Home Destinations Fayoum

Fayoum

Fayoum Oasis is Egypt's premier eco-tourism haven, renowned for UNESCO-listed Wadi El Hitan (Valley of the Whales), the natural waterfalls of Wadi El Rayan, the dunes of Magic Lake, Mudawara Mountain, and the artisan pottery village of Tunis.

5 results Starting from $120 Live tour guide: 4

Why visit Fayoum

Wadi El Hitan — the fossil valley of the whales, a UNESCO site
Wadi El Rayan, the largest natural lake in Egypt, with its waterfalls and salt springs
The desert edge of the Faiyum, the lakes and the old caravan routes
Ain Sals and the springs of the oasis
Tuna el-Gebel, the former quarry with the galleries and the rock-cut chapel

Getting there

The Faiyum is 90 minutes from Cairo, and the closest town is Siwa — 3 hours further west, past the desert. Most of the tours start from Cairo for a day trip, and the camping and the overnight programmes head out from there early in the morning.

Best time to visit

October to March. The desert is pleasant in the winter, the lakes are at their highest after the winter rains, and the Wadi El Hitan is at its best when the site is dry and the light is low. The summer heat in the desert is extreme.

Activities in Fayoum

5 results

View all activities

From Cairo: Lake Qarun & Sahara Desert Quad Bike Adventure

Desert Safaris

Fayoum Oasis & Cairo, Egypt

4.9 (19)

From Cairo: Lake Qarun & Sahara Desert Quad Bike Adventure

8 hours Max 12 riders

Quad Bike ATV Lake Qarun

From

$200 $175

View Details

From Cairo: 2-Day Fayoum Desert Safari with 4x4, Quad Biking & Camping

Desert Safaris

Fayoum Oasis & Cairo, Egypt

5 (14)

From Cairo: 2-Day Fayoum Desert Safari with 4x4, Quad Biking & Camping

2 days Max 12 guests

Fayoum Camping Quad Bike ATV

From

$330 $290

View Details

Desert Safaris

Fayoum Oasis & Cairo, Egypt

5 (8)

From Cairo: 4x4 Desert Safari, Wadi El Rayan Waterfalls & Magic Lake Day Trip

10 hours Max 15 participants

Wadi El Rayan Magic Lake

From

$134 $120

View Details

Tour Packages

Fayoum Oasis & Cairo, Egypt

5 (6)

From Cairo: 2-Day Wadi El Hitan (Whale Valley) & Fayoum Camping Safari

2 days Small groups & private tours

Wadi El Hitan UNESCO World Heritage

From

$329 $296

View Details

Fayoum: Magic Lake Desert Horseback Riding Experience — Gallery 1

Desert Safaris

Fayoum Oasis & Magic Lake, Egypt

5 (2)

Fayoum: Magic Lake Desert Horseback Riding Experience

5 hours Max 8 riders

Horseback Riding Magic Lake

From

$170 $150

View Details

Frequently asked questions

The "Valley of the Whales" — a desert valley where the skeletons of seven-million-year-old whales lie in the sand. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the most unusual places in Egypt, reached by a 4x4 track from the Faiyum.

Yes, and it is a long one — around 90 minutes each way, so the tours leave very early. The two-night camping and the desert safari programmes are the better way to see it, because they spend the night in the desert.

Yes — Wadi El Rayan has two lakes with beaches and shallow, warm water in the winter. The spring pools of Ain Sals are a freshwater alternative.

The Faiyum is the eastern half of a long desert route; the White Desert and Bahariya Oasis are another 4 to 5 hours further west, and the two are usually combined on the 4-day and 5-day tours.