Quick answer
Shali Fortress is the ruined mud-brick old town at the centre of Siwa, founded in the early 13th century as a fortified refuge and built from kershef, a mix of salt-crusted mud and rock. Heavy rain in 1926 partly melted it, and its families moved out. Allow about an hour, and climb it in the late afternoon for sunset over the palms and salt lakes.
What is Shali?
Shali is the fortified town where most Siwans lived for about 700 years, a hill of tightly packed houses, lanes and storerooms that rose four or five storeys above the palm gardens. The name simply means "town" in Siwi, the Amazigh (Berber) language of the oasis. Local tradition dates its founding to 1203, when the community, worn down by raids from desert tribes, moved onto a rocky outcrop and walled itself in.
For centuries the town had a single gate, traditionally called Bab Inshal, and was locked at night. As families grew, houses were built upwards rather than outwards, so the core became a warren of dark, twisting passages. A second gate was added later. Only in the 19th century, once raiding had ended under Egyptian government control, did families start to build homes outside the walls.
Why did the fortress melt?
Kershef is lumps of salt-rich mud from the lake shores, set in a mortar of clay, and it is only as strong as the weather is dry: three days of heavy rain in 1926 dissolved roofs and upper walls across the town. In a place that might see rain on a handful of days a year, the material had served perfectly. It sets as hard as rock in the sun, keeps rooms cool in summer and warm on winter nights, and can be cut and patched with materials found a few hundred metres away. Ceilings were carried on split palm trunks, and doors were made of palm or olive wood.
After the 1926 storm, families who could afford it moved into new houses on the flat ground below, and further rains in the following decades sped up the decay. What you see now is the result: walls that look as though they have slumped like candle wax, glinting with salt crystals where the plaster has worn away.
What can you see as you climb?
A circuit of the lanes to the top takes about 30 minutes and passes the old gate, the oldest mosque in Siwa and a string of viewpoints.
- The Old Mosque: at the foot of the fortress, with a tapering mud-brick minaret that is one of the most photographed shapes in the oasis. It is still a place of worship, so admire it from outside.
- The lower lanes: narrow, partly roofed alleys where you can still see doorways, wall niches, palm-trunk lintels and the rounded corners typical of kershef building.
- The summit terraces: a flat area at the top looks south to the ridge of Gebel Dakrour, west to the shining sheet of Lake Siwa, and north to the honeycombed hill of Gebel al-Mawta.
- The view down: look straight down onto the market square, the roofs of the modern town and a sea of date palms that runs to the dunes.
Has Shali been restored?
Yes, in part: in recent years a restoration project, supported by European Union funding and carried out with local builders, stabilised walls, rebuilt paths and reopened routes to the top using traditional kershef techniques. The aim was to stop the slow collapse and make the old town safe to walk, not to rebuild it as it once was, so most of the fortress remains a ruin and some areas stay fenced off.
The work also kept alive the craft itself. Several lodges and houses around the oasis have been built or restored in kershef, including buildings at the foot of Shali, and the same builders' skills are in demand for them. If you are curious about staying in one of these salt-and-mud buildings, see our guide to where to stay in Siwa. Check locally for any new sections that have opened, as access changes as work continues.
When should you go up?
Go in the last hour before sunset, when the walls turn honey-coloured and the light catches the lakes and palms below. This is also when Siwa comes back to life after the quiet midday hours: men gather at the cafés on the square, donkey carts head home from the gardens and the call to prayer rises from the mosques around you.
Many travellers arrive in Siwa in the afternoon after the long drive south from Marsa Matruh (about 300 km, roughly four hours), and Shali is the perfect first stop because it is right in town and needs no transport. Early morning is the quietest time and the best light for photographing the minaret.
Tips for visiting Shali
Wear shoes with grip, keep to the marked paths and bring a torch if you plan to stay after dark. The lanes are uneven, sometimes steep and covered in fine dust, and some walls and roofs are fragile. Do not climb on the walls themselves.
- At the time of writing, entry to the outer lanes has generally been free, but arrangements can change after restoration; check locally or with your guide.
- Siwa is conservative: shoulders and knees covered for everyone, and ask before photographing people, especially women. Our what to wear in Egypt guide has more detail.
- Combine Shali with the Oracle Temple at Aghurmi, 4 km east, on the same afternoon. Our Siwa Oasis guide suggests how to split three days.
Shali Fortress: FAQs
How old is Shali Fortress?
Local tradition dates its founding to 1203, in the early 13th century. Parts were added and rebuilt many times over the following centuries.
What is kershef?
A traditional Siwan building material of salt-encrusted mud and rock from the lake shores, set in clay mortar. It is strong and well insulated in dry weather but dissolves in heavy rain.
Is there an entrance fee for Shali?
At the time of writing the old town has generally been free to walk around, but check locally, as arrangements can change following restoration.
Is Shali safe to climb?
Yes, on the restored paths, with sensible shoes. Avoid fenced or crumbling areas, keep children close near drops, and do not climb on the walls.
Which tours visit Shali?
Our Ultimate Egypt 21-day tour climbs Shali on the first afternoon in Siwa, and Siwa can be added to any tailor-made itinerary.
