Explore Wadi El-Rayan, Qarun Lake, Tunis village, Wadi El Hitan, and Mudawara Mountain through this magical Day Trip to Wadi El Hitan from Cairo. Book now!
Tour Details:
- Duration: 1 Day
- Location: Wadi El Hitan
- Availability: Available Everyday
- Trip Type: Private
- Pickup and Drop-Off: Your Hotel / Your Location
Amazing Day Trip from Cairo to Wadi El-Hitan
Are you looking for a break from the hustle and bustle of Cairo? A day trip to Wadi El Hitan might just be what you need. Located in the Egyptian Western Desert, Wadi El Hitan – also known as “Whale Valley,” is a UNESCO World Heritage Site known for its unique geological formations and fossilized remains of ancient whales. Join us on a day trip to this spectacular reserve and experience the natural beauty and prehistoric remains of Wadi El Hitan.
Tour Itinerary
Detailed itinerary of the Day Trip to Wadi El Hitan from Cairo
Pick up at 7:00 am from your location/hotel. The trip from Cairo to Lake Qarun takes around 75 minutes
After breakfast, we will pick you up and start our trip to El-Fayoum Oasis and on to Wadi El-Hitan. El-Fayoum Oasis is around 100 kilometers southwest of Cairo. Our first stop is by Lake Qarun for a morning coffee and the beautiful open scenery of the lake and Qatrani mountain behind.
Continue our trip to Wadi El-Hitan. We arrive at Wadi El-Hitan around 11:30 am to start our tour by visiting the open-air museum, a short walk track with some whale fossils displayed where they were originally unearthed.
Lunch at Wadi El-Hitan restaurant.
After lunch, continue our tour in Wadi El-Hitan by visiting the Climate Change and Fossils Museum, a small museum that accommodates some of the whales’ fossils and other marine fossils found in the valley. The fossils are 40 to 200 million years old! We then leave Wadi El-Hitan and continue our trip to Mudawara Mountain, which overlooks the lakes of Rayan Valley and the mountains of Magic Lake. Proceed to Wadi El-Rayan to see the waterfalls & possibly immigrating birds.
Transfer back to Cairo to your location address.
This trip lasts from 9 to 12 hours. Day trip to El-Fayoum Oasis and Wadi El-Hitan from Cairo. On this trip, we visit the Wadi El-Hitan site with 2 museums for fossils, Mudawara Mountain, Wadi El-Rayan, & Lake Qarun.
First stop: Time: 7:00 am: Lake Qarun
It is 20 km from Fayoum and 80 km from Cairo. The lake is considered one of the most important ancient natural lakes. It is the remaining part of the ancient Moeris Lake. It comprises 1155 km2. It is five meters in depth in the east and thirteen meters in the west. You can practice water sports, fishing, and bird watching. The best period for fishing is from July to September.
Stop 2: Tunis Village
The small village of Tunis (‘izba Tunis) is located in the oasis of Fayoum, on the way to Wadi Rayan. Located on a hill facing a large saltwater lake, the village overlooks a stunning view of the edge of the desert on the other side of the lake. It is one of the most beautiful places in Egypt.
Stop 3: Wadi El-Hitan
A UNESCO World Heritage Site in July 2005 for its hundreds of fossils of some of the earliest forms of whales, the archaeometry (a now extinct sub-order of whales). The site reveals evidence for the explanation of one of the greatest mysteries of the evolution of whales: the emergence of the whale as an ocean-going mammal from a previous life as a land-based animal. No other place in the world yields the number, concentration, and quality of such fossils, as is their accessibility and setting in an attractive and protected landscape. This is why it was added by UNESCO to the list of protected World
Stop 4: Mudawara Mountain
Mudawara Mountain is located only a couple of hundred meters to the south of Wadi El Rayyan Road, just after it passes to the north of Al Fayyum Lake. The mountain has three main summits, with a few bumps rising to the west. The easternmost is a short spire of rock with a surprising pit dug into the summit. It has a small enough footprint that Google Earth doesn’t even register its presence. Interestingly, it is the hardest summit to reach and most likely has a top below sea level. Mudawara Mountain, 45 million years old, is associated with the pre-Middle Leocene period, which moved north of Egypt, resulting in arches in the northeast and southwest directions.
Stop 5: Wadi El-Rayan
The valley of Wadi El-Rayan is an area of 1759 km2, 113 km2 of which is the dominating water body of the Wadi El Rayan lakes. It is located about 65km southwest of Faiyum City and 80km west of the Nile River. The Wadi has been used for man-made lakes from agricultural drainage, making a reserve of the two separate Wadi El Rayan Lakes. The reserve is composed of a 50.90km2 upper lake and a 62.00km2 lower lake, with waterfalls between the two. Among the springs, there are three sulfur springs on the southern side of the lower lake, with extensive mobile dunes. Wadi El Rayan Waterfalls are considered to be the largest waterfalls in Egypt.
Tour Price
Price is quoted per person in USD: (Please choose your pricing option.)
Option 1: Air-conditioned transportation
- Solo: 200$ USD
- 2 to 4 people: 112$ USD
- 5 to 12 people: 95$ USD
- 13+ people: 70$ USD
Option 2: 4WD Transportation
- Solo: 230$ USD
- 2 to 4 people: 135$ USD
- 5+ people: 120$ USD
Day Trip to Wadi El Hitan Photos
