Wadi El Hitan
A UNESCO fossil site with hundreds of early whale skeletons
5.0 on TripadvisorPrivate tour Wadi El Hitan Whale Valley Private Day Tour from Cairo
Walk through a dry valley that was once a sea, past 40 million year old whale skeletons. A long private day from Cairo through Fayoum to a UNESCO site.
- Duration
- About 13 hours, door to door
- Where
- Wadi El Hitan, Fayoum governorate
- Pick-up
- Hotel in Cairo or Giza
- Language
- English (other languages on request)
From, per person$2556 or more travellers
- Starts any day
- Free quote, no obligation
- Change anything you like
About this tour
Wadi El Hitan means Valley of the Whales. About 40 million years ago this part of the Western Desert was a shallow coastal sea, and the early whales that died in it were buried in the sediment. Wind has since stripped the rock away, and some of the skeletons now lie on the surface where you can walk up to them. UNESCO listed the valley as a World Heritage site in 2005 for exactly this.
This is a long day, and we want you to know that before you book. The valley is about 150 km from Cairo, and the final stretch is a desert track, not a paved road. Count on roughly 13 hours from your hotel and back. Most of the time is in the vehicle, and the walk at the valley itself is the reason to go.
It suits people who like fossils, geology and empty landscapes, and children who are keen on dinosaurs and whales. It does not suit anyone who dislikes bumpy tracks, heat or long days, and it is not a monument day: there are no temples. If you would rather have a gentler day in the oasis, our Fayoum tour covers the lake and the villages.
Basilosaurus and Dorudon
The two whales you will most often see in the sand
Fossils and Climate Change Museum
A dome-shaped museum opened beside the valley in January 2016
Wadi El Rayan lakes
The route passes the lakes and waterfalls on its way into the desert
The desert track
Dunes and rock pillars shaped by wind on the final approach
How the day runs
- 1
Around 6:00Pick-up and the road south-west
We leave at first light because the desert leg is long. The road runs through Fayoum, with farmland on either side. Your guide uses the drive to explain how a whale ends up in the desert.
- 2
Around 9:00Wadi El Rayan lakes
The lakes are a short pause on the way to the valley. Water spills from the upper lake to the lower one over a series of falls, and the lakes were created in the late 1960s and early 1970s to hold farm drainage water. We stop for a short look and a photo and keep moving, as the valley is the point of the day.
- 3
Late morningThe desert track
From here the surface changes and the vehicle leaves the paved road. The track is unpaved and crosses unmarked sand, so the driver picks the line, and the stretch takes longer than its distance suggests. We confirm the vehicle for your date when you book. Your guide points out the dunes and the pillars of eroded rock as you go.
- 4
MiddayThe Fossils and Climate Change Museum
The museum opened in January 2016. Its centrepiece, as Ahram Online described it at the opening, is a 20 m skeleton of a legged form of whale, shown with fossils from the valley.
- 5
AfternoonWalking the fossil trail
You follow a set trail, as the protected-area rules require. Basilosaurus is the big one, with the largest skeleton found there reaching about 21 m. Dorudon is the smaller of the two. Your guide shows you the hind-limb bones, the white layer of fossil burrows that was once read as mangrove roots, and the sea-cow remains. We could not find official opening hours or a last entry time for the valley, so we confirm them when you book and plan the walk with daylight to spare.
- 6
Late afternoonLunch and the drive home
Lunch is a packed picnic or a meal at the visitor facilities, whichever is open. The return takes the same road, and you reach Cairo in the evening. We confirm the lunch arrangement for your date when you book.
How much does this tour cost?
| Group size | Price per person |
|---|---|
| Single traveller | $410 |
| 2 travellers | $320 |
| 3 to 5 travellers | $280 |
| 6 or more travellers | $255 |
In US dollars, per person, for a private trip. The price in your written quote, made for your dates and group, is the one that counts. International flights are not included.
What’s included
Included
- Hotel pick-up and drop-off in Cairo or Giza
- Private vehicle with driver for the whole day
- Private Egyptologist guide
- Entrance fees to Wadi El Hitan and the museum
- Lunch
- Bottled water
Not included
- Tips
- Camping gear, as this is a day trip only
- Egypt visa
Booking policies
Important information
The vehicle
The last part is an unpaved track across sand that is not marked, so a normal car is not a good idea. The ride is bumpy, and anyone with back problems should think twice.
Sun and water
There is almost no shade. Bring a hat, sunscreen, sunglasses and more water than you expect to drink, even in winter. In summer the valley is very hot and we recommend a different month.
Stay on the trail
Wadi El Hitan sits in the Wadi El Rayan Protected Area and visitors have to follow the guided trail. Do not step on the fossils or remove any piece of rock or bone, however small.
Camping
A small campsite exists at the valley and some visitors stay overnight at weekends in winter. That is a different trip. This tour returns to Cairo the same day.
Payment and deposit
- Prices are in US dollars and the price in your written quote is the one that counts.
- The deposit is 30 percent of the total price (50 percent for trips that start from 18 December to 5 January).
- The balance is due 15 days before arrival. If you book later than that, the full amount confirms the booking.
- Payment instructions come with your written quote.
Cancellation and refund
Send every cancellation by email so that we can confirm it in writing. The charge is a percentage of the tour price, and anything you paid above it is refunded.
| Days before arrival | Normal dates | 18 Dec to 5 Jan |
|---|---|---|
| Until 61 days | 20% | 35% |
| 60 to 31 days | 35% | 50% |
| 30 to 15 days | 50% | 75% |
| 14 to 1 days, or no-show | 100% | 100% |
A bank and payment fee of 6 percent is deducted from every refund. Full rules: terms and policies.
Children
- Children under 3 travel free.
- Children from 3 to 11.99 years pay 50 percent of the tour price.
- From 12 years, travellers pay the adult price.
Please give the age of every child at the time of travel when you ask for a quote.
Travel tips
Know before you go
Start early
Pickup around 8:00 gets you to the pyramids before the heat and the coach groups.
Wear
Closed shoes, a hat and sunscreen, expect sand, steps and uneven ground.
Extra tickets
Entry inside the Great Pyramid is an optional ticket bought on the day.
Photos
Photos are free outdoors; some tombs charge for cameras. Drones are not allowed.
Traveller reviews
What our travellers say
A Fantastic Tour of Egypt
“The entire trip was seamlessly executed.”
Best tour guide!!
“He made our trip to the pyramids and Alexandria fun and memorable.”
Amazing 2 week trip
“My friends and I spent two weeks in Egypt and he was with us every step of the way.”
FAQ
Questions about this tour
Still unsure? Message us on WhatsApp and a real person from our team will answer.
Is it really a whale valley?
Yes. The skeletons are of early whales from the Eocene that lived in a shallow sea about 40 million years ago. Some of them still had small hind legs, which is why scientists study them.
How long is the drive?
The valley is about 150 km from Cairo, but the desert track makes it slower than the distance suggests. We plan a 13 hour day.
Can we see Wadi El Hitan and the Fayoum lake in one day?
You pass the Wadi El Rayan lakes on the way, but we do not stop at Lake Qarun or the villages. A day that includes both would be too long and too hot.
Do I need to be fit?
You need to be able to walk on soft sand and gravel. The trail is not steep, but there is no shade and the sand slows you down.
Is it suitable for children?
Children who like fossils tend to enjoy it. For younger ones the long drive and the heat are the problem, so think about their age before booking.
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Before you go
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