Wadi al Hitan وادي الحيتان
Faiyum, Egypt UNESCO World Heritage Site
Wadi al Hitan is a natural monument and paleontological site in Egypt. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site located in the Faiyum Governorate.
Planning a visit
The weather is warmest from May to September, with daily highs reaching about 36 °C. The coolest months are January and February, when highs are around 18-19 °C and lows are about 8 °C. Rainfall is minimal throughout the year, with most months seeing only about 2 mm of rain.
Visitors can reach the site from Cairo, which is 144 km away. Sphinx International Airport is the nearest airport, located 124 km from the site. Wadi al Hitan can be combined with a visit to Wadi El Rayan, which is about 40 km away. It is one of the 72 sights of Egypt listed on this site and is ranked 45th among the country's sights for English Wikipedia lookups.
Weather by month
The warmest month is July, with an average high of 36 °C. Rain is spread fairly evenly through the year.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average high, °C | 18 | 19 | 23 | 28 | 32 | 35 | 36 | 36 | 33 | 29 | 24 | 19 |
| Average low, °C | 8 | 8 | 10 | 14 | 17 | 20 | 21 | 21 | 20 | 17 | 13 | 9 |
| Rainfall, mm | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| Rainy days | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 2 |
Temperatures and rainfall: 1981–2010 averages for this spot (4 km grid), from CHELSA. Rainy days: 2015–2024, NASA POWER.
