The Tour Continues with a Visit to The Valley of the Whales (and a night camping in the desert)

The ladies tour continues with a visit to the "Valley of the Whales", about ninety miles southwest of Cairo.

 

This was a rather obscure location in the Western Desert when we first visited it in 2014. Since that time Wadi al-Hitan has become the home of the Climate Change Museum, received protection under under the United Nations and has become a regular stop for many tourists in Egypt.

The group got an early 9:00 AM start in the touring van, stopping to pick up Linda at our apartment before heading out toward Fayoum. 

 

At Fayoum, the route passes beside the south shore of Lake Qarun.  The lake itself is well below sea level with the surrounding area a verdant agricultural area.  The city of Fayoum is home to an estimated million residents with another two million or more in the surrounding villages.

 

Two years ago, we spent time on the north shore of the lake where there are significant archeological as well as natural treasures worth a separate visit. 

As in previous visits, our group changed from minivan to desert 4x4 vehicles just beyond Fayoum as they entered the golden sands of the Sahara.

 

  

 

The buildings at the valley of the whales, including the Climate Museum, have an eerie futuristic look to them and blend well with the surrounding desert. 

 

After an orientation in the museum, touring groups set out for a hike among the well preserved and identified fossils of large "sea cows" and other fish and mammals that once inhabited this sea and shore miles from any water today.

 

Paths offer a variety of walking tours, short and long, through the fossil area. 

  

 

For Linda, the scene in the parking lot offered a stark contrast to our first visit when only our 4x4 and one other were found in the area during a long afternoon's visit. 

 

Shortly after leaving the whale bones behind, it was time for lunch.  The two-car caravan pulled in behind the shelter or a large rock outcropping and the drivers set up a luncheon table.  A picnic lunch appeared from the 4x4s and, of course, was accompanied by freshly brewed tea.

  

 

This was to be a two-day outing with the first stop being this visit to the whale bones, followed by an afternoon meal in the desert and ending at a remote campsite for dinner and tenting overnight.  (to be continued)

For more photos, follow this link to our Flickr Album.

For earlier visits to the Valley of the Whales, follow these links.

For our visit to the north shore of Lake Quran, follow this link.