Kharga

Egypt’s most convincing attempt at a desert boomtown is the city of Kharga, the most accessible and developed of all the oases. Since the New Valley Project. Khar-ga’s population has approached six digits. Model villages have sprung up all over the oasis to house the peasants who work the fledgling fields. Aesthetics, however, do not appear to be high on the local priority list. The town looks functional, even by Egyptian standards, and the Old Town, while not quite lifeless, is not overly inspiring or appealing. A handful of nearby monuments add a touch of flavor but can’t lift the ugly duckling label from this town. Still, the broad, uncrowded streets and bountiful greenery make a pleasant change for Nile Valley veterans.