Must-see attractions in Al Fayoum

  • Wadi Al Hittan

    Al Fayoum

    This Unesco World Heritage Site is home to the earliest prehistoric whale fossils ever discovered. The more than 400 basilosaurus and dorodontus (both…

  • Karanis

    Al Fayoum

    The vast, slumping ruins of ancient Karanis lie 25km north of Medinat Al Fayoum, on the edge of the oasis depression, along the road to Cairo. Founded by…

  • view ancient ruins of egypt sunrise

    Medinat Madi

    Al Fayoum

    This ancient city is one of the most isolated in Al Fayoum, but this is part of its appeal, as you’re often alone out in the blowing sand that drifts over…

  • Wadi Rayyan Protected Area

    Al Fayoum

    The 'waterfalls' in the Wadi Rayyan Protected Area are a major attraction for weekend picnickers from Cairo. The waterfalls, where one lake drains into…

  • Lake Qarun

    Al Fayoum

    Lake Qarun is a popular weekend spot for Cairenes looking to cool down, and the lake edge is dotted with cafes and wedding pavilions. It’s not a big…

  • Pyramid of Hawara

    Al Fayoum

    About 8km southeast of Medinat Al Fayoum, on the north side of the canal Bahr Yusuf, the canal that connects Al Fayoum to the Nile, stands the dilapidated…

  • Pyramid of Meidum

    Al Fayoum

    About 30km northeast of Medinat Al Fayoum is the ruin of the first true pyramid attempted by the ancient Egyptians. It began as an eight-stepped structure…

  • Qasr Qarun

    Al Fayoum

    At the western end of Lake Qarun, just east of the village of Qasr Qarun, are the ruins of ancient Dionysias, once the starting point for caravans to the…

  • Waterwheels

    Al Fayoum

    Al Fayoum is famous for its more than 200 waterwheels, which have become a prominent symbol of the town and the oasis. These four rather rickety and…

  • Pyramid of Al Lahun

    Al Fayoum

    About 10km southeast of Hawara are the ruins of this mudbrick pyramid, built by Pharaoh Sesostris II (1880–1874 BC). It’s not worth a separate trip, but…

  • Fayoum Pottery School

    Al Fayoum

    Established in the 1970s by Swiss artists, Evelyne Porret and Michel Pastore, this school, which trains children and adults in the local potting…

  • Fayoum Art Center Residency

    Al Fayoum

    This project run by painter Mohamed Abla hosts classes and resident artists from around the world in the cooler months of January and February; email him…

  • Obelisk of Senusert

    Al Fayoum

    This red granite obelisk, dedicated to 12th-dynasty pharaoh Senusert I, stands proudly in the centre of a traffic roundabout overlooking the northern…

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