Situated at the southern tip of the Sinai Peninsula is Ras Mohammed, Egypt’s oldest and most popular protected area, attracting hundreds of visitors daily who come to experience the desert and the sea.
The park is named after its most famous landmark, the headland at the juncture of the Gulfs of Suez and Aqaba. Fringing the headland are sandy beaches, mangroves and spectacular, sheer cliffs of coral descending some 70-100 meters into the sea. Multitudes of marine creatures live in and depend upon the reefs. Although barren in contrast, the inland desert contains a wealth of species adapted to the arid terrain.
Each autumn Ras Mohammed witnesses the spectacle of bird migration. Of the 200 species recorded, the most impressive are the 250,000 White Storks, half the world population, which passes through on their journey south.
The park is playing an increasingly vital role in education, research and training. The training centre at nearby Sharm El Sheikh trains the next generation of Protected Area managers and rangers from Egypt and other nations.