Valley of the Whales (Wadi Al-Hitan), Giza
Valley of the Whales (Wadi Al-Hitan)
Valley of the Whales (Wadi Al-Hitan)
4.5
Tours & experiences
Explore different ways to experience this place.
Full view
Plan your visit
Contribute
Popular mentions
4.5
71 reviews
Excellent
54
Very good
10
Average
3
Poor
3
Terrible
1
Les De Q
Utrecht, The Netherlands1,558 contributions
Jan. 2022 • Couples
The valley of the whales reveals a whole unknown side the Egypt. A cost to the history centre and a walk through, is a great way to experience yet another face of Egypt.
Written 5 January 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Bob W
Offshore122 contributions
Dec. 2021 • Couples
Loved everything about this trip. It’s a way to travel but the scenery is spectacular and the historic significance is compelling. The village of Tunis about hour and half from the whales is also very charming/interesting.
I would do this again.
I would do this again.
Written 29 December 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Mohamed E
Nanjing, China40 contributions
Nov. 2020
The place is so amazing, a little bit off-beaten from the service but it gives you the energy to feel the old creatures that have once lived there.
Written 19 September 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Mohga Moamen
Cairo, Egypt207 contributions
Nov. 2020
Usually, I don't prefer to visit a place twice but this place I visited twice and I don't mind visiting it again and again. I camped there to enjoy the desert, nature and the stargazing. A must-see spot if you are willing to relax and chill.
Written 5 March 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
DesertDweller32
Phoenix AZ639 contributions
Jan. 2021
This site contains a fabulous, modern museum that reflects some of the best practices related to displays and explanations. Explanations are written in Arabic and English. The bathroom area is modern, with all necessary amenities.
The paths to the fossilized remains are well-marked, and extend far into valley - VERY far! We easily spent over an hour along the winding, rock-lined paths - exploring a wide range of shaded alcoves and numbered stops along the way. It was pleasant in January - hard to imagine how toasty this area would be in the summer!!
Get ready for a workout! We walked at a pretty quick pace, and feel there still was a bit more to see. Keep in mind that lots of sand and hilly portions make for a bit of a challenging trek in parts!
The paths to the fossilized remains are well-marked, and extend far into valley - VERY far! We easily spent over an hour along the winding, rock-lined paths - exploring a wide range of shaded alcoves and numbered stops along the way. It was pleasant in January - hard to imagine how toasty this area would be in the summer!!
Get ready for a workout! We walked at a pretty quick pace, and feel there still was a bit more to see. Keep in mind that lots of sand and hilly portions make for a bit of a challenging trek in parts!
Written 29 January 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
MahaPhilip
Giza Governorate, Egypt21 contributions
Dec. 2019
ElFayoum is a small village like place .. nothing to do except Wadi El Hitan (Whales valley) .. you take a 4x4 car with a driver who drives through the desert a long way .. the whole trip took around 5 hours (Wadi El Hitan+Magic lake) .. very nice to see the remains of veeeeery old creatures .. thousands of years ... but it was not fun to drive through the desert, up & down hills which some of them were really steep, and very risky to climb up and down by the car. For me, it was not worth it .. but my kid liked it. If you like such trips, try to avoid using the 4x4 or at least, tell them upfront that you want to stick to the main road, and that you are not looking forward to be impressed by climbing hills by the car.
Written 8 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Patri
13 contributions
Jun. 2019 • Friends
An amazing piece of history and a sad reminder of the effects of climate change.
Not recommended to visit during the hot seasons. And be prepared for a long drive. The drive was amazing though, through a very white sandy desert.
Not recommended to visit during the hot seasons. And be prepared for a long drive. The drive was amazing though, through a very white sandy desert.
Written 26 June 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Atila E
Izmir, Turkey83 contributions
Apr. 2019 • Solo
I went there with the help of great guide Ms. Mona Gomaa ( +20 100509 3086). From Cairo we did one day tour. During this one day tour we had great time in desert. She showed us very interesting sites as well. Whlae valley is realy incredible area. Your can see many whales bones. Museum is very well designed. I really reccommed everyone to visit this site when they are in Egypt.
Written 13 May 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Krista M
47 contributions
Jan. 2019 • Solo
This protected area is about two hours outside of Cairo by car and is worth visiting. My excursion included 4x4ing in the desert (great fun!) a visit to the Magic Lake (an oasis) dinner at a Bedouin site and the stunning Valley. It's must for fossil enthusiasts and Star Wars fans. The small museum and visitor centre is well laid out and informative, the trails through the landscape are well marked and the fossils are impressive. As an added bonus one feels like they are wandering the Jundland Wastes on Tatooine. I kept looking for Obi-Wan Kenobi.
Written 9 February 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
David B L
Los Angeles, CA8,326 contributions
Oct. 2018 • Couples
We did a long, but fun, day trip to see the Fossil Whales, Al Ritan, Al Fayoum in the western Sahara at Wadi Al-Hitan with Nahla from Toursbylocals & it was amazing. She knows the area very well. My photos describe it all much better than words. Enjoy !
Written 29 January 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
happytrip80
Bristol, UK48 contributions
Hello, I am a single traveller. I am hoping to find a tour (hopefully group tour) to go camping here on 2nd of April from Cairo.
I contacted a few people and I heard at the present time the security status in Fayoum regarding camping is restricted for foreigners, is that true?
Are there anyone who went camping here as a single traveller?
Would you recommend any tour company or guide?
Thank you.
Ahmed Yasser
Giza, Egypt32 contributions
Hello, I checked with the company I used and unfortunately, they are not arranging any tours in that date, I don't know about single foreigner travellers, but we had foreigners among the group and there where no problems at all.
I hope you have a good trip and if I could manage to get any more information, I will let you know.
Cheers,
hola, es posible visitarlo viajando desde el fayum en autobus, taxi o coche ,muchas gracias
Hello we are planning to go in a couple of days. Can you reach the museum with a normal car or you need a 4x4? Txs
Sarina
3 contributions
Is there a specific place that you recommend to stay overnight at when you're there?
charlieface
4 contributions
Could anyone recommend a good tour operator for an overnight stay?
AhmadArdy
Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia
Me and some of my friends are planning to go there, camping for one night, in early May.
Is it a suitable time as we are coming there during early Summer?
Or is the desert windy enough that you can tolerate the hot weather?
Mariam Elrefaie
Cairo, Egypt3 contributions
Help guys
To these people who have been there recently, is it a safe place to spend the night stargazing?
Thank you
Frequently Asked Questions about Valley of the Whales (Wadi Al-Hitan)
- We recommend booking Valley of the Whales (Wadi Al-Hitan) tours ahead of time to secure your spot. If you book with Tripadvisor, you can cancel up to 24 hours before your tour starts for a full refund. See all 49 Valley of the Whales (Wadi Al-Hitan) tours on Tripadvisor