Country
Fossil hunting in Egypt
Egypt's Western Desert preserves the world's most important record of early whale evolution at Wadi Al-Hitan (Valley of the Whales), a UNESCO World Heritage Site where dozens of articulated archaeocete skeletons lie exposed in the sand, complete with vestigial hind limbs from the land-to-sea transition.
Wadi Al-Hitan is part of the Wadi El-Rayan Protected Area; access is via a 2 km looped walking trail among the in-situ whale skeletons. Collecting is strictly prohibited and the site is patrolled. Foreign visitors pay a modest entry fee (~US$15) plus the protected-area fee.
Practical notes: the site is 3–4 hours by road from Cairo, much of the final stretch unpaved. Visit November–March to avoid extreme desert heat. A 4WD vehicle is strongly recommended; many travellers join a guided day trip from Cairo.
Top picks: Wadi Al-Hitan, Faiyum (Eocene whale fossils, fee-based in-situ viewing).
1 fossil site
