all of this can come together as the joy of living...

See more here: http://www.siwashaliresort.com/    

We have a 25 seat bus and within a day after the announcement we had 13 people signing up. The program is absolutely unique among trips to Siwa, since it also includes naturopath and nutritionist Camilla Ainley’s health farm. See this fabulous farm on Camilla Ainley’s website: http://camillainsiwa.com/.  One can easily describe Camilla’s farm as paradise on earth.

This long weekend has been chosen because of the annual Sufi festival on October 16 (full moon) in Siwa. You will be nourished with traditional food and see the dancing derwishes, also at the foot of the Daqrour mountains where most inhabitants of Siwa will be assembled in the tents put up for this very festive celebration. More details about our program can be found on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cawu99/posts/1191081187600038:0

We are, however, limited to 24 seats. Thus you need to sign up fast. We accept participants on a first come first serve basis until this Thursday evening October 6 at the latest.

It is regretful that a number of Western countries have placed Siwa unfairly on the list of areas one should not travel to. We, respectfully, disagree with the travel advice of those countries. The Austrian travel advisory is more sensible including Siwa oasis as an area one can visit while excluding the desert area around Siwa. There have been no incidents in Siwa oasis with any visitors for many years.  It has become the rule in Egypt that recognized travel agents ask the Tourism Police in Egypt to sign a document that specifies that the locations that a planned to be visited are safe.  But participants from countries with a negative travel advice have to be aware that insurance companies usually to not insure people who are going into an area with a negative travel advice. Thus please inquire with your insurance company if this is important to you.

CAWU is organizing this visit but of course cannot replace the role of the insurance company if something unexpected would happen. Costs for this visit are kept as low as possible and thus this is indeed a unique program for a very low price. You are welcome to join us as long seats are still available.

Cornelis Hulsman

Deputy Chairman Center for Arab-West Understanding