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In any event, there are three buses a day from Matrouh to Siwa: a non-A/C rattletrap leaving at 7am (£E7), and two through-buses from Alex, which cram in extra passengers here. The one leaving Matrouh around 1.30pm (£E7) is equally decrepit, while the one going at around 4pm (£E10) is nominally A/C. Try buying tickets the night before, but don't be surprised if they're only sold on the bus, accompanied by a no-holds-barred struggle for seats. There may also be the odd service taxi (£E10 per person for a full load), but this should be used only as a last resort, and not in preference to the bus. Bring plenty of food and water for the six-hour journey.

Motorists should avoid travelling in the midday heat and fill up before leaving Matrouh, as there are no petrol stations along the 300km route. The Siwa road is reached by following the Corniche west out of town, turning inland and passing the airport turn-off, and then heading south at the next junction, 20km from Matrouh. There's a police checkpoint, so you can't miss it. Don't stray far from the road if you stop for a leak; there are minefields on either side for miles into the desert.

Permission to visit Qara, Girba, Sitra and Areg oases is obtainable from Military Intelligence (daily 8am-2pm & 8-11pm). Knock on the steel gates and you should get taken into the guardhouse to explain yourself. You'll need a photocopy of your passport and Egyptian visa, which can be made on Sharia Iskandariya. The permit should be issued free of charge.

Remember to change money before you set out, as Siwa has no bank.