Wadi Al-Hitan
وادي الحيتان
A UNESCO World Heritage desert site in the western Faiyum, where 40-million-year-old fossil whales lie exposed. It's often combined with the Wadi El-Rayan waterfalls and desert camping as a day trip.
Wadi Al-Hitan, or Valley of the Whales, lies in the Faiyum desert about 150 km southwest of Cairo. It was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2005 and preserves fossils of extinct Eocene archaeocetes, such as Basilosaurus. Some still have hind limbs, offering a vivid record of how whales evolved from land animals to life in the sea. A boardwalk of about 3 km links the open-air fossil sites, and a thoughtfully designed museum on fossils and climate change stands in the desert. The wind-eroded rock pillars around the valley look especially striking at sunset. Entry costs about EGP 200-300. Reaching the site requires a 4WD vehicle, since the last stretch is over sand. Most visitors combine it into a day trip with Wadi El-Rayan waterfalls, Magic Lake, and sand dune sandboarding. The round trip from Cairo takes about 10-12 hours, so bring plenty of water and sun protection.
Opening hours
About 08:00–17:00
Nearby sights
- Wadi El Rayan Waterfalls & Magic Lake
- Dahshur
- Grand Egyptian Museum
- Giza Pyramids & Great Sphinx
- Saqqara / Pyramid of Djoser
- Memphis Open Air Museum
- Coptic Cairo / Hanging Church
- Mosque of Amr ibn al-As