Cleopatra’s Spring

What is Cleopatra's Spring?

It is one of the roughly 200 springs that water Siwa's palm gardens, a circular pool lined with old stone blocks, with a small channel carrying the overflow away to the fields. The water is clear enough to see the sandy bottom far below, and streams of bubbles rise from vents in the floor. Shady cafés sit around the edge, so it doubles as a meeting place where Siwans and visitors stop for tea.

The name is a modern romance: there is no evidence that Cleopatra VII ever came to Siwa. The spring's ancient story is more interesting. Herodotus described a "Fountain of the Sun" near the temple of Ammon whose water felt cool at midday and warm at night, and many writers identify that spring with this one, which lies close to the Oracle Temple.

What is swimming there like?

Refreshing rather than hot: the water feels mild all year, cool on a summer afternoon and pleasantly soft on a winter morning. Locals and guides jump from the stone rim, and the pool is deep enough in the middle that you cannot touch the bottom, so it is best for confident swimmers. Children should stay at the edge with an adult; there is no lifeguard.

Because the pool is spring-fed, the water stays clean and constantly renewed. Expect a few small fish and some green growth on the walls. Bring a towel, as the cafés do not always have them, and keep valuables with someone on the rim.

What should you wear, and what is the etiquette?

Men swim in board shorts; women in Siwa swim fully clothed, and visiting women are best in a loose T-shirt and leggings or a burkini rather than a swimsuit. Siwa is one of the most conservative communities in Egypt, and the pool is in full public view. Bikinis will draw stares and can cause offence.

• Change in a café's changing area if offered, or arrive with swimwear under your clothes.
• Ask before photographing anyone, and do not photograph women at all.
• Do not use soap or shampoo in the spring; it waters the gardens downstream.
• If you are a woman who wants a more private swim, ask your guide about quieter springs in the palm gardens, or go very early.

Our what to wear in Egypt guide covers modest clothing for the rest of the trip.

Which other springs can you swim in at Siwa?

Cleopatra's is the busiest, but a guide can take you to several others, from quiet garden pools to a hot spring in the dunes.

Bir Wahed is the one most travellers remember, a warm soak at sunset after an afternoon in the Great Sand Sea. Conditions at the smaller springs vary from year to year, so ask locally which are clean and open to visitors.

What else is nearby?

The spring sits in the band of gardens between the Oracle Temple and Gebel Dakrour, so it slots easily into a half-day loop east of town. Gebel Dakrour, the sandstone ridge a few kilometres south-east, is where Siwans traditionally come in the hottest weeks of summer, usually July and August, to be buried up to the neck in hot sand as a remedy for rheumatism and joint pain, followed by a rest in a tent and plenty of tea. It is also the setting for the oasis's autumn Siyaha festival.

Between them, the olive and date gardens are irrigated by channels fed from springs like this one. Many gardens are private, but a guide can often arrange a walk through one, with fresh dates in season from about September to November.

When is the best time to visit?

Go between about 8 and 10am for calm water and few people, or in the late afternoon if you are combining it with the Oracle Temple. Friday and public holidays bring local families and groups, especially in the cooler months from October to April. In summer, when Siwa regularly tops 40°C, a midday swim is the most comfortable way to spend the hottest hours.

The spring is free to swim in at the time of writing, though cafés expect you to buy a drink. From town it is about 10–15 minutes by car or a flat ride by bicycle; many travellers cycle out to the Oracle Temple, swim, then ride on to the salt lakes or back to town for lunch.