Al-Fayoum oasis

Al Fayoum Oasis Egypt is one of Egypt’s best-kept secrets, and it provides visitors with the opportunity to see some of the country’s most breathtaking natural attractions. This article’s objective is to give every tourist all the information and details they could need on the Al Fayoum Oasis. This article was authored by a group of highly experienced travel professionals, including tour operators, tour guides, and travel advisors. They are well-versed in all the information pertaining to the wondrous Al Fayoum Oasis.

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Where is Al-Fayoum oasis Egypt located?

The city of Al Fayoum may be found in the heart of Egypt, about 100 kilometers (62 miles) southeast of Cairo (Memphis). It extends from the Nile to the lake of brisket Qarun, which is a particularly well-known location for duck hunting and has hosted notable hunters like King Farouk and Winston Churchill.

The History of Al Fayoum oasis Egypt:

During the Old Kingdom (around 2613–2181 BCE), the kings of Memphis called it Faiyum Ta-She, which means “Land of the Lakes” or “Land of the Southern Lakes.” In the middle kingdom, from 2040 to 1782 B.C., it was called Pa-Yom, which means “The Sea” or “The Lake” in the Hebrew Bible.

The city significantly impacted the country’s culture during the 12th dynasty of Egypt’s golden age, also known as the Middle Kingdom. However, it lost its importance during the New Kingdom (1570–1070 BC). The town got a boost during the Ptolemaic dynasty (323–30 B.C.), and in the Roman period (30 BC–646 CE), the city reached an increase but went down again. The crocodile god Sobek was worshipped in Faiyum.

Ancient Egyptians loved Faiyum, the twenty-first nome of Upper Egypt, and went by the name Atef-Pehu (“Northern Sycamore”). In ancient Egypt, the capital of Faiyum was called “Shedyt.” The ancient Greeks called it “Crocodilopolis,” and when Ptolemy II was in charge, it was also called “Arsinoe.”

Al Fayoum has the earliest and oldest evidence of farming in Egypt. It was a center for building royal pyramids and tombs during the Twelfth dynasty of the Middle Kingdom and the Ptolemaic dynasty when it became the breadbaskets of the Roman world.

Today, the city is known as Al Fayoum Portraits because it has an extensive collection of mummy masks made in later times and looks fantastic. The covers were painted wood with colored wax to show how Greek people moved to Egypt. During Islamic times in the 7th century, it was a center for trade. Today, the city is a rich agricultural and cultural center with many impressive ruins from ancient Egypt.

Al Fayoum Oasis facts:

• Al Fayoum City was a desert basin, but when one of the Nile’s branches clogged up and sent water to it, it turned into a lush oasis. The green cultivated land of Al Fayoum Oasis is made from Nile mud brought down by the Bahr Yussef, a canal that connects Faiyum to the Nile River and is 24 km (15 miles) long.
• Al Fayoum is known for Wadi Rayyan, which has the largest waterfalls in Egypt. The lake was first mentioned around 3000 BC when Menes was king (Narmer).
• It is 65 km from the city of Al Fayoum, which is in a desert area with a small waterfall and several natural springs, as well as a variety of reptiles, mammals, birds, and some rare endangered species.
• Wadi El Hitan is part of Faiyum and is a UNESCO world heritage site because it has hundreds of archaeometry, which are whale fossils from several hundred thousand years ago. No other place on earth has this many high-quality fossils in one place, and they were mainly used to figure out how whales changed over time.
• The Al Fayoum oasis is close to the Nile and Cairo, one of the largest oases in Egypt. It has a lake called Qarun that began to form about 70,000 years ago. Archaeologist sites like temples from the Ptolemaic era, like the temple of Sobek, the crocodile on the lake’s western shore, are found in the oasis. The oasis is also home to several migrating birds.

Check this article the Western Desert and Oasis

Places to Visit in Egypt Al Fayoum Oasis:

1- Wadi El Rayan

This nature reserve is a popular place for bird watchers and people who like to sandboard. It has beautiful waterfalls and one of the few remaining populations of the endangered slender-horned gazelle. This biodiverse protectorate is made up of two lakes that are connected by the largest waterfalls in Egypt. The site is 65 km southwest of Fayoum, and there are beautiful springs and sand dunes all around it.

2- Pottery at Tunis Village

This village is one of the most beautiful places in all of Egypt. It sits on top of a hill with a view of Lake Qarun, the country’s second-largest lake. In the 1980s, Swiss potter Evelyn Porret changed the village by building a country house in the style of Hassan Fathi’s famous green buildings spread throughout the town. With a pottery studio, Porret also helped get people interested in pottery in the village. Some of the best potters in the country live in the town now. People also like visiting the village to watch birds and ride horses.

3- Magic lake

This lake is one of the most popular in Al Fayoum Oasis. It is surrounded by dunes, rock formations, and Mudawara Mountain. Magic Lake is called Magic Lake because the water changes colors several times daily. It is a great place to go swimming in the middle of the desert. Magic Lake is in Wadi El Hitan, and the area around it is a popular place to go camping and sandboarding.

4- The Valley of the Whales (Wadi el Hitan)

This UNESCO World Heritage Site and National Park is one of Egypt’s best places for paleontology. It has fossils of Archaeoceti, which UNESCO calls “the earliest and now extinct suborder of whales.” It is thought to be the most important place in the world to study evolution because it helps us figure out what happened when the whale changed from a land-based mammal to one that lives in the water.

It is a unique site in Egypt, a treasure trove of whale fossils that have been carefully preserved. In addition, fossils of other creatures, including turtles, crocodiles, and sawfish, have been discovered.

5- Medinet Madi Temple

Some people think that Medinet Madi, also known as “The City of the Past,” is the most important ancient site in Al Fayoum Oasis. It has a Middle Kingdom temple that was built by Amunmehet III during the 12th Dynasty and was dedicated to Renenutet, the goddess of snakes. During the time of the Ptolemies, the temple was made bigger.

6- The lake Qaroun

20 km from Al Fayoum is Lake Qaroun, one of the oldest and most important natural lakes, where people often fish, do water sports, and watch birds. It is home to many types of birds, mammals, and reptiles, and it is close to both Qasr Qaroun and Qasr El-Sagha.

Things and activities to do in Egypt Al Fayoum Oasis:

bird watching

You can explore and see various birds in Al Fayoum throughout the year, but the months of October to the end of April are known as Al Fayoum bird season, as more than 30 species flock to the oasis during this season.

horseback riding

Explore the scenic surroundings of Al Fayoum Oasis on horseback in the desert.

Sandboarding and parasailing

Nothing is better than exploring Al Fayoum and then dune bashing or skydiving amidst the fantastic bird scenery.

Desert Safari by Jeep (Four by Four)

Explore the beauty of the Al Fayoum Oasis with an off-road Jeep adventure deep in the desert. Local adventure companies hold day and night camping trips.

Felucca Picnic

Enjoy and relax on a trip along the shore of Lake Qarun in Felucca.

Best time to visit Al Fayoum:

From October to April is the best time to visit Al Fayoum Oasis Egypt

Don’t miss to check this article about the Best time to visit Egypt

Best hotels in Fayoum:

• Lazib Inn Resort & Spa
• Helnan Auberge Fayoum
• Tunis village Faiyum
• Tzila Lodge

Summary

Al Fayoum Oasis is well known because it is Egypt’s only artificial oasis and one of the most beautiful natural places in the country. In ancient Egypt, it was called Shedet, and the Greeks called it Koine Greek, which means “Crocodile City.” The Romans called it Arsinoe, and in the Bible, it was called Joseph’s canal.

Don’t miss the opportunity to visit this undiscovered treasure on one of our Egypt Vacation Packages if you ever find yourself in Cairo, since the city of Al Fayoum is one of Egypt’s most gorgeous and secret locations, check Day Tour to El Fayoum from Cairo