Global Hiking Festival HIGHLANDER Comes to Egypt for First Time

In Egypt, a desert is not just sand and dunes. A journey through the desert can take you to a lakeside oasis and an ancient petrified ocean. It can be a home to endangered animal species, and a destination for travellers to marvel at. All this is true at Wadi Al-Rayan, a protectorate located in the governorate of Fayoum and about 100 km southwest of Cairo. And it is here where the world’s largest hiking festival, HIGHLANDER, is setting foot for the first time.

Having hosted experiences the world over, including Croatia, the UAE and Portugal, HIGHLANDER challenges would-be adventurers to long-distance hikes. Everyone is encouraged to hike at their own pace, taking the opportunity to enjoy the natural beauty of their environments rather than race through it. For those who reach the end of the hike within a certain period of time, they are awarded with a finisher badge and are granted the status of ‘Highlander’.

Organised by Dune Raider, a harbinger of cultural excursions, and supported by Egypt’s Ministry of Environment and UNDP in partnership with Eco Egypt Experiences, the festival’s first excursion into Egypt takes hikers through one of the country’s most underappreciated natural wonders. Tailored to beginners and experienced adventurers alike, HIGHLANDER offers two hiking formats through Wadi Al-Rayan, both of which begin with an orientation day on November 23rd.

HIGHLANDER55 is a three-day, two-night journey that begins on November 24th at the lower lakes of Wadi Al-Rayan, where you may see Fennec foxes congregate to drink from its waters.

Over the weekend you will pass by Qusoor Al-Arab - a desertscape featuring a large rock formation that, if you look at it right, looms over you like a prince’s palace, hence the name - before arriving at Wadi al-Hitan, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Wadi al-Hitan - also known as ‘Valley of the Whales’ - earned the designation by being a 40-million-year-old petrified ocean containing hundreds of fossils. Hikers will have the opportunity to visit the Wadi al-Hitan Fossil and Climate Change Museum, where they can see the now-famous giant fossil of a 18-metre long Basilosaurus.

For a shorter overnight hike, HIGHLANDER offers the ‘HIGHLANDER Experience’, taking adventurers with tighter schedules from the lower lakes to Qusoor Al-Arab over 24 km.

While you can register for the event through their website, HIGHLANDER is also offering a special 50% discount for Egyptian participants with a promo code. To get the promo code, you can contact the organisers by DMing HIGHLANDER Egypt's Instagram page or through 012 8545 2447 (by phone or by WhatsApp). To register, visit https://highlanderadventure.com/valley-of-the-whales/en-us/register-overview