Wadi El Hitan (The Whales Valley)
Discover authentic desert adventure at one of this Unesco World Heritage Site; a home to the earliest prehistoric whale fossils discovered. More than 400 basilosaurus and dorodontus (both water predators) skeletons found here are around 40 million years old. They show clearly the evolution of land-based mammals into sea-going ones, as they have vestigial front and back legs.
The sands are also studded with the remains of manatees and big bony fish which look out of place in the vast desert.
In addition to fossils, the valley is rich in different types of rock formations weathered by water and air to create interesting patterns and shapes.
The Whales Valley is a beautiful campsite as well, a good escape place with toilets and camping facilities.
Museum
Wadi Al Hittan Fossil and Climate Change Museum. The circular one-room museum provides a good explanation of the geological history and nature of the area, with a series of information boards and fossil displays that surround the crowning exhibit – an 18 metre long skeleton of a Basilosaurus Isis whale. There’s also a short documentary about the Wadi Al Hittan Complex.
5 Comments