Ras Mohammed National Park...By road!
- Friendly Fins
- Dec 23, 2024
- 4 min read
Updated: Mar 7
Ras Mohammed is certainly one of the most famous and important marine parks in Egypt, with an extension of 480 square kilometers, it is a true pearl of the Red Sea and a must-see.
This time we opted for an alternative visit to the park, not the classic excursion by sea but by land aboard a minibus!
Get on board Friendly fins!
We don't want to miss anything because the park offers great emotions both from land and sea with its bursting contrast between desert and crystalline water.
About half an hour's drive from Sharm El Sheikh, it presents itself as a fairly rocky and wild area, with several areas of interest.
Let's start our trip:
First of all, Ras Mohammed means head of a man, it is not yet clear whether it refers to a Bedouin leader who lived in the area before the park was established or if it refers to the prophet Mohammed.
First stop Marsa Bareika:
This beautiful bay of crystal clear water lets the colors of the coral reef shine through, highlighting them even from several meters away.
We stop to take some photos, enchanted by the silence of this bay in the early morning.
Gate of Allah
The journey continues towards the door of Allah, it appears gigantic before us, made of enormous blocks of concrete, recalling the letters of "Allah" in Hebrew and Arabic. Established in the 20th century, it marks the armistice between Egypt and Israel, as well as the old border of the park.
Over time the park has been expanded but the door of Allah has remained in its original place.
The mangroves of Ras Mohammed
After passing the gate and driving for a few minutes we arrive at the mangrove forest, a unique environment under global protection, defined as a world heritage site.
But what are mangroves?
They are plants! Similar to our land plants, with the difference that they live in shallow, poorly oxygenated, high salinity or brackish water, mostly near the beach! Not exactly optimal conditions for a plant but they manage it!
And how? Thanks to particular adaptations such as their roots (they look like vertical sticks) that emerge from the water and absorb the atmospheric oxygen they need to survive. Even the salt dissolved in water is a limiting factor in the growth of many terrestrial plants, but certainly not for them! They are able to accumulate salt from the water they absorb and convey it into the old leaves that will then fall, or into the trunk. However, the characteristic that gives mangroves worldwide importance is the protection of the coasts from coastal erosion, mitigating the impact of the waves, the absorption of atmospheric carbon dioxide and the creation of a particular ecosystem that is unique in its kind.
It is not for nothing that mangroves are a world heritage site and are now protected and replanted everywhere.
There are about 28 mangrove forests throughout Egypt and we have the honor of admiring one that is 200 m long.
Moving a little from the mangroves we find a sign that will remain in this place forever, the crack of the earthquake that occurred in 1968, with a length of 40 m, 14 m deep and about two meters wide.
This, to remind us that on Earth, we are everything but the masters...
The highlight for those who love the sea like me, is undoubtedly the arrival at the panoramic point of Shark Observatory where we have the opportunity to admire all of Sharm El Sheikh from above! From here we see everything! From Naama bay to White island! There is a bit of wind but we stay here for just a few minutes and then go down again and arrive in this small cove where we will finally do our much-loved snorkeling!
Most awaited moment of the day!
This small cove of very shallow water immediately gives way to something truly spectacular: a sheer wall of about a hundred meters, with a wonderful blue in contrast with the thousand colors of the superficial coral reef. I have seen many coral reefs in my life but I have to be honest, this one really left me breathless! I can't wait to explore it.
What is snorkeling in Ras Mohammed?
Snorkeling in one of the most beautiful and well-preserved coral reefs in the world and this point certainly confirms the rare beauty of the Red Sea ... 45 minutes of admiration and dream, happy to know that places like this still exist, places where Nature still commands and demands respect. The reef is full of fish of every color and size, the sweet butterfly fish peep out from among the coral, always in pairs, the clown fish with the inseparable anemone, tridacne and two wonderful tropical gorgonians a few meters deep (among my favorite corals) always fascinated by the size and delicate colors.
But now it's lunch time and we have to move! Inside the park there are small refreshment points like our restaurant but also some Bedouin campsites if someone is looking for a little more adventure!
After an excellent lunch at the Osprey restaurant, we prepare for a bit of relaxation in the bay of Ras Ghodzlani, before returning to the city.
Around the umbrellas and deck chairs, something very special watches us from the past. The bay was once completely submerged and now the lowering of the sea level reveals the history of an ancient coral reef right under our feet.
How wonderful is Nature?
Friendly Fins Tips
This excursion is one of the most complete and pleasant that can be done in Sharm El Sheikh, with some care it can become even more beautiful so Friendly Fins remember to take: sunscreen (ocean friendly) and spread it half an hour before going into the water, hat and towel, possibly avoiding going in the hottest months of the year like July and August.
Ras Mohammed is a marine park and in any park it is absolutely forbidden to collect and take away what is inside. Therefore shells and corals must not be collected otherwise all this wonder, one day, not too far away, will disappear.
We are counting on you Friendly Fins!
Closely linked to the Ras Mohammed marine park we find the island of Tiran, also chosen for our diving and snorkeling excursions! Discover it with us!
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