Kharga Oasis Attractions 
The Kharga Oasis, known to the ancient Egyptians as the Southern Oasis and to the Romans as the Great Oasis (Oasis Magna: "great" compared with Dakhla), lies in latitude 25° 26' north and longitude 30° 33' east, extending some 125mi/200km from north to south with a breadth of 12-30mi/20-50km. Like almost all the Egyptian oases, Kharga is surrounded by a fairly steep chain of hills (Cretaceous Iimestones), which rise in stages to a height of 1,410ft/ 430m. The lush green of the palm groves and walled fruit plantations makes an attractive and refreshing contrast with the ochre-yellow of the desert rocks.
History
In ancient times, thanks to the many springs emerging from clefts in the Cretaceous marls, Kharga was a region of great fertility with many towns and smaller settlements, the remains of which sometimes excellently preserved can still be seen. As an important staging point on the "caravan route of the forty days" from Asyut to the Sudanese oasis of Darfur it developed a lively economic and cultural life. In the medieval period, however no doubt because of a falling-off in the water-supply-the importance of the oasis was considerably reduced.
In recent years the New Valley development program for the desert region between Kharga and Dakhla has been energetically pursued. The project also involves the oases of Bahriya and Farafra. Altogether an area of some 30,000 sq. miles/80,000 sq. km will be irrigated and made fertile by the drilling of wells to tap ground water at depths of 3,300-4,900ft/ 1,000-1,500m. The plans provide for the improvement of the infrastructure (road-building, airfield) and of living conditions and for the resettlement in the New Valley of families from the over populated Nile Valley. Impressive results have been achieved; but it is not yet certain whether the reserves of ground water, which were left by a former arm of the Nile in the Tertiary era and in this arid region are not supplemented to any significant extent by rainfall, will be sufficient in the longer term to transform the desert into a garden.
The 15,000 inhabitants of the oasis, partly of Berber stock and partly incomers from Nubia, live from the produce of their large plantations of date palms (some 200,000 in number) and from the cultivation of fruit, rice, corn and vegetables. In recent years the extraction of phosphates in the northern part of the area has made an increasing contribution to the economy.
History
In ancient times, thanks to the many springs emerging from clefts in the Cretaceous marls, Kharga was a region of great fertility with many towns and smaller settlements, the remains of which sometimes excellently preserved can still be seen. As an important staging point on the "caravan route of the forty days" from Asyut to the Sudanese oasis of Darfur it developed a lively economic and cultural life. In the medieval period, however no doubt because of a falling-off in the water-supply-the importance of the oasis was considerably reduced.
In recent years the New Valley development program for the desert region between Kharga and Dakhla has been energetically pursued. The project also involves the oases of Bahriya and Farafra. Altogether an area of some 30,000 sq. miles/80,000 sq. km will be irrigated and made fertile by the drilling of wells to tap ground water at depths of 3,300-4,900ft/ 1,000-1,500m. The plans provide for the improvement of the infrastructure (road-building, airfield) and of living conditions and for the resettlement in the New Valley of families from the over populated Nile Valley. Impressive results have been achieved; but it is not yet certain whether the reserves of ground water, which were left by a former arm of the Nile in the Tertiary era and in this arid region are not supplemented to any significant extent by rainfall, will be sufficient in the longer term to transform the desert into a garden.
The 15,000 inhabitants of the oasis, partly of Berber stock and partly incomers from Nubia, live from the produce of their large plantations of date palms (some 200,000 in number) and from the cultivation of fruit, rice, corn and vegetables. In recent years the extraction of phosphates in the northern part of the area has made an increasing contribution to the economy.
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Khams el-Dinei - Church
A few miles from Qasr Dush, at Khams el-Dinei, a fourth C. church has recently been excavated - the earliest securely dated church in Egypt.
Temple of Nadura
On a hill 1.25mi/2km southeast is the Temple of Nadura, surrounded by a high brick wall, which dates from the reign of Antoninus Pius (A.D. 138-161). The pronaos, which stands on the west side of the forecourt, with columns linked by stone screens, is well preserved. From the triangulation point beside the temple there is a fine view of the northern part of the oasis.
Baris - Qasr Dush, Egypt
In the extreme south of the Kharga Oasis lies the large village of Baris, southwest of which by way of El-Maks is Qasr Dush (ancient Cysis), with a large temple of the Roman Imperial period dedicated to Serapis and Isis. In the vicinity is another brick built temple.
Hibis (Hibet)
A little way north of the Temple of Hibis are the ruins of the Roman city of Hibis (Egyptian Hibet), with some well preserved remains of houses.
Kharga, Egypt
The chief place in the oasis and in the New Valley Frontier District is the little town of Kharga, which has a population of some 9,000. The old part of the town is a labyrinth of narrow lanes roofed over with palm trunks and branches. From Kharga the ancient sites in the northern part of the oasis can be visited.
Monastery of Qasr Ain Mustafa Kashif
0.75mi/1km north of the cemetery of El-Bagawat is the Monastery of Qasr Ain Mustafa Kashif, a well preserved brick structure originally built in the fourth or fifth C. over the tomb of a hermit, rebuilt in the seventh C. and abandoned about the 10th C. The entrance, on the north side, is protected by a high square tower. On the west side are the vaulted cells of the monks, in several stories; on the east side the refectory, the assembly hall and the chapel. Just north of the complex of buildings originally very extensive, can be seen traces of the gardens laid out round the well, which is now dry.
Qasr Ain el-Sayyan
2.5mi/4km south of Qasr el-Ghueida is the ruined Fort of Qasr Ain el-Sayyan, with a temple of the Graeco-Roman period.
Qasr el-Ghueida
Roughly in the middle of the oasis is the ruined Fort of Qasr el-Ghueida, near which, enclosed within a high brick wall, are numbers of small brick built houses and a red sandstone temple dedicated to the Theban deities Amun, Mut and Khons, with reliefs and inscriptions ranging in date from the 25th Dynasty to the Ptolemaic period.
Roman Fort of El-Deir
Some 15mi/25km northeast of Kharga can be seen the remains of the Roman Fort of El-Deir, a large structure with round towers; on the north side is a temple. There are other remains in the vicinity.
