THE FAYOUMNational park
Wadi El-Rayan Waterfalls
29.2100, 30.4300
The Wadi El-Rayan Waterfalls are a surreal sight: Egypt's only waterfalls, tumbling gently between two desert lakes in a protected area of the Fayoum. They're modest in height but genuinely unexpected, a rush of moving water framed by pure sand and open sky.
The falls formed where agricultural drainage links an upper and lower lake, and today the spot is a popular picnic and photo stop, with little cafes, birdlife and the chance to walk along the water. The wider protectorate stretches into dunes and the fossil-rich Valley of the Whales beyond.
Don't come expecting Niagara; come for the strangeness of falling water in the middle of the desert, and pair it with the lakes, dunes and Magic Lake for a full day out from Cairo.
Know before you go
Weekends and holidays bring domestic crowds and litter, so visit midweek and consider a 4x4 to explore the quieter dunes and lakes beyond.