Fayoum Day Trips from Cairo

Not all the best things to see in Cairo are in the city itself. Just over 100 kilometres south of Cairo lies one of Egypt's most beautiful natural sites. The waters of the Nile are what bathe and give rise to the Fayum Oasis. A vast expanse of vegetation, water and archaeological sites surrounding the capital, the city of Fayoum, which together make it one of the most interesting excursions you can make from Cairo.

Within the Fayoum oasis there are several interesting places to visit on an excursion. Lake Qarun, the lakes of Wadi Rayyan, the necropolis of Hawara and the pyramid of Meidum are the main attractions of Fayoum. The best way to see them is to book an excursion, so I'll share with you in this post the best options.

There are many options and types of excursions to visit Fayoum but we will start this review with the most basic and cheapest option. The cheapest tours that can be booked start from 75 euros per person, including the following: Pick-up and drop-off from a point in Cairo, air-conditioned transport, professional guide and entrance fees to the pyramid of Meidum and the archaeological site of Qarun.

Although this is the cheapest option, it is a very comprehensive tour. The main difference is that it is done in large groups and leaves out some extras that other packages offer. But if you are content to enjoy the essence of Fayoum without extras, this is a highly recommended option.

• Price: From 75 euros per person, 34 euros for children between 6 and 12 years old. Children under 6 free.
• Duration: About 8 hours from departure from Cairo to return.
• What's included: Pick-up and drop-off from Cairo, air-conditioned bus transport, professional multilingual guide, entrance tickets for the Meidum Pyramid and the Qarun site.
• Means of transport: Air-conditioned bus.
• Recommended if: You are looking for the cheapest option and are content to see the basics of Fayoum.

For a little more money you can visit Fayoum while enjoying the advantages of a private tour. The extra cost compared to a basic tour is justified firstly by the fact that you are picked up at the door of your hotel, the transfer is in a private van and the tour is private for a very small group with the comfort that this entails.

Entrance fees to the main sights of Fayoum are also included. In addition to the pyramid of Meidum and the site of Qarun, you can also visit Wadi El-Rayan, a natural depression 42 metres under the sea with two beautiful connected lakes. This type of excursion also usually includes lunch with local produce and drinks. All of these benefits come at a cost, and the price of these excursions is around 150 euros.

• Price: From 150 euros per person
• Duration: Approximately 10 hours from hotel departure to return.
• What's included: Pick up and return transfer from your hotel, private and air-conditioned minivans, entrance fees to the sights of Fayoum, private professional guide in your language, lunch in Fayoum.
• Means of transport: Private air-conditioned van.
• Recommended if: You want to visit Fayoum in the comfort of a private tour.

If money is no object and you want to see all that the Fayoum Oasis has to offer with a premium experience, there is an option for you. It repeats the same dynamic as the previous tour but with a few extras. In addition to return transfers in private, air-conditioned vehicles and pick-ups from the location of your choice, the premium tours offer total freedom to see Fayoum the way you want to see it. You will have a professional guide to advise you on what to see and in what order, although the final decision is yours.

The itinerary is set by you and you can choose which sites to visit from all those in the Fayoum Oasis. My recommendations are to prioritise the pyramid of Meidum, Lake Qarun, the lakes of Wadi El Rayyan and the archaeological sites. Other advantages of this type of tour are that it includes lunch and meals with unlimited drinks. This is a great advantage considering the heat of the area.

• Price: From 230 euros.
• Duration: About 10 hours from hotel pick-up to return.
• What's included: Pick up and return transfer from your hotel, private and air-conditioned minivans, entrance fees to the sights of Fayoum of your choice, private professional guide in your language, lunch, lunch and unlimited drinks.
• Means of transport: Private air-conditioned van.
• Recommended if: You don't want to deprive yourself of anything and you want to visit Fayoum with freedom and comfort.

For the more adventurous there is a way to see the Fayoum oasis and enjoy a sporting activity that can only be done in the desert dunes. This is sandboarding, a version of snowboarding but changing the snow for the sand of the desert. To practice this fun sport you can hire it together with your excursion to the Fayoum oasis.

The excursion is organised in the same way as the previous ones but with the addition of a transfer to an area of dunes in an all-terrain vehicle where, with the instruction and supervision of a guide, you will be given a board similar to a snowboard to slide down the dunes. A fun way to round off a special day in Fayoum.

• Price: From 170 euros per person
• Duration: About 10 hours from departure to return, the Sand Boarding part lasts about two hours.
• What's included: Pick up and drop off from your hotel, private and air-conditioned minivans, entrance fees to the sights of Fayoum, private professional guide in your language, lunch in Fayoum, transfer to the dunes by 4x4, Sanboard activity.
• Means of transport: Conditioned minivan and jeep.
• Recommended if: You want to combine the excursion to Fayoum with a dose of sport and adventure.

A day trip to Fayoum may not be enough to cover all there is to see in this vast and beautiful area. In that case there is the possibility of extending your visit to Fayoum and spending a night in the oasis itself. This way you can see all the interesting sights without missing anything and spend a magical night in a local hotel.

The transfer from Cairo is to the hotel where after dropping off your luggage you will start your two day adventure on board an SUV ready to tour the entire Fayoum Oasis. Lunches and meals, as well as drinks, are included in this type of safari as well as all entrance fees to the sites and places of the oasis.

• Price: From 250 euros per person.
• Duration: Two days
• What's included: Pick up and drop off from your hotel and back in a fully equipped minivan, 4x4 vehicle ready to move around the oasis, entrance fees to the sites of interest in Fayoum, hotel accommodation in the oasis, professional guide in your language, lunch, food and drinks.
• Means of transport: Minivans for the transfer from Cairo, SUVs to move around the oasis.
• Recommended if: You want to miss absolutely nothing of Fayoum and spend a magical night in the oasis itself.

For these types of excursions, although they include all the comforts of home, it is advisable to keep in mind a series of tips that will help you make the most of the Fayoum oasis:

• Although it is an oasis, it is still part of the desert, so you will have to take the same precautions. This means protecting yourself with sun cream, wearing a hat and suitable clothing to withstand high temperatures.
• Although drinks, mainly water, are included in many excursions, it is always advisable to bring your own water bottle.
• As for clothing; prioritise comfort and wear light, not too short, light-coloured clothes and always protect your head.
• Footwear is also important. I recommend you wear comfortable, light boots for walking and another pair of sandals for the sandy areas, as it is quite uncomfortable to get sand in your boots.