Day Safari Tour from Cairo to Faiyum Oasis

Tour Details:

Early in the morning, our representative will meet you at your hotel in Cairo; You will recognize him by the sign with your name in his hands.

The Faiyum oasis is located about 90 km southwest of the capital Cairo and is a depression. In the center is the salt water lake Karoun. The entire agricultural sector is fed by the Bar Yusuf Canal, which links the Faiyum with the Nile River basin. Therefore, despite the fact that the oasis is located in the middle of the desert, it is always irrigated throughout the year, and is especially populated. The city of Fayoum is considered to be the oldest city in Egypt.

Not far from the city, you will see the remains of the pyramid of Amenemhet III in Hawara and Senwosret II in Lahun. Another symbol of the Faiyum, invented by the Romans, are  the water-lifting wheels powered by water from the canal, of which there are more than 200 in different parts of the oasis. They haven’t changed at all since they were invented.

The next truly impressive place is the Wadi el-Hitan (“Valley of the Whales”), which gets its name from the more than 250 skeletons of prehistoric whales found here. This vast area of caramel-colored rocks was once the ocean floor, where giant fossils, skeletons, corals, and shells of all kinds and sizes are now on display. Due to the climate and the inaccessibility of the territory, you can still find a huge area here The number of fossils is in excellent condition. In 2005, this place was added by UNESCO to the list of World Heritage Sites for its unique natural beauty and scientific value  . The fossils represent one of the most important stages of evolution, the transition from life on land to life in the water, and according to UNESCO, this transition could not have taken place in any other place, only here. You will walk along special paths,  to see a lot of interesting things. And the landscape itself is striking – rock formations of various shapes and caramel-colored soil.

Finally, you will visit  the Wadi El Rayyan Nature Reserve, where, against the backdrop of the desert and large wandering sand dunes, you will see two artificial lakes that enrich Lake Karun with drainage waters. Thanks to this, the desert has turned into a beautiful green oasis with wonderful wildlife, lakes full of fish, many birds, including migratory ones, stop here. Between the upper and lower lakes there are waterfalls.

On the way back, you’ll make a short stop at the foot  of El Mudawara Mountain to see the beauty of the contrast of rough rocks and the golden desert with the blue lake in a secluded bay. There is no better place in the world to relax and take pictures!

In the evening you will return to Cairo.