Meet your guide at your Cairo hotel, and watch the city give way to orchards and green fields on the 65-mile (105-km) trip to Lake Qarun in a private, air-conditioned vehicle. Spot some of the stunning birds that thrive at the edge of this salty lake, from black-necked grebes to ibis and flamingos. Continue to the local museum to see stunning examples of Fayoum’s mummy portraits, cloth panel paintings with distinctive Greco-Roman influence. Learn about local history and culture while exploring the museum with your guide, and don’t miss the remarkable collection of statues from regional archeological sites. Cool off in the waterfalls of Wadi El-Rayan, where reed lined channels link a pair of brackish lakes, then take a scenic trip on a felucca, a wooden sailing boat with an elegant, gaff-rigged sail. Take a walk along the shoreline and visit a local restaurant for an Egyptian-style lunch, then finish the day with return transfer to your hotel.