El-Kharga is the capital of the western oasis and also the most modern city, but there are sites surrounding the oasis that date back 3,000 years. The southernmost oasis in the Libyan Desert, Kharga is closest to the Nile Valley and was historically a part of the Darb el-Arbain caravan route between Middle Egypt and Sudan. The Temple of Hibis, one of the largest Persian temples built during the Saite era, is on the outskirts of town. Just south of the oasis at Dush, there is another ancient temple and fortress that dates back to the 1st century AD. One of the first Christian cemeteries in the region is still beautifully preserved at Al-Bagawat, and its necropolis of tombs lining the desert landscape make for an eerie sight. The nearby chapels of Bagawat remind tourists of the tumultuous religious history here, with the remains of the interior murals of Exodus having been defaced in recent decades. Perhaps the nicest ruins are at Qasr el-Ghweita, visited for its location, columns and surrounding village, which are still largely intact. El-Kharga hotels place visitors in a supreme modern setting in the middle of the ancient world.

other spellings: el khargahotels, el khaga otel, el karga hotell, elkarga hote, el khargar hotes