Bahariya (also spelled Baharia) is a must stop on oasis tours and Western Desert expeditions. But don't be fooled into thinking that your half-day break at this desert oasis is for panorama or shopping. In Bahariya, cement buildings have all but replaced traditional mud-brick dwellings. And apart from shops selling dates and olives, there is no tourist market here. Tours, even private guided expeditions, stop at Bahariya Oasis out of necessity. It is the only place to refuel and buy supplies for several hundred kilometers, in all directions. Nonetheless, a trip to Bahariya is not a complete waste of time. The recently discovered Golden Mummies and rock-cut tombs provide insight to an oasis of once greater fortune.