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National Parks of the Sinai
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The South Sinai is one of the most amazingly beautiful landscapes on the planet and in the past few years much of it has been set aside as national parks.
Ras Mohammed National Park
The most famous, and the first of the national parks was only established in 1983 and is approximately 25 km southwest of Sharm El Sheik. Located at the southern most tip of the Sinai it is easily accessible by car or boat. Here the desert edges into the sea then drops off into rich coral reefs. The park is home to a variety of stunning geological features and inhabited by gazelles, foxes, lizards, and ibexes mainly see at night. Within the park are located Mangrove trees which are a breeding area and habitat for both migrating and residential birds such as the white stork and birds of prey.
Nabq Protected Area
The largest coastal Protectorate on the Gulf of Aqaba, Nabq, extends over an area of 600 square kilometres and is located approximately 35km north of Sharm El Sheikh. The area is famous for its sand dunes found at the mouth of Wadi Kid and for the Mangrove stands which are the most northerly as well as the largest in the Sinai. The shallow, calm waters at their roots provide important protection for small fish and the vegetation offers refuge to many bird species including herons, ospreys and migratory storks. The coral reefs are teeming with life but visibility is frequently poor due to the fine sediments washing out of the mangrove area.
Abu Galum
Abu Galum is probably the most beautiful of the protected areas with its narrow wadis (valleys), high granite mountains, freshwater springs and coastal sand dunes. The wadis run down the mountains into the sea and these channels shelter many plant species as well as Nubian Ibex, Hyrax and Red Fox. Although not as easily accessible, we can arrange camels with Bedouin guides to show you this area. Diving trips can be arranged here.
St Katherine’s Protectorate
St Katherine’s and its surrounding region is the newest protected area. Encompassing Mount Sinai and other nearby attractions the region was designated a protected area due to the growth of tourism and the increase in waste and damage that does with it.
According to 1993 regulations all visitors to the national parks, both by land and sea, must pay $5 per day to which goes towards their preservation
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