About 100 kilometers southwest of Cairo, the busy city gives way to something most visitors never expect from Egypt: waterfalls. Wadi El Rayan is a protected desert lake and waterfall system, formed when engineers redirected floodwater into the depression decades ago, and it’s now one of the most peaceful natural spots within reach of the capital.

Our Fayoum day trip usually starts with a 4×4 jeep ride out to the waterfalls and the so-called Magic Lake, where the water shifts color through the day. From there, we head into the surrounding dunes for a proper desert experience — sandboarding down the slopes, a rest stop for tea in the shade, and a lunch of grilled chicken that tastes better than it has any right to after a morning in the sun.

Fayoum is also home to the Valley of the Whales (Wadi Al-Hitan), a UNESCO World Heritage site where fossils of some of the earliest whale ancestors are still visible in the rock, evidence that this desert was once seafloor. It’s a long day trip from Cairo, but for travelers who’ve already covered the pyramids and want to see a completely different side of Egypt, Fayoum is consistently one of the most memorable additions to an itinerary.