Wadi El Rayan Nature Reserve in Fayoum welcomed visitors to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Wadi El Hitan to watch the Perseid meteor shower during the night of August 12-13, 2026.
The event, attended by Fayoum Governor Mohamed Hany Ghoneim, offered visitors a unique experience combining the beauty of the night sky with the site’s environmental, geological and historical significance.
Environment and Local Development Minister Manal Awad said the Perseids are among the most active and well-known meteor showers, reaching their peak in August.
The meteors appear when small particles enter Earth’s atmosphere at high speeds and burn up, creating brief flashes of light across the sky.
She noted that this year’s peak coincided with a new moon, creating darker skies and better conditions for viewing the meteors.
Awad said watching the phenomenon at Wadi El Hitan offered more than stargazing, allowing visitors to explore one of Egypt’s most important natural and geological sites.
The area contains fossils documenting a key stage in whale evolution, when the animals transitioned from land to marine life.
Wadi El Hitan was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2005.
Awad said such events support Egypt’s efforts to promote sustainable eco-tourism while protecting natural resources.
She added that Wadi El Hitan was renewed on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Green List of protected and conserved areas for five years, from April 2026 to April 2031.
