The oasis next to Cairo

Fayoum Oasis Day Trip from Cairo: Wadi El Rayan Waterfalls, Magic Lake and Sandboarding

Lakes in the desert, waterfalls between them, a dune to slide down and lunch in a potters' village.

Full day · about 10 hours · Fayoum · Private

Starting priceUSD 70Per person at the lowest group rate; solo travellers and couples pay more.Your written quote confirms the price for your party, dates and choices.

Nothing is booked until you accept a written quote
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Water falling between rock ledges at the Wadi El Rayan waterfalls in Fayoum.

Duration: Full day · about 10 hours
On the road: About 2 hours each way from Cairo
At the sites: About 6 hours in Fayoum
Format: Private
Pace: Moderate

Before you choose

Is this the right tour for you?

Fayoum is Egypt's great oasis, about two hours from Cairo. This day by four-wheel drive shows its range: Lake Qarun, the desert lakes of Wadi El Rayan and the waterfalls that link them, the Magic Lake below the dunes, and a slope for sandboarding.

Wadi El Rayan's two lakes were formed from agricultural drainage water and are now a protected area; the falls where the upper lake spills into the lower one are a rare sight in the desert. Lunch is in Tunis village, known for its pottery, overlooking Lake Qarun.

A guide and a desert driver go with you throughout. Protected-area fees and lunch are confirmed in your quote.

Our advice

Wear shoes you do not mind filling with sand. Sandboarding is easy to try and hard to master.

5 stops

How the day runs

Fayoum is where the desert meets water: a lake the pharaohs knew, and new lakes made from the fields' own drainage. The day moves from water to sand and back to the village, the way the oasis itself is made.

Morning
Pickup
Collection from your hotel in Cairo or Giza for the drive to Fayoum.
Late morning
Wadi El Rayan waterfalls
The falls between the upper and lower lakes of the protected area.
Midday
The Magic Lake and the dunes
By four-wheel drive to the lake below the dunes, and sandboarding on the slopes.
Afternoon
Tunis village
Lunch in the potters' village above Lake Qarun.
Evening
Return
The drive back to Cairo.

The details

What is included

Highlights

The Wadi El Rayan waterfalls between two desert lakes
The Magic Lake below the dunes
Sandboarding on the desert slopes
Lunch in Tunis village above Lake Qarun

Included

Hotel pickup and drop-off
Private transport and four-wheel drive
Guide

Not included

Tips
Personal expenses

Places you visit

Wadi El Rayan
The Magic Lake
Tunis village
Lake Qarun

Group: Private: your party only
Transport: Air-conditioned vehicle and a four-wheel drive in the desert
Departure: Morning pickup
Meeting point: Your hotel in Cairo or Giza
Guide languages: English, French, German, Italian, Spanish
Best time to go: October to April; summer afternoons are very hot
Entrance tickets: Protected-area fees confirmed in your quote
Optional extras: A camel ride; a felucca on the lake
Your price: Set in your written quote for your party, dates and pickup, with the payment and cancellation terms.

Details checked 24 September 2026

Questions

Before you ask

Is it safe to travel to Fayoum?

The UK government's travel advice names Faiyum as an exception to its warning about the Western Desert. We check the latest advice before every trip.

Can we add the Valley of the Whales?

Yes. It makes a longer day; our Wadi El Hitan tour combines it with Wadi El Rayan.

Deluxe Trips Egypt

Ask for this tour, for your dates.

Send your dates and party size here. We reply with a written quote: the price for your party, what is included and the terms. Nothing is booked until you accept it.

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