Sand Dunes

On the desert edge of Lake Qarun, the Fayoum dunes rise in smooth golden waves — a taste of the Sahara barely two hours from Cairo. This is the oasis's playground for sandboarding, with runs down the soft faces and 4x4 tracks that climb to wide ridgelines overlooking the lake and shimmering flats beyond.

The real reward is the sunset, when the low light rakes across the dunes and the whole desert glows amber before the cold, star-thick night sets in. Come for an afternoon of boarding and dune-bashing, or push on to a desert camp for tea, a fire and one of the clearest night skies within easy reach of the capital.