Wadi Degla Protectorate

The wadi runs about thirty kilometres east from the edge of Maadi into the Eastern Desert, a dry valley cut through Eocene limestone by water that stopped flowing a very long time ago, with walls up to fifty metres and a flat gravel floor that makes for easy walking. It was declared a protected area in 1999 and it works as Cairo's nearest piece of open desert: runners and cyclists use the first few kilometres constantly, and beyond that the traffic thins to almost nothing. Marine fossils are visible in the rock, evidence of the sea that laid the limestone down. Foxes, gazelle and rock hyrax are present although sightings are a matter of luck and timing. Flash floods still come through occasionally in winter and rearrange the floor.

What you actually see

• Fifty-metre limestone walls - a dry canyon at the city edge.
• Marine fossils in the rock - shells from the sea that made the limestone.
• A flat gravel floor - straightforward walking and riding for kilometres.
• Desert wildlife - foxes and hyrax, with gazelle further in.

When to go

October to April, and early morning or late afternoon even then. Fridays bring Cairo runners and cyclists in numbers to the first stretch. Half a day gets you well into the quiet section. Avoid days with rain forecast because of flash flood risk.

Honest expectations

The first kilometres near the gate are littered and heavily used. There is no water, shade or shelter beyond the entrance, and phone signal fails quickly. Summer is genuinely dangerous here. Wildlife sightings are rare and should not be the reason for the trip.

Nearby

Maadi is at the mouth of the wadi; the Eastern Desert opens out to the east.