EGYPT – CENTRAL & RED SEA – The Trip

RED SEA (Hurghada, Al-Qusair, Marsa Alam, Safaga)

Bird Migration Routes. Tentative WHS (12/06/2003).
Bardawil Lake is on the coast, has an area of about 59,000 ha, and is a Ramsar Site. It consists of two interconnected hypersaline lagoons, with interspersed islands and peninsulas. The site provides important spawning areas for fish and supports commercially important fish stock, mainly the mullet. It is also an important wintering and staging area for about half a million birds in 244 bird species, 18 reptiles.
Salt extraction and the constant formation of sand bars (siltation) close the channels connecting the lagoons with the Sea. These channels are vital for the annual migration of mullets from the Sea to the Lake and vice versa. The El-Salam irrigation Canal, bringing water from the Nile mixed with agricultural drainage water from the eastern Delta pollutes the Lake
Zaranik Scrubland. Migration and wetland hotspot east of Lake Bardawil about 35 km west of El-Arish,. The site consists of a lagoon, beach, and desert scrub vegetation (68% water and 32% land). It is an excellent site for autumn migrants.
Gebel Shayeb El-Banat. Near Hurghada, it comprises four mountains: Gebel Abu Dukhan (1705 masl), Gebel Qattar, Gebel Shayeb El-Banat (the highest peak in the Red Sea coastal mountains), and Gebel Umm Anab.
The shoreline is a chain of coral reefs up to 100 m wide.
Ma’aza tribe, known as Bani Attia (pop 1000) living in an area of 90,000 sq. km. They are pastoral nomads, raising sheep, goats, and camels with no fixed dwellings.
Saluga and Ghazal Nile Islands Granitic outcrops of fine grained granite. The 94 species of vegetation is the relicts of a Nile Valley gallery forest. Trees of six species of Acacia dominate the plant communities
Important Bird Areas of Egypt especially water birds (herons, ducks, waders and terns). Lake Nasser A huge man-made water reservoir extending for 300 km upstream the Aswan High Dam in Egypt and continues as Lake Nubia for another 200 km in Sudan. It has an average width of 10 km. On completion of the construction of the High Dam in the early 1970’s, the Lake covered the entire Nubian Nile Valley in both Egypt and Sudanand deeply penetrated into the surrounding desert through the numerous wadis (dry desert rivers) that drained from the Eastern (the majority) and the Western Deserts, about 80 all in all, the largest of them being Wadi Allaqi. This gives the Lake its dendritic shape in satellite images. The climate is extremely arid with very hot summers and cold winters.
A yearly fluctuation of as much as 30 m and large wetlands have formed in the deltaic mouths of the dry wadis where they join the Lake. It is increasingly important as a wintering area for migratory Palaearctic water birds,

Mountain Chains. Tentative WHS (12/06/2003).
Yelleg, Halal, and Maghara Mountains Yelleg (1087 m), Halal (892 m), and Maghara (750 m), are isolated highlands with the only conifer tree in Egypt, Juniperus phoenicia, 200 species of vascular plants  including a rare assemblage of rare, vulnerable, and threatened species
Gebel Dokhkhan See Gebel Shayeb El-Banat Site
Gebel Elba region in the south-eastern corner of Egypt lies adjacent to the border of Sudan, and the Red Sea. Average annual rainfall is 50 mm/year, but moist north-easterly winds bring as much as 400 mm. This creates “mountainn oases”, or “mist oases” on the slopes of these mountains. Habitat-types include Red Sea coral reefs, Mangroves, Low shore-line coastal dunes, Littoral saltmarsh belts
Many species threatened with extinction: African wild ass, the addax antelope, the Tora red hartbeast, the dama gazelle, and the scimitar-horned oryx.
Traditional home of several hundred nomadic Bisharin tribesmen, whose language and some of their traditions can be traced to the Ancient Egyptian language and traditions. Gebel Oweinat Region Formidable mountain in the centre of the flat and featureless Western Desert of Egypt and it stands out like an island from the surrounding plain. The last rainfall was seen in September 1998 and as much as 10 to 15 years may pass without a drop. Yet this little rain is sufficient to allow vegetation and some wildlife to survive.
The western part lies entirely in Libya and forms a large granite ring complex about 25 km in diameter, being the eroded remnants of a large arachaic granite dome. Two permanent springs, Ain Ghazal and Ain Doua, can be found at the southern foot have never went dry in living memory. A heavily used desert track passes by along the western rim of the Mountain, linking Kufra with El-Fasher in western Sudan. Site
The Gilf El-Kebir Plateau. A landscape similar to Mars and one of the driest regions of the Earth. Remote and not yet been fully explored. It is a high, flat topped plateau (a few basalt flows) of Nubia sandstone covered with a thick red soil with vertical escarpments on all sides, 200 to 300 m above the surrounding desert. It is dissected by numerous canyon-like dry wadis. The soil indicates heavy rainfall in older times.

OTHER DESTINATIONS
Bir Tawil. M@P
Hala’ib Triangle. Egypt/Sudan – M@P, XL
El Ikhwa island
Shadwan Island
Foul Bay area, XL

Wadi el Gemal NP
El Gouna Aquarium; El Gouna
Brothers Islands Lighthouse

African Cities
HURGHADA (pop 248,000). One of the country’s main tourist centres located on the Red Sea coast owing to its dramatic landscape, year-round dry and temperate climate and long stretches of natural beaches. Its waters are clear and calm for most of the year. Founded in 1905, it was a small fishing village, but it has grown into a major Red Sea holiday destination for Europeans starting in the 1980s. The city is known for its watersports (windsurfing, kitesurfing, yachting, scuba diving and snorkeling), nightlife and warm weather. Daytime temperatures are around 30 °C most of the year (July and August over 40 °C). Tourist numbers from Russia dropped significantly after the Metrojet Flight 9268 plane crash in November 2015.
The city extends for about 36 kilometres (22 mi) along the coast, but does not reach far into the surrounding desert. Dive sites around Abu Ramada Island, Fanadir, Giftun Kebir, and Giftun Soraya are popular. Tourists also visit shipwrecks such as the El Mina or the Rosalie Moller. In a 2016 attack and again in a 2017 attack foreign tourists at Hurghada’s beach resorts were targeted by terrorist attacks.
Russians. Hurghada has 4 schools for Russian children, much of the signage in the city is in Russian. In 2015 there were about 20,000 Russians in Hurghada. Russian women staying in Hurghada often marry Egyptian men through an ‘urfi (non-shariah) process.Hurghada Airport (HRG)
Hurghada Grand Aquarium
Sharm El Naga beach 

MARSA ALAM*. Town in south-eastern Egypt, located on the western shore of the Red Sea. It is a popular tourist destination. Beaches: Abu Dabab beach, turtles are common, crocodilefish and octopuses. Marsa Alam is also known as the world-class kitesurfing destination and perfect starting point to safaris. Marsa Alam also has some inland attractions, such as the Emerald Mines and the Temple of Seti I at Khanais.
Despite being over 135 miles (217 km) km north of the tropical zone, the city experiences a hot desert climate. The temperature of the Red Sea at this location during the year ranges from 22 to 29 °C (72 to 84 °F).
Marsa Alam Airport (RMF)
3alganoob Music Festival
Daedalus Reef Lighthouse
Sharm El Luli beach

DIVING: The Red Sea resorts at Sinai peninsula, including Sharm El Sheikh and Ras Mohammed, diving in The Gubal Strait, the wrecks at the Strait of Tiran, reef diving in Hurghada and Marsa Alam, the Abu Nuhas wreck system, and pelagic encounters at Brother Islands, Dahab. Shallow reefs, walls, drift dives, coral gardens and some of the most famous wrecks in the world in crystal clear waters. Many species of sharks.
It is possible to dive all year round. However the water temperature does vary a lot: From July to September, it is the hottest month with a water temperature of about 28°C. The coldest month is February with a water temperature of about 21°C.
From October to November, you can expect from 25°C to 27°C. From March to June, the water is warming up with temperatures ranging between 22°C to 25°C.
There is not really one single “best diving season” in the Red Sea but if you don’t like crowded dive sites, try to avoid the high season from July to December. If you do go during the busy period, you should book your hotel well in advance.