Global 'Highlander' Experience is Coming to Egypt

The swaying of the reeds. The crashing of the waterfalls. The beating wings of the flamingoes during their winter migration, and the haunting silence of an ancient whale, whose fossilised remains jut out of the sand. These aren't the first images that come to mind when people think of Egypt - but that's only if those people haven't had the chance to break away from Egypt's more typical tourist hotspots.

Drawn by some of the country's most underrated natural wonders, global hiking series 'Highlander' is coming to Egypt for the first time. Having hosted experiences the world over, including Croatia, UAE and Portugal (and also going to Morocco for the first time this year), 'Highlander' events challenge would-be adventurers to long-distance hikes. It's not a race - everyone is encouraged to hike at their own pace. And 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 (and this time, there really can be more than one).

'Highlander' events are organised with sustainability in mind, hoping to inspire people by taking them through natural beauties that are specific to the country they're in. In that spirit, they're teaming up with Eco Egypt, a campaign led by the Ministry of Environment, to take us on an epic hike through Wadi Al-Rayan, a protected nature reserve within the gorgeous deserts of Fayoum.

'HIGHLANDER55 Qusoor Al-Arab' is a three-day weekend adventure organised by MaveriX and Dune Raider that will bring you hiking and camping across Wadi Al-Rayan, taking you through 60 KM of wilderness until you reach the titular 'Qusoor Al-Arab' - a unique rock formation that looks so much like a fortress that their name translates to 'Palaces of the Arabs'. On the way, you will have the opportunity to encounter over 160 species of birds and 38 species of mammals and reptiles, and visit the Wadi al-Hitan Fossil and Climate Change Museum, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, where you can walk through the petrified ocean over 40-million-years-old, and discover all the fossils they have there, including the prehistoric 18-metre long Basilosaurus.

For those who can't spare a full weekend, 'Highlander' offers an alternative trip - called the 'HIGHLANDER Experience Qusoor Al-Arab' - which will take hikers straight to Qusoor Al-Arab in one day and one night over a 24 KM hike.

Throughout the course of the event, participants will be able to do some yoga, some stargazing, and some serious jam sessions amongst musicians - all part of this beautiful journey through Fayoum.