Several international booking sites, such as TripAdvisor, have ranked Egypt as one of the most important destinations for safari tourism.
This is due to its stunning colorful deserts and mountainous regions.
In addition, there are many beautiful oases interspersed amidst the mountains, guaranteeing fun and adventure for tourists who love safari trips.
This has led to the spread of safari tourism in Mount Sinai, Mount Moses, the Siwa Oasis, the White Desert in the New Valley, the Daqahlia and Kharga Oases, which are rich in ancient relics, water springs and wells, and Ain Sokhna, where tourists are interested in observing animals in the desert and migratory birds.
An expert in ecotourism and former advisor to the Ministers of Tourism and Environment, Mahmoud Abdel Moneim al-Qaisouni, explained that safari tourism attracts thousands of tourists from around the world annually to Egypt, eager to explore its deserts, climb its mountains, and spend weeks touring in equipped and specialized cars for this purpose, moving between mountains, valleys, hills, and giant sand dunes amidst endless golden sands.
He said: “The deserts of Egypt, which exceed 94 percent of the Egyptian lands, are not barren and lifeless, as some believe, because by looking at the publications, brochures, and specialized books about Egypt, which are circulated by libraries in the countries of the world, or by accessing international websites that are full of information about these trips, one will notice that what they are looking at is a song of love and flirtation with the Egyptian desert nature. The charm and beauty of the Western Desert, for example, lies in its richness in stories and legends.”
He added that among these stories is the legend of the lost oasis of, “Zerzura and the story of the disappearance of the army of Cambyses, a Persian king of 2,500 years ago, under the sands of our Western Desert. The army consisted of 50,000 soldiers equipped with weapons and equipment who penetrated the Western Desert with the aim of reaching the Siwa Oasis from the south to destroy it and kill everyone in it to extinguish the spirit of popular resistance.”
But what happened, according to what was mentioned in Herodotus’ historical volume about the Persian invasion of Egypt, was that the army disappeared after a massive sandstorm buried them under its sands.
This is but one of many stories of adventurers and explorers, such as Ahmed Pasha Hassanein, the discoverer of the Uweinat Oasis in southern Egypt and the Arkenu Oasis in southern Libya, and Count László Almásy, whose story was told in the drama film “The English Patient” (1996) and Prince Youssef Kamal.
These rich stories make the Egyptian deserts a target for adventurers who want to explore these deserts and visit the mountain caves in the Great Sand Sea, which are believed to date back tens of thousands of years, and one of which contains more than two thousand images carved by the first man.
This area has been deserted for thousands of years.
Al-Qaisouni explained that Egypt is full of places for safari tourism, for example, in Sinai: where there are mountains, deserts, pristine beaches, and crystal-clear water.
When they all blend together, they form a magical natural scene that one enjoys seeing in Sinai, especially in Dahab.
Stunning Sinai
Sinai is rich in stunning mountain ranges of various colors and shapes, in addition to the presence of many beautiful oases that intersperse the mountains, such as the Oasis of Feiran and the Oasis of Al-Malha.
It also hosts rare medicinal plants such as herbs and some unique wild animals, including birds.
The deserts of South Sinai are suitable in many areas for holding car and motorcycle races.
At the same time, many safari tourists head in other directions for wild hunting in the many areas where this hunting is allowed, as in the areas of Arish, Sheikh Zuweid and Rafah in North Sinai, or in many areas in the south, especially the many nature reserves that represent the ideal environment for safari tourism.
Topping these reserves is the “Ras Mohammed” reserve, which is positioned at the juncture of the Gulf of Suez and the Gulf of Aqaba. It is characterized by its coral beaches, as the Ras Mohammed’s marine realm are home to a vibrant array of life, including colorful fish, endangered sea turtles, and other rare species.
The reserve is also considered a home to many rare birds and animals, including the Nubian ibex in the mountainous areas and many types of reptiles and insects.
Red Sea Safari Tourism
Al-Qaisouni added: “Safari trips in the Red Sea desert have a special charm due to the mountain range that is suitable for rock climbing, in addition to the presence of many valleys that are suitable for horseback riding and camel riding. There are many trails and paths that help to practice car racing and motorcycling.”
Groups are formed to carry out these trips, and the means of transportation is motorcycles specifically equipped for this purpose, so that they have a leader or guide who knows the paths of the desert, and barbecue parties are held in the oases in cooperation with the people of these oases.
The city of Safaga is also characterized by varied mountain ranges, which attract all sorts of dedicated mountain climbers.
The Siwa Oasis is an one area rich in tourism potential, including safaris.
Siwa is located west of Marsa Matrouh by about 300 kilometers, with an area of about 7,800 square kilometers, and is roughly 800 square kilometers away from Cairo.
The Great Sand Sea
The “Great Sand Sea” area covers 7,770 kilometers of limestone and sandstone, rising 300 meters above the surrounding desert. It is interspersed with valleys, including Wadi Talh, Wadi Abd al-Malik, and Wadi Hamra.
This area boasts a unique cultural, environmental, and natural heritage of global importance, placing it on the map of international eco-tourism.
It includes many natural elements such as Mount al-Awaynat, which extends between Egypt, Libya, and Sudan, with an area of 800 square kilometers and a height of 1943 meters.
It also includes the “Silica” glass area with crystalline green rocks formed many centuries ago, in addition to Wadi “Sura” and the “Mustkawi Cave”, which contains more than two thousand images of inscriptions and drawings left by early humans, as well as Wadi “Abd al-Malik”, Wadi “Bakht”, and Wadi “Hamra”, the latter taking its name from the color of its sand, alongside many Pharaonic monuments and prehistoric drawings.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
