Midnatt · A Nordnile Journey

Dark NightsStargazing in Siwa Oasis

Five nights in Egypt's Western Desert, timed to the new moon. A candlelit lodge, a private astronomer, and the darkest measurable sky on Earth.

Reserve a place
Duration
Five nights
Timing
New moon weeks
Guests
Twelve, at most
Sky
Bortle class 1
The sky

The darkest sky in Egypt

Siwa lies at the edge of the Great Sand Sea, three hundred kilometres from the nearest city light. On the Bortle scale, which measures the darkness of the night sky from nine to one, the desert around the oasis holds the lowest class there is. Nothing on Earth is darker.

We travel only in the week of the new moon, when the sky belongs entirely to the stars. In winter, Orion stands at his highest, and beneath him Sirius, the star ancient Egypt set its calendar by. The Milky Way is not something you find here. It is the first thing you see.

You do not need a telescope to see the Milky Way in Siwa. You need only to arrive, and look up.
The Milky Way over Taziry Ecovillage in Siwa Oasis, photographed from the lodge grounds
The Milky Way, photographed at the lodge
The oasis

Older than its legends

Long before astronomy had a name, Siwa was a place people crossed deserts to reach. Alexander the Great came here in 331 BC to stand before the Oracle of Amun and ask his question. The temple still stands above the palm groves, and the ruined salt-brick town of Shali still rises at the centre of the oasis like something grown rather than built.

By day the journey belongs to this world: the springs, the salt lakes, the gardens, the quiet streets. By night it belongs to the other one.

The turquoise salt lakes of Siwa Oasis against white salt shores and open desert
The salt lakes of Siwa
The lodge

A lodge lit by candles

Taziry means full moon in the language of Siwa. The village is built by hand from the oasis's own materials, in the old Siwan way, at the foot of the Red Mountain, facing the White Mountain across Gary Lake, with the dunes of the Great Sand Sea within walking distance. There is no electricity in the rooms. Candles and oil lamps carry the evening, and when night falls the lodge simply joins the darkness around it.

Most hotels would call this a limitation. For this journey, it is the point. The lodge is the observation instrument, down to the small stellarium built on its own grounds: you step out of your room and the sky is already waiting.

Taziry Ecovillage after dark, traditional Siwan architecture lit by oil lamps
The village after dark
A room inside Taziry Ecovillage, natural Siwan materials lit by candles and oil lamps
A room by candlelight
The journey

Five nights, one sky

Day one

The road west

A private transfer from Cairo, with a considered stop at El Alamein. The long road is part of the journey: the city thins, the desert opens, and by dusk the palms of the oasis appear. Dinner by lanternlight at the lodge.

Day two

The Oracle

Shali fortress and the Temple of the Oracle in the morning light, the salt lakes in the afternoon. After dinner, the first night of sky: no instruments, no lecture. Your astronomer teaches you to see again, with your own eyes.

Day three

The Sand Sea

A quiet day among the springs and gardens. At sunset, 4x4s carry the group to the edge of the Great Sand Sea for dinner by the fire and the full horizon-to-horizon sky, as dark as any place on Earth.

Day four

Deeper

A free morning. In the evening, the telescope comes out: the moons of Jupiter, the Orion Nebula, star clusters older than the Sahara. Your astronomer traces the line from Sirius to the calendar of ancient Egypt.

Day five

Stillness

Sunset at Fatnas island, over the lake. The final night carries no programme at all: blankets, a fire, and the sky. Some guests talk quietly. Most do not.

Day six

Return

A slow breakfast, then the road back to Cairo, arriving by evening.

The details

What the journey carries

Included

  • Five nights at Taziry Ecovillage, with all meals
  • Private transfers from and to Cairo
  • A dedicated astronomer, with the group throughout
  • All desert excursions, permits and park fees
  • Telescope and binocular sessions each clear night
  • A printed star chart of your nights, drawn for this journey

Not included

  • International flights to Cairo
  • Nights in Cairo before or after the journey
  • Travel insurance
  • Gratuities
Winter 2026 – 27

Departures, set by the moon

Every departure is placed in the week of the new moon, when the nights are at their darkest. The lunar calendar decides the dates. We simply follow it.

I11 – 16 December 2026The Geminid meteor shower
II6 – 11 January 2027New moon 7 January
III5 – 10 February 2027New moon 6 February
IV5 – 10 March 2027New moon 8 March
Per person, sharing$4,400≈ €4,050 · indicative
Single room supplement$1,200≈ €1,100 · indicative

Twelve guests at most, and every departure runs, whether two travel or twelve. Rates are quoted in US dollars; euro figures follow the day's exchange. A place is held with a deposit, and full terms accompany every booking reply.

For a journey of your own, any new-moon week can be held privately, at Taziry or at Adrère Amellal. Private Dark Nights, from $19,500 for two.

Reserve a place

Questions

Asked, and answered

How dark is the sky, honestly?
The desert around Siwa measures Bortle class 1, the darkest rating the scale has. In practical terms: the Milky Way casts a visible glow, thousands of stars are plain to the naked eye, and on a clear new-moon night the zodiacal light itself can be seen. Every departure is timed so the moon is absent from the evening sky.
Do I need to know anything about astronomy?
No. The journey is designed for the curious, not the equipped. An astronomer travels with the group throughout, the first night uses nothing but your own eyes, and the telescope and binoculars are provided. If you already know the sky well, the darkness alone will justify the trip.
What is the drive from Cairo like?
Long, and honestly so: around nine hours west, broken by a stop at El Alamein and an unhurried lunch. We treat the road as the beginning of the journey rather than an obstacle to it. The vehicles are modern, private, and driven by people who know every kilometre.
How cold are the desert nights in winter?
Cold. Days are mild, often around twenty degrees, but after dark the desert can approach freezing. Fires, blankets and hot drinks are part of every observation night, and a proper warm layer belongs in your bag. A full packing note is sent with your booking confirmation.
The lodge really has no electricity?
Really. The rooms at Taziry are lit by candles and oil lamps, and there is no wifi and no television in them. Phones and cameras can be charged at the village's charging point. The lodge is also alcohol-free, as Siwa largely is. Most guests describe the absences as the things they remember longest.
Is the journey suitable for solo travellers?
Very. Roughly a third of our guests travel alone. Single rooms are available with a supplement, the group never exceeds twelve, and the table each evening is shared.
How demanding is it physically?
Gentle. The days involve short walks on sand and uneven ground, and nothing more strenuous. Observation nights are spent seated or standing at leisure. If you can manage a slow walk on a beach, you can manage this journey.
Midnatt
The sky, with reverence.
Reserve a place