Taba

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Declared in the year 1998, Taba protected area is located in the south Sinai governorate in Egypt. The area is a desert and a natural heritage protected area which covers a land area of 3595 square km. The distance of this protectorate from Cairo is about 550 km. The reserve area is characterized by a rare geological formation and monuments which date back to 5000 years.

At the protectorate is a rare wildlife and the scenic setup is very beautiful with traditional heritage of nomads. The parts of the valley help in protecting wild life like deer, large birds and more. The valleys also have important communities like acacia. One can find here 72 species of plants like Ba'ataran, Ratam and Rimth. Also, the adjacent area homes about 480 species of plants. You can even find here a group of hills which is 1000 m in height. The natural setup of the place is very beautiful and amazing and thus attracts tourists in a very large number. The animals which can be found here include hyrax, Nubian ibex, wolf, hyena, deer and others. There are some wild birds like Egyptian vulture, eagle Brearded vulture and the golden eagle on top of mountains.

There are a number of water springs also present in the area which gives it a unique setting which includes Hadra spring in Wadi Ghazala and Oum Ahmed spring in Wadi Elswana, Fortaga spring in Wadi Water, which can be easily visited, and flow on the ground surface.

The Taba protected area was established primarily for the protection of mammals, water reserves, reptiles and rare bird species. It is touted to be the most northern protectorate in south Sinai lying at the south of Taba. The protectorate is touted to be a gorgeous place visited by a large number of tourists every year. The protectorate has many geological formations like caves, desert landscapes, a string of steep-walled wadi's, mountainous passages and some natural fresh water springs.

The protected area is known to contain 25 species of mammals, 50 kinds of rare birds, 24 species of reptiles and approx. 480 species of plants.

Some other animals found here are the Nubain Ibex and also the Sinai Leopard which is now an extinct species but can still be found in the area but can be spotted here only by luck. Other animal species that breed in this area are The Black Eagle (Aquila Verreauxii) and also the rare Lammergeyer (Gypaetus Barbarus).

Some areas in the protectorate like the EinKhudra oasis, the White Canyon and the Colored Canyon are frequently visited by people seeking to indulge in a day trip. People often come here to appreciate the beauty of Mother Nature at its best.

The best way to travel here is to go on a camel safari parts of which can be combined by walking at sights like the Nawamis, hiking to Gabal Mileihis and Gabal Makharum and climbing through adventurous canyons like the Arada Canyon. A holiday to this place can be made even more special by combining with a relaxed stay on the beach of the Gulf of Aqaba and by adding to its adventure with snorkeling or diving.