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Voykit pocket guide · Egypt
Fayum
الفيوم
Spend 2 days in Fayum to see the lakes, ancient sites and local crafts; travel from Cairo by microbus (≈2 h) or slow train.
Fayum lies 90 km southwest of Cairo in Lower Egypt. Its main draws are Lake Qaroun, the ancient Crocodile City sites and pottery villages. A short stay lets you sample the lakeside scenery, visit a few archaeological parks and stay in an eco‑lodge without a rushed schedule.
- Country
- Egypt
- Local name
- الفيوم
- Best months
- Oct–Apr
- Avoid
- Jun–Aug (very hot)
- Stay
- 2 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- EGP
- Money
- Currency is the Egyptian pound (EGP, also written LE or £E). Hotels, cruise boats and larger restaurants take cards; taxis, markets, small cafés, tips and toilet attendants are cash.
- Daily spend
- Budget EGP 300–500 excl. bed · Mid EGP 500–800 excl. bed · High EGP 800+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Vodafone, Orange, Etisalat (e&) and WE sell tourist SIMs at Cairo airport with passport; about EGP 500–1,000 for 20–40 GB — check.
- Emergency
- Police 122 · Ambulance 123 · Tourist police 126
- Plugs
- Types C, F · 220 V · 50 Hz · European round-pin sockets.
- Tipping
- Restaurant: 10% even when service is added (it rarely reaches staff).; Guide, full day: US$10–20 per person.; Driver, full day: US$5–10.; Cruise crew: About US$5–10 per person per day in the envelope.; Toilet, porter, small help: EGP 10–30.
- Water
- Tap water is chlorinated in cities but most visitors drink bottled; do not drink Nile water.
- Toilets
- Western toilets in hotels and restaurants; attendants at sites expect EGP 10–20. Carry tissue.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee at a café | EGP 5–10 |
| Koshary plate | EGP 15–30 |
| Bottle of water (1.5 L) | EGP 5–8 |
| Taxi 5 km (3.1 mi)Taxi 3.1 mi (5 km) | EGP 80–120 |
| Entry to a museum/site | EGP 10–30 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- CAI · Cairo International Airport
- ≈2 h by microbus to Fayum
Typical fares
- Cairo → Fayum microbus
- about EGP 120 one‑way, 2 h (check)
- Taxi Lake Qaroun round‑trip
- about EGP 80 per person (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Microbuses run from Ramses Square (Cairo) and El‑Remaya (Giza) to Fayum every hour; slow trains also connect. Within the oasis use taxis or rented bicycles. Most sites are 10–30 km (6.2–19 mi) from the city centre, so allow 15‑30 min travel each.Microbuses run from Ramses Square (Cairo) and El‑Remaya (Giza) to Fayum every hour; slow trains also connect. Within the oasis use taxis or rented bicycles. Most sites are 6.2–19 mi (10–30 km) from the city centre, so allow 15‑30 min travel each.
See and do
Known for
- Lake Qaroun
- Archaeological sites of Crocodilopolis
- Pottery villages (Tunis, al‑Nazla)
- Waterwheels and traditional farms
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Lake Qaroun | Taxi or local bus, 15 min from Fayum centre | ≈30 min total |
| Medinet Madi Archaeological Park | Taxi, 20 km (12 mi) north, ~30 minTaxi, 12 mi (20 km) north, ~30 min | ≈1 h |
| Karanis Site Museum | Taxi, 30 km (19 mi) east, ~40 minTaxi, 19 mi (30 km) east, ~40 min | ≈1 h 20 min |
Sleep
- Honey Day Hotel
- Central Fayum, easy access to bus station
- Helnan Auberge Fayoum
- Eco‑lodge near As Saeedeyah, good for pottery village trips
- Oasis Resort and Hotel
- Lake Qaroun, water slides, family‑friendly
- Zad Al‑Mosafer
- Tunis Village, close to pottery workshops
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Excuse me / Sorry | عفواًʿafwan |
| Thank you | شكراًshukran |
| How much is this? | بكم هذا؟bikam hādhā? |
| Where is the bathroom? | أين الحمام؟ayna al‑ḥammām? |
| Can I have the bill? | الفاتورة من فضلكal‑fātūra min faḍlik |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: 'Salam alaykum', handshake; wait for a woman to offer her hand; avoid: Hugging strangers
- Eating: Right hand; accept tea; avoid: Refusing hospitality flatly
- Bargaining: Humour and patience; avoid: Anger
- Dress: Shoulders and knees covered in cities; avoid: Beachwear outside resorts
- Baksheesh: Keep small notes ready; avoid: Showing a thick wallet
- Photos: Ask; pay if agreed; avoid: Photographing police or military
Scams and watch-outs
- Summer temperatures often exceed 40 °C; carry water and sun protection.
- Public transport schedules may change on holidays; confirm times in Cairo.
- Some remote sites (Meidum, Wadi Rayan) have limited facilities; arrange a taxi or guide.
Generally safe; keep valuables hidden, watch for pickpockets in markets, and avoid walking alone after dark.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Fayum yet. Suggested stay: 2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Lake Qaroun
- Archaeological sites of Crocodilopolis
- Pottery villages (Tunis, al‑Nazla)
- Waterwheels and traditional farms
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikidata – Fayum: www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q12345
- Wikivoyage: Fayum, revision 5230632 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5230632
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/fayum). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.