3 Best Sights in Western Desert Oases, Egypt

The local antiquities office sells a combination ticket that includes admission to the five major sights—the Mummy Exhibit, the Tombs of Zed Amun Ef Ankh and Bannentiu, the Tomb of Amenhotep Huy, the Temple of Alexander the Great, and the Temple of Ain al-Muftillah.

The Mummy Exhibit at the Antiquities Office displays some of the finds from the Valley of the Golden Mummies including several gilded mummies. In a typically provincial style, the Greco-Roman mummies are plastered, gilded, and decorated with scenes from the underworld. These mummies were not prepared in the same way as those in the Valley of the Kings, resulting in some degradation. The heat and humidity in the rather makeshift museum is also not helping to preserve them either.

While there is no admission fee, staff at the village's spartan tour center will record your nationality and offer you a free tour. Should you accept, a village custodian will lead you through the labyrinth of alleys, unlock doors, and point out sites of interest—though he may not speak much English. Tip him as you see fit.

The Tourist Friends Association organizes free guided tours of the city's sights, including visits to local carpet-making, pottery, and date processing factories.