Egypt Fayoum Rayan valley tour

Fayoum Desert Safari Full Day Tour

Egypt Fayoum Rayan valley tour Itinerary representative will pick you up from your hotel in Cairo to enjoy Egypt Fayoum Rayan valley tour famous sites, From Cairo to Fayoum is about 95 km. Today all our visits are in Wadi El Ryan, designated as Protected Area in 1989. We will start our tour to Wadi Hitan Protected Area (Valley of the Whales), about 90 km far from Fayoum.

Wadi Hitan or Valley of the Whales

is located in the Protected Area of Wadi El Rayan and it was designated by UNISCO as a world Heritage Site in recognition of the 40 million year –old whale skeletons found there.  On the way to Wadi El Rayan Water Falls, visit Mudawara Mountain. Then onto Wadi Al Ryan Water Falls. Wadi El Rayan is a natural depression located in the western desert, 42m below sea level. Wadi Rayan consists of two lakes connected by Egypt’s only waterfalls, formed in 1970 by an overflow of drainage water from the farmlands in Fayoum.  After that enjoy Medinet Madi (Ancient City Uncovered) which dates back to the third pharaonic dynasty built by Amenemhet III and completed Amenemhet IV.  Late Lunch will be served at a good quality restaurant.  After that transfer back to Cairo.

Egypt Fayoum Rayan valley tour Inclusions:

• Pick up service from your hotel in Cairo and back.
• All transfers by 4×4 car.
• Entrance fees to the mentioned historical place.
• English-speaking Egyptologist guide.
• Bottled water on board the vehicle during the tour.
• Late lunch meal at local restaurant in EL Fayoum.
• All taxes & service charge.

Egypt Fayoum Rayan valley tour Exclusions:

• Any extras not mentioned in the program.

We feel that any tour to Egypt’s ancient sites can be balanced perfectly with a visit to Wadi El Rayan and Wadi El Hitan. Not on many tourist trips, Wadi Rayan is best known locally for its swimming beaches and waterfalls, but is also close to Egypt’s first natural World Heritage Site, the ‘Valley of the Whales’, in Wadi El Hitan.

Wadi El Rayan

Wadi El Rayan itself is home to 2 lakes which were formed in 1973 as a result of excess agricultural drainage water from the Fayoum region. Since then, extensive reed beds have formed around the shoreline, which in turn has created a perfect haven and breeding spot for many fish and migratory water birds. The area is now a nature reserve and is home to the world’s sole population of Slender-horned Gazelles, as well as 8 other mammal species and 13 species of bird. In the deserts surrounding Wadi El Rayan many rare and fascinating fossils have been found.

Whilst at Wadi El Rayan,

one must visit the only waterfalls in Egypt. Despite being only a few meters high, the waterfalls have featured in many Egyptian pop videos and films. There is a bird-hide a few hundred meters up the shore, and a visitor center which covers the wildlife, geology and prehistory of Wadi El Rayan. There are staff here keen to tell you about the region . If you want to extend your stay in the desert, there are some beautiful camping spots available by the shore.

Wadi El Rayan

is located in the Fayoum area of Egypt. Despite there being no public transportation to Wadi El Rayan, our travellers can easily access the area by taking an optional excursions from Cairo, either as a single day trip, or an overnight tour staying in a hotel close by. We often use theHelnan Auberge hotel which has recently renovated rooms and a classical style, befitting a hotel that once hosted Winston Churchill. The journey from Cairo takes around 2 hours by minibus/car or 4×4 jeep plus another 40 minutes or so into the desert to the Valley of the Whales. You can book the trip in advance or arrange it while you are in Egypt.

Wadi El Hitan – Valley of the Whales

Dating back much further than the Pyramids of Giza, the Sphinx and most of Egypt’s other treasures, the Valley of the Whales shouldn’t be missed. As well as some beautiful desert scenery, cliffs and rock formations, the valley is home to many fossils of amphibious mammals and marine life which were left stranded around 40 million years ago when the sea waters receded.

The Valley of the Whales

was announced as World Heritage Site in 2005, because of the quality and quantity of the fossils found in this area. According to the World Conservation Union (IUCN), it is “the most significant site in the world to demonstrate the evolution of whales. This assessment is made in terms of the completeness, quality, concentration and accessibility of the fossils, and the abundant additional evidence enabling a robust construction of the paleogeography and paleoecology of the Eocene marine and coastal environment where they are found.”

To date, around 500 fossils have been discovered including 3 species of Eocene Whale. The largest of these, the Basilosaurus Isis, measured around 21 metres in length and had well developed five fingered flippers, hind legs, feet and toes. The other 2 species were Dorudon Atrox and Ancalecetus Simonsi.

The research done here has been responsible for the discovery of the first evidence of an early whale displaying rear limbs. Wadi El Hitan is now known as the worlds foremost site to demonstrate the evolution of whales. Fossilized mangrove roots have also been discovered leading experts to believe that area once had a landscape resembling that of the Florida Everglades.

A visit to the Valley of the whales

is included in both the 1 and 2 day trips that can be taken from Cairo that also visit Wadi El Rayan. There is a well signed walk of between 1 and 3km through the valley with a wide range of whale, mangrove and other fossils to be seen. There is also a basic bedouin style tented campsite in a hollow in the cliffs which can make for a beautiful overnight stay in the desert.