Fayoum

Most people driving from Cairo to Siwa or the Bahariya Oasis pass straight through the Fayoum without stopping, which is how an entire green, agricultural, ancient region ends up on nobody's list.

The Fayoum is a depression west of the Nile fed by a single channel, and it has been farmed for five thousand years. The old kingdom pharaohs built a pyramid at Hawara here, and the papyrus industry that fed Greek and Roman markets was centred on Lake Qarun.

What to do

Lake Qarun and Qasr Qarun. The lake is now salty and shrinking, a habitat for birds including large flocks of flamingos in winter. The ruin of the Roman palace at Qasr Qarun is in remarkably good condition, with intact frescoes in the entrance hall.

Wadi El Rayan. A chain of lakes in the desert west of the Fayoum, where you can swim in a freshwater lake in the middle of the desert and then buy grilled fish a few metres from the water.

Toshka and the Lake Nasser. The southern end of the Fayoum touches the western shore of Lake Nasser, and the roads that were built for irrigation during the Aswan High Dam project now lead nowhere in particular, which makes them good for cycling.

Getting around

The Fayoum is big and the public transport is thin. A car is worth it, and the local towns are small enough to cross on foot once you park.