The Soul of the #Desert #Oasis , #NewValley - #Egypt

[Music] this is the western desert of Egypt one of the most arid and hot regions in the world this vast desert area constitutes nearly two-thirds of the entire land of Egypt and covers a significant portion of the North Africa Grand Sahara Desert right here lays the new Valley a land of extreme contrasts and astonishing beauty crossing this region means experiencing breathtaking changes in sceneries the slowly passing from cliffs to plains between sand dunes and archaeological remains from immense and dry landscapes to dense life and rich biodiversity in the middle of the desert surrounded by an arid immensity for thousands of years life has flourished around various blooming oases that still bear the signs of an antique civilization [Music] the morphology of the new Valley region is the result of natural forces of wind and water on sedimentary rocks assisted by up evils and tectonic action it's assumed the depressions were formed than point eight million years ago and that the oldest rocks date back to the Pliocene the Oligocene the Eocene and Jurassic periods [Music] entering the new Valley from the north all of the first most spectacular features is the white desert [Music] [Music] it's unique landscape is a protected area sparkled with gigantic chalk walk formations shaped throughout thousands of years by wind and sand erosion on huge sedimentary rocks [Music] the extraordinary profile of this place that brings the visitors in an evocative dimension [Music] [Music] the new Valley dry landscapes are dotted here and there with saline tolerant plants ranging from grasses shrubs and trees to Halla fights that slightly soften their harshness the desert also conceals an astute wildlife able to adapt to unreliable precipitation and torrid heat [Music] [Applause] heading south from the white desert is the way to the biggest dune field in the world the great sand sea entering this endless expanse with the help of local guides is the occasion to get the unique feeling of being in one of the greatest unexplored areas on the planet [Music] [Music] [Music] the great sand sea is one of the last frontiers on earth and will probably remain so for years to come ancient armies have disappeared here in the past and legends even tell of entire cities buried under the sand after a good dinner on the campsite the desert around transforms itself into an even more mysterious and endless place when no limits stand between you and the cosmos [Music] like the Bedouin nomads who navigated the desert for thousands of years after a long travel in the Western Desert here we are finally reaching the Oasis natural groundwater sources feed these fertile lands where spring water bubbles up naturally from the nubian sandstone aquifer farmers have been cultivating oases since the dawn of civilization the people of the new Valley adapted to the harshness and converted the environment into a hospitable place thanks to hundreds of Springs and wells that have been running night and day uninterruptedly for thousands of years [Music] [Music] farafra Dhokla and cargo are the three main oases of the region [Music] they were born as stop points of the ancient Caravan routes supplying valuable food and water making trade possible between the Mediterranean coast Sudanese Savannah the Nile Valley and the North Africa Sahara oases [Music] the erases provide vibrant life to more than 200,000 people in the new valley governor's a mix of people's Libyan Nubian Sudanese and badder and better ones who travel to the Oasis throughout the ages contributed together to the creation of the Oasis culture and tradition for generations [Music] owaisi's are known for their rich and diverse wildlife a habitat that makes the oasis great gathering points for migratory birds on their route between Europe and Africa [Music] a when Caesar played a vital role in the civilization of the Sahara Desert [Music] [Music] entering the towns strong marks of the past are still visible around the several fortifications that were built on the top of hills during a Abids and Mamluk periods when garrison settled in this area to protect people resources from the threat of outside invaders the historical center of Casa de Claire tells us about those prosperous ancient times it dates to the 12th century but it was built over a pre-existing Roman fortress the history of this prosperity in fact started much further back in time as testified by various archaeological sites dating to the pharaonic Roman and Coptic times several sites proved the presence of the ancient Egyptians who did maintain links with the Oasis throughout the pharaonic era like the Huibers temple that majestically lies in the surroundings of carga all the large necropolis of killer el daba partially hidden by the sand close to the Dhokla oasis [Music] the Oasis enjoyed a period of great prosperity during the Roman domination the numerous archaeological sites around the Oasis give an idea of the importance of the Roman influence on the region that became the grain basket of the Empire [Music] close to the cargo ASIS the proud Roman fortifications of al-habib and Qasr al-nil iike were built on a network of aqueducts that still bring life to the few descendants of the ancient settlement [Music] when the Christians came they occupied some of the older Roman sites ruins of Coptic churches and communities dating back as late as the 7th century to testify of the splendor of the time the bhagwat cemetery in carga is one of the most important Christian necropolis in Egypt and dates to the fifth century AD [Music] [Music] most villages in the Oasis benefit from a traditional craft industry bearing the mark of the local history and traditions [Music] the abundance of wool clay and palm trees found in the oasis has allowed the carpets pottery and basket industry to flourish in many villages where those traditional skills have not faded at this day and age [Music] although the new valley is becoming an attractive destination for travelers from all over the world many of the secrets still to be discovered here amateur archaeologists enthusiasts and adventurers can all live a unique and unforgettable experience in this corner of Egypt [Music] you

Channel: Experience Egypt

Views: 155,768

Keywords: sharm el sheikh, ancient Egypt, Hurghada, sharm el sheik, egypt holidays, el gouna, Taba, pyramids of Egypt, cairo, egypt, egypt pyramids, hurgada, dahab, red sea, holidays, ETA

Id: JzQykYj-xdo

Length: 16min 52sec (1012 seconds)

Published: Sun Feb 10 2013