Whales in the desert

Wadi El Hitan and Wadi El Rayan Day Trip from Cairo: The Valley of the Whales

Whale skeletons in the desert, forty million years old, then the waterfalls of Wadi El Rayan.

Full day · about 10–11 hours · Fayoum · Private

Starting priceUSD 100Per 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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The fossilised vertebrae of an ancient whale lying in the sand at Wadi Al-Hitan, the Valley of the Whales.

Duration: Full day · about 10–11 hours
On the road: About 2 hours to Fayoum, then desert tracks by four-wheel drive
At the sites: About 2 hours at Wadi El Hitan
Format: Private
Pace: Moderate

Before you choose

Is this the right tour for you?

Wadi El Hitan, the Valley of the Whales, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in the desert of Fayoum. Its fossils are the earliest whales, the Archaeoceti, from the moment they were losing their hind legs and leaving the land for the sea. UNESCO calls it the most important site in the world for this stage of evolution.

The day crosses the Wadi El Rayan protected area by four-wheel drive to the fossil trail and its museum, then returns by way of the Wadi El Rayan waterfalls and Tunis village above Lake Qarun.

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

Our advice

The fossil trail is flat but exposed. Bring a hat and water; there is little shade.

5 stops

How the day runs

Egypt's longest story is written in its rock. Forty million years before the pyramids, whales with vestigial legs swam where this desert is now; their skeletons still lie where they fell, in the valley UNESCO protects for them.

Early morning
Pickup
Early collection from your hotel in Cairo or Giza.
Morning
Wadi El Hitan
By four-wheel drive to the fossil trail, the whale skeletons and the site museum.
Afternoon
Wadi El Rayan waterfalls
The falls between the protected area's two lakes.
Late afternoon
Tunis village
Lunch above Lake Qarun before the drive back.
Evening
Return
Back to Cairo.

The details

What is included

Highlights

The whale fossils of Wadi El Hitan, a UNESCO World Heritage Site
The fossil and climate-change museum at the site
The Wadi El Rayan waterfalls
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 Hitan
Wadi El Rayan
Tunis village
Lake Qarun

Group: Private: your party only
Transport: Air-conditioned vehicle and a four-wheel drive in the desert
Departure: Early morning pickup
Meeting point: Your hotel in Cairo or Giza
Guide languages: English, French, German, Italian, Spanish
Best time to go: October to April
Entrance tickets: Protected-area fees confirmed in your quote
Optional extras: Sandboarding; 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

How much walking is there?

The fossil trail is a flat, marked walk of about an hour or two at your own pace, in the open sun.

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.

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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