Desert · New Valley
Dakhla Oasis
A broad oasis in the heart of the Western Desert, blending old mud-brick villages, Roman temples, Old Kingdom remains and warm springs.
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The story
Dakhla Oasis lies between the Farafra and Kharga oases in the Western Desert, within New Valley Governorate, with roughly 1,500 square kilometres of land. Mut is today its capital and the natural base for visitors. In the east, near Balat, a French Institute for Oriental Archaeology (IFAO) mission has uncovered Ayn Asil, a governors' town from the late Old Kingdom (about 2350 to 2000 BC), together with hieratic clay tablets. In Roman times the sandstone temple of Deir el-Hagar was raised under Nero, and the oasis also holds the rock-cut tombs of al-Muzawwaqa. The fortified village of al-Qasr took its Islamic character in the Ayyubid period, stands on the remains of a Roman fort, and is still lived in, with mud-brick houses of Mamluk and Ottoman date.
Good to know
- Dakhla lies between the Farafra and Kharga oases, with Mut as its capital today.
- Excavations near Balat uncovered Ayn Asil, the governors' seat of about 2350 to 2000 BC, where hieratic clay tablets were found.
- The Roman temple of Deir el-Hagar was built in the reign of Emperor Nero and is among the oasis's finest monuments.
- The minaret of al-Qasr rises about 21 m and is considered the oldest surviving minaret in New Valley, in Ayyubid style.
- Al-Qasr is still inhabited, and many of its houses keep carved acacia-wood doors.
Visiting tips
Allow at least two days: the mud-brick village of al-Qasr is about 20 km north of Mut, with Deir el-Hagar, the al-Muzawwaqa tombs and Balat further out. October to April is the most comfortable season, as summers are very hot. The oasis is reached by road from Cairo (about 750 km) or via Kharga. Check site hours, ticket prices and any desert permits before travelling; some of these details come from travel guides rather than an official source.