From Cairo 4x4 Safari Camel Ride Magic Lake Waterfalls and Lunch

I specifically booked this tour to visit the valley of Whales. The extra experiences were interesting. I was picked up at my hotel and driven out to Zad El Mosafer Hotel Guest House in Faiyum. (South West of Cairo) At the hotel I was offered coffee or tea, provided a water bottle, and a light snack. We then jumped in a 4x4 vehicle to go dune bashing. The desert landscape was incredible. The driver was very skilled and made the ride fun. This experience would probably be better with friends but was good as a solo traveler as well. The absolute highlight, was next. Valley of the Whales (Wadi Al-Hitan). I loved this! There is a clear path to follow to view the bones in the valley. The museum is fascinating, and the coral remains are spectacular. It's mind boggling to think the valley used to be a body of water with marine life. The valley is 100% worth visiting. One thing to note is that in the museum, they have a little theatre they show a short Nat geo video of the area. The staff ask for a tip after the video is completed. After the valley, I was taken to Qasr Qarun and Medinet Quta where I could have tried sandboarding. I opted out as I was going to be the only one on the dune. I'd rather participate with a group. The views of the lake were beautiful. It's interesting to learn they don't have any water sports on the lake. From Qasr Qarun and Medinet Quta we moved on to Wadi El-Rayan. This is a major tourist stop for locals and international visitors alike. This is where you can opt into riding a camel or horse. From a North American perspective, I don't recommend this experience to those who are animal activists or sensitive to how animals are treated. I observed the staff being very rough with the camels and horses. Most scheduled tour operators in Egypt advise against camel rides and I can see why. The waterfalls are beautiful but with all the building up of the area around them, they almost look manmade. Wadi el-Rayan has a market you can visit. I am not a shopper so passed on this experience as well. For those who like souvenirs this is a decent spot to get an item or two. The prices are a little high according to my guide but the quality looked better than other locations. After visiting Wadi El- Rayan, it was back to the hotel for lunch. The lunch was delicious and very filling. Too much food was offered but I was so grateful for it. It consisted of BBQ chicken, yellow rice, pita bread, orzo soup, and tomato and cucumber salad. Then it was the long drive back to Cairo. My guide was great and it was nice to learn about his family, Egyptian life, and some of the history he knows. After

This was an amazing experience- Somaya was very knowledgeable and took some amazing pictures in the best locations - everything was included - i loved the sandboarding experience

I had so much fun off roading and trying my hand at sand boarding. It was a great day of exploring and Berry is a great guide. Our first tour with so well that I booked this one with her! Also had a chance to meet the guy that runs the operation. They are good people ☺️.