Eco-Tourism

Generally defined as tourism involving travel to areas of natural or ecological interest, typically under the guidance of a naturalist, for the purpose of observing wildlife and learning about the environment, Egypt has a number of areas which are gaining popularity:-

Nabq protected Area in South Sinai Governorate

Date of Announcement: 1992
Area: 600 km2
Type: Multipurpose protected area
Distance from Cairo: 500 km

Nabq protected Area is characterized by a number of important environmental systems like: coral reefs, sea and land creatures, large dense mangrove woods. It includes environmental systems of desert, mountain and valleys, and animals like deer, mountain goat, hyena, reptiles and a lot of migrating and resident birds beside invertebrates. Some nomad tribes live in this area.

The area is a center of tourist attraction for amateurs of diving, safari and bird watching.

Natural Siwa Protected Area in Matrouh Governorate

Date of Announcement: 2002
Area: 7800 km2
Type: Desert and cultural protected area
Distance from Cairo: 800 km

Siwa Oasis is one of the areas rich with distinguished tourists attractions including monuments tourism, therapeutic tourism, safari tourism and desert tourism, due to its distinctive monuments area such as Amoun temple as well as the scriptures and paintings of kings offering sacrifice to Gods. The hall of crowning Alexander the Great, the Dead Mountain in Aldakrour area, which has some ancient mummeries and tombs from the Roman age, having a group of coins and old jewelry . There is also Deheba area which includes tombs engraved in the rocks from the Greek Roman era, and also Khamisa area including a group of tombs dating back to the Greek age.

The biological variety of Siwa is characterized by the existence of more than 40 species of wild plants including medical , pastoral and other plants that help stabilize sand. Some of them have significant genetic origins, besides mimosa and Athl trees . Moreover, there are around 28 species of wild mammals, some of them are threatened with extinction like hyena, Egyptian deer, white deer, red fox and, in addition 32 reptiles and around 164 species of birds besides numerous invertebrates and insects.

Ras Mohamed Area

Date of Announcement: 1983
Area: 850 km2
Type: World Heritage Protected Area
Distance from Cairo: 446 Km

This protected Area is located at the meeting point of the Gulf of Suez and Aqaba Gulf. The Eastern border of Ras Mohamed Protected Area is a rocky wall with the gulf water where there are coral reefs. There is also the Mangrove channel which separates Ras Mohamed Peninsula from Elbayra Island at a length of approximately 250m.

Ras Mohamed Area is characterized by the coral shores existing in the depth of the water peripheral of Ras Mohamed and the extinctionable colored fish and Sea turtles as well as rare Sea Animals. The Coral reefs surround Ras Mohamed from all its sea sides. They have a unique formation which has a great impact on the natural life of the Area. The land Falls or "earthquakes" formed water caves under the island. The Area is also a habitat for many important birds and animals such as:
The Nubian ibex in the mountainous areas, small mammals, reptiles and insects that appear only at night. The Area is also a habitat for many important birds such as herons and seagulls.

Ras Mohamed Area
It is about 6 km far from the eastern coast of Sinai. It is a floating coral reef Island. It consists of ancient granite basis rocks under a cover of sedimentary rocks. The water sources of the Island are limited to winter rains and waterfalls that gather in the rocky holes formed by water rains and waterfalls(flood).

Sanafir Island

It is located west of Tyran Island at a distance of 2.5Km. There is an open bay that is suitable as a vessel yard in case of emergency. This protected Area is located at the meeting point of the Gulf of Suez and Aqaba Gulf. The Eastern border of Ras Mohamed Protected Area is a rocky wall with the gulf water where there are coral reefs. There is also the Mangrove channel which separates Ras Mohamed Peninsula from Elbayra Island at a length of approximately 250m. Ras Mohamed Area is characterized by the coral shores existing in the depth of the water peripheral of Ras Mohamed and the extinctionable colored fish and Sea turtles as well as rare Sea Animals. The Coral reefs surround Ras Mohamed from all its sea sides. They have a unique formation which has a great impact on the natural life of the Area. The land Falls or "earthquakes" formed water caves under the island. The Area is also a habitat for many important birds and animals such as: The Nubian ibex in the mountainous areas, small mammals, reptiles and insects that appear only at night. The Area is also a habitat for many important birds such as herons and seagulls. Tyran Island It is about 6 km far from the eastern coast of Sinai. It is a floating coral reef Island. It consists of ancient granite basis rocks under a cover of sedimentary rocks. The water sources of the Island are limited to winter rains and waterfalls that gather in the rocky holes formed by water rains and waterfalls(flood).