Fayoum Lake (Qaroun Lake)
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.
Before the 12th Dynasty reigns of Sesostris III and his son Amenemhat III, the area now known as Al Fayoum was covered by Lake Qarun. These pharaohs dug a series of canals linking Qarun to the Nile and drained much of the lake to reclaim land.
Over recent centuries the lake has regained some of its former grandeur due to the diversion of the Nile to create more agricultural land, and it now stretches for 42km. However, because it is 45m below sea level the water has suffered from increasing salinity. Wildlife has adapted to form a large ecosystem; there are many varieties of birds, most evident in Autumn, including a large colony of flamingos, grey herons, spoonbills and many duck species.
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