Wonderwells: 9 of the world’s most beautiful oases

Wadi Bani Khalid (Shutterstock)

In a country with no shortage of oases, one stands out above all others – Wadi Bani Khalid. Fed by a stream of water that flows through the valley the entire year, it is always green.

Date palms line the shore and the water is refreshingly cool. If you do take a dip, don’t be surprised to feel tiny fish, nibbling at your skin.

Huacachina sand dunes at sunrise (Shutterstock)

If there is such a thing as a party oasis, this is it. Set in the sand dunes of Peru’s south-west, its shores are dotted with bars and clubs and dune buggies roar across the high, rolling sand dunes surrounding the village.

Sandboarding is another popular sport, with the waters providing a bracing conclusion for those who can’t stop in time.

Cleopatra’s Pool at Siwa Oasis (Shutterstock)

Just 50km from the Libyan border and trapped between the Qattara Depression and the Great Sand Sea, this fertile basin is home to a staggering 33,000 people.

Most of the locals are Berbers who grow dates and olives and live in mud-brick hamlets connected by a labyrinth of dirt lanes. This urban oasis is also home to an oracle of Ammon. In ancient times, Siwa was known as the Oasis of Amun Ra.

Chebika Oasis (Shutterstock)

Known locally as Qasr al-Shams (Castle of the Sun), the Chebika Oasis offers cool respite and life-giving water at the foot of Tunisia’s dramatic Djebel el Negueb Mountains.

It was once a Roman outpost, but later became a mountain refuge for the Berber people. Scenes from both Star Wars and The English Patient were filmed here.

Timia Valley (Creative Commons: Denver Maxwell)

Deep in the heart of Tuareg territory, the legendary oasis in Timia – and its famous date palms and citrus trees – are sung about in songs and praised in poems.

A vibrant band of green in an otherwise unrelenting barren landscape, it is fed by a waterfall that only runs for part of the year. The ruins of a French Fort nearby is a sobering reminder of just how precious water is in this part of the world.

Havasu Falls (Shutterstock)

A huge, inviting plunge pool on Havasu Creek, this Grand Canyon ‘oasis’ is fed by a series of waterfalls that flow out of limestone, giving the water a pleasing blue-green hue.

Part of the Havasupai Indian Reservation, the pool is an eight mile walk from the trailhead. Oryou can ride a horse, should you wish.

Tafilalt, Morocco (Shutterstock)

Situated along the banks of Ziz River, Tafilalt is largest Saharan oasis in Morocco. Famous for its fortified villages and luscious dates, it was an important stopping point on the Saharan caravan route from the Niger River to Tangiers. Definitely one for your Instagram feed.

Ubari Oasis (Shutterstock)

Ubari is an oasis town, centred around one of the 16 dune lakes, created by water trapped amongst sand dunes in the Fezzan region of southern Libya.

It is part of the Erg Awbari in the Sahara and serves as meeting point for Tuareg people – who come from miles around to trade, gossip and mingle. The water here is salty, but locals grasses and date palms have adapted to grow and flourish.

AlUla Oasis (Shutterstock)

Attracting human settlement for thousands of years, this lush oasis in the middle of the dry Arabian deserts has been a tonic for weary travellers in the past.

Now its 2.3 million date palm trees produce more than 90,000 tonnes of dates every year, while oranges, lemons and more grow on the 200,000 or so citrus trees. Hop on a bike to tour the Orange Path and visit the local farmer’s markets, selling locally made goods, from refreshing juice to pottery.