explore by
Attractions
FAYOUM is one of Egypt’s 7 beautiful oasis
“The most important fact about Fayoum Oasis, that it’s not far from Cairo. You can reach Fayoum desert in about 1-2 hours drive from Cairo, depends on where you stay in Cairo, then you find yourself in mid of extremely peaceful, beautiful and very rich with unique attractions of a big variety of natural formations , geological , historical , lakes, sand dunes , valleys, waterfalls, Unesco heritage site, beautiful villages and many other. Fayoum has a mix of experiences hardly exists in any other place around the world
Fayoum is a wonderful area of Egypt with a rich and interesting range of flora, fauna and history. This 692 square miles (1114 km2) are a vast depression which was a lush paradise during prehistoric times.
Fayoum is the closest oasis to Cairo, making it very accessible if Cairo is your base for travelling. You can experience a wide diversity of nature, history, architecture and world heritage sites, as well as beautiful lakes, geological wonders, and meet friendly locals. Fayoum beauty attracts the attention of Egyptian artists and philosophers.
Fayoum Lake and Oasis was a famous resort for Cairo´s elite and Egypt’s Royal Family in the 19th and early 20th century.
The small village of Tunis (‘izbat Tunis) is located in the oasis of Fayoum on the way to Wadi Rayan; discover authentic desert adventure on a hill facing the large Qaroun 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.
Discover authentic desert adventure at Lake Qarun; a popular weekend spot for people from Cairo who want to cool down and unwind. The lake edge has cafes and wedding pavilions. It is not a popular swimming spot, more appreciated just for the views. You can also rent a rowing boat here. Thousands of migratory birds rest here during their Winter migration South, including large numbers of flamingos.
Wadi El Rayan is the home of the only waterfalls in Egypt, making it a popular Summer resort for Egyptians and a paradise for bird watchers an authentic desert adventure.
Discover authentic desert adventure at one of this Unesco World Heritage Site; a home to the earliest prehistoric whale fossils discovered. More than 400 basilosaurus and dorodontus (both water predators) skeletons found here are around 40 million years old.
Authentic desert adventure at Ghoroud Samuel or known as SAMUEL DUNES; an area of land in the Egyptian Western desert (part of the North African Sahara) which is mostly covered by sand dunes (Arabic: ghoroud) between lakes and mountains.
One of the most beautiful lakes in Fayoum; discover authentic desert aventure, overlooking sand dunes. This is your chance to freshen up after a long day of hiking, and to witness one of the most eye-catching sunsets.
Discover authentic desert adventure in one of the largest Greco-Roman cities in Fayoum, built by the Ptolemies in the third century BC. What remains today of the city are two well preserved temples dedicated to crocodile gods and a Roman bath. It also has an interesting museum displaying a wide range of glassware, jewellery and pottery discovered on site.
Authentic desert adventure at the Western end of Lake Qarun and just East of the village of Qasr Qarun are the ruins of ancient Dionysias. This was the starting point for caravans to the Western Desert oasis of Bahariya.
Authentic desert adventure at Medinet Madi Archaeological site on a small hill in a strategic position, guarding the South West entrance to the Fayoum about 35 km from Medinet El-Fayoum. The town was called DjA by the ancient Egyptians, during the Greek period it was identified as Narmouthis. A document found here from the ninth century AD mentions Madi, “City of the Past”, as the name of the site.
Discover authentic desert adventure at Deir Azab. El-Azab Monastery, also known as the monastery of the Virgin Mary, is 6 km south of Medinet El-Fayoum. It is considered one of the most important monasteries in Fayoum because it is the burial place of Anba Abraam, the favorite bishop of Fayoum and Giza from 1882 to 1914. This monastery was built in the 12th century by Peter, the bishop of Fayoum. Very little of the 12th century original building remains.
The monastery contains five churches but there are two principle churches: Abu Seifein is a modern church which contains the remains of the Fayoum Martyrs and other martyrs. Virgin Mary church contains some of the original building which dates back to the 12th century.
Discover authentic desert adventure at the LARGEST PETRIFIED FOREST in the world which is located in the north of Lake Qaroun in Gabal Qatrani. It is a home of 40 meters high trees that have survived in fossified form for thousands of years.
The Petrified Forest is the remnants of a forest that grew 35 million years ago. The trees are perfectly petrified, down to their smallest details and include marshy plants and aquatic ferns as well.
Authentic desert adventure at the HAWARA PYRAMIDS that was built by king Amenemhat III (1843-1797 BC) Although the Pyramid of Hawara was originally covered with white limestone casing, sadly only the mud-brick core remains today, and even the once-famous temple has been quarried, but still has an impressive presence.
Authentic desert adventure at about 10 km Southeast of Hawara are the ruins of this mud brick pyramid; which was built by Pharaoh Sesostris II (1880–1874 BC).
Cut into the mountain is Abu Lifa Monastery and discover authentic desert adventure. The inscriptions have revealed that it dates back to 686 AD and was probably founded by St. Panoukhius.
The monastery was in use from the 7th through the 9th centuries.
The river clay is used to make local handmade pottery; it’s a POTTERY PARADISE. Discover authentic desert adventure located on a branch of Bahr el-Youssef and runs through a deep clay bed In the western part of Fayoum. Potters of Nazla use a very particular technique to make a spherical pot based on a combination of wheel-thrown and hammer-and-anvil; work is carried out according to very old and traditional methods of producing pottery that have not changed much since Pharaonic times. Inside the 20 workshops; there is a hole – a kind of hemispherical scoop in the ground. Straw and clay are mixed together and sometimes with ash. The material is put into the hole then it is hammered and turned at the same time to make large globes. The big pots are allowed to dry a little, and it is only then that the vessels are finished on the wheel.
Authentic desert adventure from the route to the Qasr El Sagha temple all the way to the ancient basalt quarries of Widan El Faras passes by an ancient road that is reputedly the oldest paved road in the world. The road is dated along with quarry activity as Old Kingdom, with a possibility of it being of Neolithic age; at Widan El Faras the road is fully visible on the surface.
A large black basalt quarry exists at the northern edge of Gebel Qatrani, near the two prominent buttes called Widan el-Faras an authentic desert adventure. It was once an Old Kingdom quarry now known to be the source of basalt used for the Old Kingdom pyramid temples. The site stands about 340 meters above sea level.
The basalt was loaded onto sleds and transported down the escarpment to the waiting boats at the quay at Qasr al-Sagha. The roadway that led to the quarry was constructed of basalt stone and petrified wood during the Old Kingdom. The quarry road begins at Qasr al-Sagha, turns north, and climbs the escarpment as it moves across the plain, moving directly to Widan al-Faras, 8 kilometers away. Then it skirts the second escarpment to Gebel Qatrani.
The site can be reached via a track from Kom Ushim, and is about 25 km from the main road and discover authentic desert adventure. Above the northern shore of Birket Qarun, in a now deserted and inhospitable area at the foot of the desert escarpment towards Gebel Qatrani, is a small uninscribed temple known locally as Qasr el-Sagha.
In remote antiquity a forest grew on the escarpment north of the site – petrified remains can still be seen and it is thought that Birket Qarun (ancient Lake Moeris) once extended its northern shore close to the temple in the days when the lake was much larger. Qasr el-Sagha rests on a level platform on the side of the escarpment and was first published by Schweinfurth in 1892 and later visited by Petrie.
Discover an authentic desert adventure at a Greco-Roman city (332 BC-323 AD) founded by Ptolemy II in the third century B.C. on a site that shows evidence of habitation from the Neolithic period. In Ptolemaic times it was at the shore of lake Moeris (now lake Qaroun) and the beginning of the caravan routes across Gebel Qatrani and the Western Desert to the Mediterranean sea coast and then to Greece and Rome. Serving as a port, the site is currently 65 meters higher and 2.5 kilometers beyond the water’s edge.
It was like a frontier; inhabited for six centuries and was finally abandoned by the middle of the third century. The ruins cover an area of about 125 acres/0.5 sq. km. The ruins contain two temples, houses located along the processional Avenue of the Lions, underground chambers, streets, 10 meter high walls, a Roman cemetery lies 900 yards southwest of the city, and agricultural fields separated by long irrigation canals.
The pyramid was originally 93m high and built with a square base with sides measuring about 114m long, an authentic desert adventure; Is believed to be the first attempt to build a pyramid and the first Egyptian pyramid to have an above ground burial chamber beautifully decorated with arch-shaped walls; built by Snefru (father of Khufu).
The Round Hills in Fayoum (Gabal Al Medawara). A hill in Fayoum on the lake that is used for sand boarding. A perfect place to relax and contemplate life and discover authentic desert adventure in an area that is a reserve of wadi el hitan or Whale Valley.
Qatrani Mountain
Fond of hiking? Fayoum has a trail for you. Authentic desert adventure? Qatrani mountain which is a 350 meters high sandstone mountain and a major landmark for travellers and hikers in Fayoum.
Jebel Qatrani OPEN AIR museum is located inside the Petrified Forest area; north of Lake Qaroun a few kilometers from Jebel Qatrani and the ancient basalt quarries. The museum was built early 2018 and yet to be inaugurated soon. It is showcasing fossils of both marine (started in Eocene with the fossil ancestors of Archaeocetes: whales) and continental (with the fossil ancestors of monkeys: Aegyptopithecus; elephants: Phiomia, Palaeomastodon, Arsinoitherium); and several other terrestrial and marshland mammals. It is showing the variety of vertebrate fossil mammals in the world in terms of fossil quality and preservation values.
The Museum was built by (SUPPORT TO THE EGYPTIAN PROTECTED AREAS (SEPA) PROJECT) and reflects the outstanding universal value of Jebel Qatrani site and will positively impact the Eco tourism industry in Fayoum.
