Beat the heat · Fayoum

Fayoum in the heat: what to see early, and where to spend midday

Feluka's guide · Fayoum · 10 places

In July, Fayoum averages 37.8 °C at the warmest time of day. Feluka's planner fills no full day in July, against 1 in January. Plan the open-air sights for early in the day and keep the middle of the day indoors or in the shade.

How hot does Fayoum get, month by month?

Jan19°
Feb21°
Mar25°
Apr30°
May34°
Jun37°
Jul38°
Aug38°
Sept35°
Oct31°
Nov26°
Dec21°

Average high, °C. Hotter months are marked.

How long will you be in the sun at each place?

In the openMostly shadedIndoors
Wadi Al-Hitan (Whale Valley)150 min
Wadi El Rayan Nature Reserve120 min
Medinet Madi (Narmouthis)60 min
Qasr Qarun Temple (Dionysias)60 min
Wadi El Rayan Lake60 min
Fayoum Art Center and Caricature Museum0 min
Fayoum Pottery School0 min
Skylark0 min

Minutes in the open sun during a visit, as the guide records them.

What should you see early in the day?

Wadi Al-Hitan (Whale Valley)

about 150 min

A UNESCO World Heritage fossil site of early whales, walked on a guided trail; reached by an unpaved 4WD track.

What to do there
  • Walk the trail between the whale fossils
  • See whale skeletons on display in the open park
  • Take a guided tour along the set trail
  • Camp in the valley
  • Watch the setting sun light up Garet Gohannam
  • Go stargazing

Wadi Al-Hitan729F+226, Faiyum GovernorateBest: morning, late morning, afternoonOn the map ›Something wrong?

Wadi El Rayan Nature Reserve

about 120 min

A desert nature reserve with two lakes joined by Egypt's largest waterfalls, dunes and safari tracks; open 7 am to 5 pm.

What to do there
  • See Egypt's largest waterfalls between the two lakes
  • Try water sports around the waterfalls
  • Watch birds around the springs and waterfall
  • Go sandboarding on the dunes
  • Join a desert safari
  • Ride a camel

Wadi El RayanYoussef Al Seddik, Faiyum Governorate 2812001Best: morning, late morning, afternoon, golden hourOn the map ›Something wrong?

Hours unverified: they come from its listing and may have changed.

Medinet Madi (Narmouthis)

about 60 min

A Middle Kingdom temple of the cobra goddess Renenutet inside a Greco-Roman town in the desert south of the lake.

What to do there
  • See the Middle Kingdom temple of the cobra goddess Renenutet
  • Walk the processional way through the Ptolemaic town

Medinet Madi5JRR+VWP, Monshaat El-Amir, Atsa, Faiyum Governorate 2832597Best: morning, late morning, afternoonOn the map ›Something wrong?

Qasr Qarun Temple (Dionysias)

about 60 min

A Ptolemaic temple of Sobek and Dionysus near Lake Qarun, lit inside by the sun every 21 December.

What to do there
  • See the Ptolemaic temple of Sobek and Dionysus
  • Come on 21 December, when the sun lights the inner sanctum
  • Look for the Sobek carvings and the Ptolemaic-era remains

Qasr QarunQasr Qarun entrance, Youssef Al Seddik, Faiyum Governorate 63619Best: morning, late morning, afternoonOn the map ›Something wrong?

Wadi El Rayan Lake

about 60 min

A lake inside the Wadi El Rayan reserve with waterfalls and oasis views; its listing shows no opening hours.

What to do there
  • Go boating on the lake
  • Watch birds from the shore
  • Try fishing
  • Take photos of the waterfalls and the oasis

Wadi El Rayan5CR2+9F4, Wadi El Rayan, Al Faiyum Governorate Desert, Faiyum Governorate 2812001Best: morning, late morning, afternoon, golden hourOn the map ›Something wrong?

Hours unverified: they come from its listing and may have changed.

Where can you spend the middle of the day?

Fayoum Art Center and Caricature Museum

about 60 min

An art centre in Tunis village that holds the first caricature museum in the Middle East; closed Tuesdays.

What to do there
  • See about 500 cartoons, the oldest from 1927
  • Visit the first caricature museum in the Middle East
  • Join a workshop
  • Let children play in the kids area

Tunis VillageQaroun, Youssef Al Seddik, Faiyum Governorate 2822613Best: late morning, afternoon, golden hourWebsite ›On the map ›Something wrong?

Hours unverified: they come from its listing and may have changed.

Fayoum Pottery School

about 60 min

The pottery school that helped make Tunis village known for pottery; open 10 am to 6 pm, Sunday to 5 pm.

What to do there
  • Visit the school that keeps Faiyum's pottery tradition alive
  • Look for pottery to take home

Tunis VillageQaroun, Youssef Al Seddik, Faiyum GovernorateBest: morning, late morning, afternoonOn the map ›Something wrong?

Hours unverified: they come from its listing and may have changed.

Skylark

about 40 min

A craft shop and gallery in Tunis village; reviews mention ceramics and unique products; open 10 am to 11 pm or later.

What to do there
  • Shop for local ceramics
  • Look for authentic handmade items

Tunis Village9FXV+57C, Qaroun, Ibsheway, Faiyum Governorate 2822671Best: late morning, afternoon, golden hour, dinnerOn the map ›Something wrong?

Hours unverified: they come from its listing and may have changed.

Ibis Restaurant & Cooking School

about 75 min

A restaurant and cooking school at a pottery atelier in Tunis village; reviews mention the lake view; open 9:30 am to 9 pm.

What to do there
  • Take a cooking class at the cooking school
  • Eat with a view over the lake
  • Try the apple crumble or the carrot cake

Tunis VillageIzbet, Youssef Al Seddik, Faiyum Governorate 2822670Best: lunch, dinner, golden hourOn the map ›Something wrong?

Hours unverified: they come from its listing and may have changed.

Tunis Village Restaurant

about 70 min

An Egyptian restaurant in Tunis village, open 9 am to 10 pm; reviews mention friendly staff, quiet and feteer meshaltet.

What to do there
  • Order the feteer meshaltet
  • Taste the homemade food
  • Sit somewhere quiet with a view

Tunis VillageQaroun, Youssef Al Seddik, Faiyum Governorate 62636Best: lunch, dinnerOn the map ›Something wrong?

Hours unverified: they come from its listing and may have changed.

What is best at golden hour?

Wadi El Rayan Nature Reserve

about 120 min

A desert nature reserve with two lakes joined by Egypt's largest waterfalls, dunes and safari tracks; open 7 am to 5 pm.

What to do there
  • See Egypt's largest waterfalls between the two lakes
  • Try water sports around the waterfalls
  • Watch birds around the springs and waterfall
  • Go sandboarding on the dunes
  • Join a desert safari
  • Ride a camel

Wadi El RayanYoussef Al Seddik, Faiyum Governorate 2812001Best: morning, late morning, afternoon, golden hourOn the map ›Something wrong?

Hours unverified: they come from its listing and may have changed.

Wadi El Rayan Lake

about 60 min

A lake inside the Wadi El Rayan reserve with waterfalls and oasis views; its listing shows no opening hours.

What to do there
  • Go boating on the lake
  • Watch birds from the shore
  • Try fishing
  • Take photos of the waterfalls and the oasis

Wadi El Rayan5CR2+9F4, Wadi El Rayan, Al Faiyum Governorate Desert, Faiyum Governorate 2812001Best: morning, late morning, afternoon, golden hourOn the map ›Something wrong?

Hours unverified: they come from its listing and may have changed.

In short

See the 5 open-air places early in the day; spend the hot hours at the 5 indoor or shaded ones.

Every place in Fayoum ›