South of Mersa Alam a large wadi rises in the mountains of the Eastern Desert and runs into the Red Sea. At the mouth of the wadi lies a small island, Wadi El Gemal Island, that is of considerable importance for breeding sea birds such as the endemic White-eyed Gull Larus leucophthalmus. The Protected Area, consisting of Wadi El Gamal watershed, Gabal Hamata and islands encompassing 3500 square kilometres.
The area supports a rich assemblage of marine and terrestrial species including Dugong, Dugong dugon, Dorcas Gazelle, Gazella dorcas, and the Ocellated Spiny-tailed lizard, Uromastyx ocellata.
At the mouth of the wadi close to the shore is a flowing freshwater spring; the water from which has blended with seawater to form a low-salinity marsh covering approximately 500m². Round the spring is marsh vegetation of reeds. Slightly upstream, Tamarisk trees are abundant together with other salt-tolerant plants like fleshy-leaved Zygophyllum spp. which form cushion-like ground cover.
Further up the wadi, the Tamarisk gives way to Balanites aegyptiaca trees and eventually the Toothbrush Bush, Salvadora persica, endure. This large shrub with edible fruits is rare in Egypt but is harvested for its roots and twigs, which are used as toothbrushes.
Wadi El Gemal has seen human activity for centuries and nearby is the ancient emerald mine of Skeit with its attendant laborers settlement and rock-hewn temples.