Dakhla Nature

As with all the oases, water is the key ingredient in Dakhla. Prehistoric lakes once covered most of the cultivated area of this oasis. Today an artificial lake has been created just north of Mut in the hope of developing a fishing industry, but the main water source remains the wells. Deep wells are characteristic of this depression. As in Kharga, they are drilled to great depth so that the water can be extracted from Nubian sandstone. This drilling process is an expensive and time consuming affair and it is disastrous when a well runs dry. Farmers go to great lengths to keep the source open and clear of overgrowth.
At the beginning of the twentieth century there were 420 ancient wells, known by the natives as Ain Romani, and 162 modern wells, called bir, or abyar in the plural. Rolfs in 1874, reported that a Hassan Effendi, originally working with the French mining engineer Lefebvre, had drilled sixty wells in Dakhla in thirty years. The wells form only the first part of the irrigation system, since the farmers must also dig irrigation canals to transport the water to the fields. Today 600 wells exist in Dakhla with more on the way.  It takes one million Egyptian pounds to create a new well. The springs and wells contain iron, magnesium, sulfur, and chloride and their healing waters are good for rheumatism, colds, skin diseases, and kidney stones.
No aqueducts have been found in Dakhla. A member of the Canadian team suggests that the geology of the oasis is not conducive to the construction of such systems.
Golden colored barchans sand dunes stretch along the edges of the depression. The 2 kilometer (1.2 mile) wide western field, almost true magnetic north-south, runs for 14 kilometers (8.7 miles) between Gebel Edmond stone and the scarp. The road to Abu Minqar and Farafra Oasis, often blocked by blowing sand, passes directly over one of the dunes. The view north at this point is spectacular, with dozens of crescent shaped golden dunes marching south from the pink and white scarp over which they tumble to reach the depression floor..

There are many impressive mountains in Kharga Oasis, particularly in the north where they not only determine access routes, but dictate the personality of the oasis. Gebel al-Ramliya, Mountain of the Sand Dunes, at 448 meters (I, 433 feet), is located near the northeastern edge of the depression just above the escarpment. Gebel al-Aguz, Old Man Mountain, is connected to the escarpment, but protrudes above it, just south of the modern descent into the oasis. Gebel Umm al-Ghanayim, the Mountain of the Mother of Spoils, Follows along his eastern edge of the escarpment. Gebel al-Ghanima, 14 kilometers (8.7 miles) south of Gebel Umm al-Ghanayim, and due east of Qasr Kharga, is 5 kilometers (3 miles) west of the edge of the eastern scarp. Running north to south it is 2 kilometers (I.2 mils) long with a 250 meter (800 foot) wide flat top and is 383 meters (I, 225 feet) above sea level. Gebel al-Tier, Mountain of the Birds, is the most elusive mountain in the oasis. When one searches for landmarks it is never where you think it should be. Located near Qasr Kharga, Bagawat is found in its foothills.Gebel al-Tarwan, Just of Gebel al-Teir, is much smaller, being 0.05 kilometers (0.03 miles) long and only 32 meters (I02 feet) above the depression floor. It is currently being mined for its white limestone, and is destined to disappear altogether if mining continues. To the south of its western side is Bagawat. Gebel al-Zuhur, Mountain of Roses, is than a mountain and even a poor excuse for a hill. Located to the west of Gebel al-Tarwan and Bagawat, just to the east of the main road, it's only Desert Roses are serenity.
The most impressive mountains in the entire depression are Gebel al-Tarif, Mountain of the Border, and its small neighbor Gebel al-sheikh. The pair form the called Gebel Ghurabi has no distinction other than as a landmark for finding the beginning of the ancient desert road to Ain Umm Dab dib and Ain Amur.
In the south stands the rugged Qarn al-Ginah, a rugged sandstone hill 14.5 kilometers (9 miles) southwest of Qasr Kharga. Standing alone on the depression floor it is visible from most locations and serves as an excellent landmark. Gebel al-Tafnis is located on the scarp due east of Baris. Gebel al-Qarn, Horn Mountain, a 204-meter (652-foot) double-peaked black anticline hill surrounded by sand dunes, is located 16kilometers (10 miles) southwest of Boris and is the southernmost mountain in the oasis.
The Abu Tartur Plateau, Plateau, Plateau of the Cone shaped Hat, separates Kharga and Dakhla oases, and covers me, 200 square kilometers (750 square miles). Its Oval-shaped, flat-topped summit is surrounded by high scarps on three sides and is joined to the  escapment in the northwest by a small saddle. Rich in phosphate, the Abu Tartur plateau is attracting modern mining ventures. The fabled Ain Amur is located on one of its northern slopes.

The bread of Dakhla is the eish shamsi, sun bread, of Upper Egypt but called aghif in Dakhla. It is baked the same too. The oven, tabuna, here in Dakhla, has a symbol to ward off the evil eye at the top of the oven door. Known as 'the man,' al-rais, it looks like a little man. Bread is eaten as the morning meal.
In the fields, at midmorning, leftovers, dates, or fresh vegetables are eaten. Lunch is a mid-afternoon affair, around 2 or 3 o'clock. It is usually bread, rice, and vegetable stews.
Poultry and meat are eaten on special occasions. Rich families have it once or twice a week. Rice and macaroni are common.
Millet pudding is a specialty of Dakhla, as are date honey and date paste. Palm wine is not unknown.

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