Egypt’s Top 9 National Parks

Egypt's natural offerings are pretty incredible, spanning across deserts, mangroves, mountains, and into the coral reefs of the Red Sea. There is absolutely something for everybody, depending on what kind of activities you'd like to do, or what kind of landscapes you would like to see during your time in Egypt.

In this article, we will cover the following national parks and protected areas:

• Ras Mohammed National Park - Beautiful Coral Reefs
• Wadi el Rayan National Park - Desert Dune Wildlife and Fossils
• Abu Galum Protected Area - Egypt's Highest Peaks
• Saint Catherine Protectorate - 'Whale Valley' Archeology and Desert Life
• Wadi el Hitan National Park - Mountains, Mangroves, and Marine Life
• Wadi el Gemal National Park - Rugged Ranges, Reefs, and Bedouin Vilages
• Gebel Elba National Park - Egypt's Hugest and Greenest
• Nabq National Park - Diving, Camel Rides, and Bedouin Culture
• White Desert National Park - Awesome White Sands with Oases

1. Ras Mohammed National Park — For Beautiful Coral Reefs

Tropical Fish on Coral Reef in Ras Mohammed National Park

• Location: Sinai Peninsula, near Sharm el-Sheikh
• Activities: Diving, snorkeling, swimming

Easily taking the number one spot on this list is Ras Mohammed National Park, home to some of the most beautiful marine ecosystems and coral reefs, being home to over 1,500 types of marine life. The area also includes pieces of land that are inhabited by beautiful valleys, mountains, gravel plaints, and dunes.

Visitors to Ras Mohammed National Park usually go there for the reefs though, as it is the perfect spot for diving as well as snorkeling trips. Local authorities have done an incredible job protecting the survival of this ecosystem, in particular the coral reefs, mangroves and sea grasses, which is why they were given an award at the UN Biodiversity Conference.

Some of the most interesting species you'll find there include barracudas and huge tuna, as well as hammerhead sharks, grey tipped and white tipped sharks, colorful angelfish, and butterfly fish. You will also see a lot of colorful reefs, sea urchins, and there are an incredible 40 different species of starfish and 150 species of crustaceans.

You can go diving at many different spots there, and there is a range of tour operators that will take you out for trips that vary in duration and location depending on how long you would like to go diving or snorkeling, and how advanced you are. If you're new to diving, it is also possible to qualify as a PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors, world's leading diving training organization) diver there if you have the time to go through the training.

The more adventurous dives include breathtaking shipwrecks too, for something completely different to what you will have experienced on dives in the past.

2. Wadi el Rayan National Park — Desert Dune Wildlife and Fossils

Waterfall in the Wadi El Rayan National Park

• Location: Fayoum city, not far from Cairo
• Activities: swimming, hiking, birdwatching

Home to the largest waterfalls in Egypt, Wadi el Rayan (wadi means river valley, and you will come across this word a few times in this article) makes for a great day trip from Cairo, as it's just a few hours away. You can swim in the waterfalls, which is perfect for a hot summer's day, and you can admire the desert dunes for an interesting combination of landscapes.

There are also hot springs in the park, as well as an oasis that contains lots of migratory birds, reptiles, and three types of gazelle that are unique to Wadi el Rayan (including the endangered slender-horned gazelle). This national park was also important in pre-historic times, as marine fossils and archaeological remains have been found there.

Visitors also come to see the beautiful acacia trees, which are famous for the gum that is extracted from them.

3. Saint Catherine Protectorate — Egypt's Highest Peaks

Saint Catherine's Monastery, Mount Sinai

• Location: South Sinai desert near Sharm el-Sheikh
• Activities: hiking, mountain climbing, sightseeing

Out in the South Sinai desert, the Saint Catherine Protectorate boasts an incredibly rugged natural environment that is home to some of the highest peaks, and the highest peak, you'll find in Egypt.

Mount Sinai is probably most popular, and stands at an incredible 2,285 meters (or 7,496 feet), taking approximately 4 hours to climb for the average hiker (you'll need a base level of fitness for this). If you want to climb the highest peak in Egypt, that would be Gebel Katerina at 2,673 meters (8,651 feet).

Not only is it a great spot for hiking, but Saint Catherine Protectorate is believed to be the site where Moses received the Ten Commandments, and you'll find a lot of beautiful historical sites relating to that there. One is the famous Saint Catherine's Monastery, with thick fortifications that were built in the 6th century by Byzantine Emperor Justinian. It's a must-see even if you aren't planning on climbing the peak of Mount Sinai or Gebel Katerina.

Most visitors will climb the summit and take a look at the monastery after descending, but if you are interested you can also stay in the village of Saint Katherine to see more, and avoid the rush.

9-Day Egypt Tour with Mount Sinai

4. Wadi el Hitan National Park — 'Whale Valley' Archeology and Desert Life

Milkyway in Wadi El Hitan National Park

• Location: close to Giza
• Activities: sightseeing (fossils), walking, hiking, seeing animals

One of the best-known parks in Egypt, and the best place to see desert landscapes within easy reach of Cairo, Wadi el Hitan is also known as 'Whale Valley', because so many whale fossils have been found around there. Thus, it is a key region for paleontological research, and as a result was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2005.

Hundreds of whale fossils have been found there including some of the earliest forms of whale, the archaeoceti (which is now extinct). The site has helped us understand the evolution of whales, and how whales went from being land-based to being ocean-going and now ocean-based.

Very few tourists make it to Wadi el Hitan because the paths are unpaved and unmarked through desert sands, but you can camp out in the valley on winter weekends. You can contact us to plan a prearranged tour if you want to visit, because a lot of the park is understandably not open to the public to protect it. A tour will be able to take you between sites where some impressive fossils have been laid out and shelters erected.

The park is also home to approximately 15 species of desert plants, sand dunes, and wild mammals including the Egyptian wolf, the red fox, the Egyptian mongoose, the African wildcat, and the dorcas gazelle. At night you'll most likely see the Fennec foxes, as they tend to visit the camps.

5. Abu Galum Protected Area — Mountains, Mangroves, and Marine Life

• Location: between Dahab and Nuweiba
• Activities: snorkeling, swimming, diving

Added to the list of protected nature reserves in the early 1990s, the Abu Galum Protected Area is located on the Northern side of the Nabq Reserve, covering 400 square kilometers (155 square miles).

The Abu Galum area has tall granite mountains as well as incredible coral reefs and marine life, with the underwater caves being a popular sight for tourists to see. If you do want to go diving there, please go with a local tour guide as it is not the safest location to do so.

Another part of this protected area that's extremely beautiful are the mangroves, which boast a wide variety of marine life too.

6. Wadi el Gemal National Park — Rugged Ranges, Reefs, and Bedouin Vilages

Wadi el Gemal National Park

• Location: near Marsa Alam
• Activities: birdwatching, hiking, biking

Located in the Red Sea region of Egypt, Wadi el Gemal is a picturesque destination that boasts a wide range in landscapes: from coral reefs on beaches, to rugged mountains. This is a popular destination for tourists wanting to go birdwatching, but you can also go hiking or go on a guided biking tour, if you're looking for a more active way to spend your holiday in Egypt.

There are loads of wild animals at Wadi el Gemal National Park, including the Nubian Ibex, wild foxes, gazelles, and a range of different wild birds that spend time there before they migrate to other locations around the world. Its island, Wadi el Gemal island, is home to turtles and dugongs too, making for a unique snorkeling experience.

Out of the sea and onto the land, Wadi el Gemal also has the oldest emerald mine in the world, and some Bedouin villages that can help you understand local Egyptian Bedouin life.

7. Gebel Elba National Park — Egypt's Hugest and Greenest

• Location: near Marsa Alam
• Activities: mountain climbing, hiking, biking, seeing animals

Gebel Elba National Park covers 35,600 square kilometers (13,745 square miles), making it bigger than Wales or Massachusetts! The park is a beautiful mountainous area with valleys and hills, including a stretch of coral reef and mangrove coastline, a stretch of desert, and 22 islands in the Red Sea.

The national park isn't the easiest to visit due to concerns for protecting the environment, as well as the fact that it is located on the border of Sudan and in disputed territory, although currently under Egyptian government control. If you do want to go, contact us to help you arrange permits to visit with a police officer.

It is unique in that, although it is in the Saharan region, it experiences a lot of rainfall, making it a very green region with lots of mist, meaning a huge variety of wildlife lives there. That includes a lot of species of plants, but also birds (including the endangered sooty falcons), mammals, and reptiles.

8. Nabq National Park — Great for Diving, Camel Rides, and Bedouin Culture

Nabq National Park

• Location: close to Sharm el-Sheikh
• Activities: swimming, camel rides, hiking, diving

Nabq National Park, not far from Sharm el-Sheikh, is a hugely underrated national park close to one of Egypt's most popular beachside destinations, meaning it is a great place to visit as there aren't many tourists there and the natural beauty is unspoiled.

It is an area that includes water as well as mountains, and is home to plenty of plant and animal species that are unique to this region.

There are some local Bedouin villages in the park that hosts tourists for dinners and have stalls selling local souvenirs. You can also enjoy a camel ride there if you'd like to, across some of the beautiful desert scenes.

Nabq is also one of the best places to go diving in Egypt, with unbelievable amounts of beautiful corals and huge diversity in marine wildlife. The water might not be as clear there as at some of the other Red Sea diving spots, but it certainly is beautiful and unique in its sheer volume of corals and fish. There's also an old shipwreck that you can explore.

9. White Desert National Park — Awesome White Sands with Oases

White Desert National Park

• Location: the nearest cities are Bahariya or Farafra
• Activities: camping with dinner, camel rides

For something completely different, Egypt's White Desert National Park offers up beautiful white desert landscapes, from picturesque rock formations to glittering pyrites (which is also known as fool's gold, as people in the desert used to mistake it for gold) and tiny fossils.

We recommend visiting and spending the night at a camp there, when the rose-pink hues in the sunset reflect over the sand for a beautiful glow. This is best arranged through a tour agency (like ourselves) who know where to go for the best camping and a traditional dinner and entertainment in the evening. Alternatively, you could venture out there for a day trip.

The White Desert makes up part of the Farafra depression in the Sahara Desert, and also contains some oases that are nice to visit if you have the time, including the Farafra Oasis, the Ain el Maqfi Oasis, and the Ain el Wadi Oasis.