Egypt · Geological Wonders

8-Hour El Fayoum Oasis Tour from Cairo with Wadi El Hitan

8 Hours Round trip from Wadi El Rayan Easy pace

The journey

Trip highlights

01 Tour around the magnificent Wadi El Hitan and absorb its mind-blowing views
02 Find fossils in the UNESCO World Heritage Site
03 Go dune bashing and try sandboarding
04 Enjoy the colour-changing Magic Lake surrounded by desert dunes
05 See the beautiful waterfalls of Fayoum in Wadi El Rayan

Sign up for an 8-hour tour to El Fayoum Oasis from Cairo, visiting some of El Fayoum's most significant sights, including Wadi El Rayan, Wadi Hitan, the Magic Lake, and Gebel Al Mudawara. Discover naturally preserved desert landscapes, beautiful waterfalls in the heart of the desert, and remarkable fossil-rich sites. This tour combines nature, geology, and adventure for a memorable experience in Fayoum.

Sign up for an 8-hour tour to El Fayoum Oasis from Cairo, visiting some of El Fayoum's most significant sights, including Wadi El Rayan, Wadi Hitan, the Magic Lake, and Gebel Al Mudawara.

From the itinerary

At a glance

What this trip includes

Duration 8 Hours

Tour type Private

Activity level Easy

Accommodation Not included

Transport Included

Wheelchair access Not applicable

Cities Cairo, Faiyum, Wadi El Hitan, Wadi El Rayan

Languages English

Day by day

The itinerary

Day 01

Wadi El Rayan and Fayoum Waterfalls

Visit Wadi El Rayan, one of the rarest protected areas in the world, characterized by a calm desert environment, captivating dunes, natural springs, a wide selection of sea fossils, and various types of botanical life.
Also discover the marvellous waterfalls of Fayoum.

Day 02

Wadi Al Hitan and the Fossil Museum

Explore Wadi Hitan, or the Valley of the Whales, located in the protected area of Wadi El Rayan. It was designated by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site in recognition of its 40-million-year-old heritage and contains petrified primitive whale skeletons, shark teeth, shells, and mangrove roots preserved in soft rocks. Everywhere you go here, you can find petrified seashells and corals.
Next, visit the Fossil & Climate Change Museum, which hosts a variety of whale fossils and skeletons displayed outdoors, while indoors, fossils, skeletons, fossilized mangroves, and ancient seashells are exhibited in glass boxes.

Day 03

Magic Lake Adventure

Head to one of the most beautiful lakes in Egypt, the Magic Lake, which overlooks the dunes. The area around the lake gives you the chance to witness one of the most eye-catching sunsets you will ever see. Located in Wadi El Rayan in Fayoum, it was named the Magic Lake because it changes its colours several times a day depending on the time of year and the amount of sunlight it receives. It is a wonderful place surrounded by desert.
Enjoy hiking and sandboarding beside the Magic Lake, or even swimming in the lake itself. The lake contains minerals that are said to help treat patients with rheumatism.

Day 04

Gebel Al Mudawara Picnic and Lunch

Go on a picnic at the picturesque Al Mudawara. It is situated seven kilometres south of the waterfall. There are three mountains along the lakeshore, and it is considered a favourite picnic area.
Have lunch at Zowara Eco Lodge. It is a small museum that displays replicas of the most important fossils found in Fayoum, most notably the skull fossil of the Fayum animal 'Arsinotherm' and the Basilosaurus Isis whale. The identification panels also show the most important archaeological and heritage sites, as well as the most important handicrafts of Fayoum.

The route