Visit Some Of Egypt’s Best National Parks This Year

Egypt is renowned for its magnificent pyramids, the Sphinx and other fascinating locations, but there is more to this country than history. In fact, Egypt’s national parks span deserts and mountains, and the teeming coral reefs of the Red Sea. Here, we briefly explore some of the best Egyptian national parks to experience in 2022.

National Parks of Egypt

Spreading out from the fertile strip of the Nile Valley, Egypt’s national parks are just as fascinating as its famous pyramids and temples. Whether exploring the coral reefs of the Red Sea, or the fascinating desert landscapes, Egypt is truly a fascinating destination.

White Desert National Park, Egypt

Heading to desert landscapes, White Desert National Park is one of Egypt’s more surreal landscapes. Its chalk rock formations, buffeted by sand-laden winds over the millennia, stand in weird outcrops and hillocks rising from the plain. Meanwhile, every surface is decorated with glittering pyrites and tiny fossils.

Visiting at sunset is a real treat when the white rocks are tinged with rose-pink hues. Meanwhile, viewing the White Desert during a full moon takes on a ghostly and fascinating glow. One of the most popular ways to visit here is to camp under the stars. While many tour companies in Cairo offer tours to the White Desert, choose a desert tour company based close to the White Desert, in Farafra Oasis or Bahariya Oasis.

Ras Mohammad National Park

Ras Mohammed National Park covers 480 sq km (185.3 sq mi), of which 70 percent is a fascinating and rich marine environment. Located on the southernmost tip of the Sinai Peninsula, it is said to be one of the top 10 dive destinations in the world. Here, more than 200 hard and soft coral species can be found and its remarkable biodiversity truly sets it apart. While in the area, divers can also spot green turtles and hawksbill turtles.

The marine environment is so beautifully colored, it is almost like entering an underwater garden. For experienced divers, the drift dive along the sheer coral wall of Shark Reef is the best place to be. Buffeted by fast currents, divers can head to the wreck of the Cypriot freighter Jolanda, which sunk here in 1980. Exploring the wreck is one of the most thrilling aspects of this national park.

See the best of the marine life in Jackfish Alley, the Red Sea’s largest fish-spawning ground. Here you will see shoals of blue-spotted stingrays and jackfish, hanging around the coral pinnacles. Visitors can access the dive sites of Ras Mohammed by boat on day trips from Sharm el-Sheikh. Alternatively, they can visit via live-aboard dive safaris from Hurghada or El Gouna. Find out more about this national park here.

St. Katherine Protectorate

This national park nestles in the heart of the South Sinai Desert and is the best park for hikers. The St. Katherine Protectorate got its name partly for its rugged environment, home to the highest peaks in Egypt. However, it was also for its rich cultural and religious heritage. The 4,250 sq km (1,641 sq mi) reserve is fundamental to the beliefs of the three main monotheistic religions.

Mount Sinai (Gebel Mousa) is said to be the site where Moses received the Ten Commandments. Meanwhile, at the foot of the mountain stands the St. Katherine’s Monastery, with its 2 m (6.5 ft) thick fortifications built by the Byzantine Emperor Justinian in the 6th century CE. Moreover, the site also claims to be the original “burning bush” site (a Rubus Sanctus (holy bramble)) that the God of the Old Testament apparently used to deliver his messages to Moses.

The easiest way to visit St. Katherine Protectorate is on an overnight tour from Sharm el-Sheikh. Then hike up to the 2,295 m (7,496 ft) summit of Mount Sinai, then take a look inside the monastery on the way down.

Explore some of the best national parks in Egypt for a true adventure and a real feel for the country and its landscapes.