Taba Protectorate, located just southwest of Taba, is a protected area of 3,590 km2 (1,386 sq mi), including geological formations such as caves, a string of valleys, and mountainous passages. There are also some natural springs in the area. Taba Protected Area has 25 species of mammals, 50 species of rare birds, and 24 species of reptiles.
Location of Taba Protectorate
Taba Protectorate is Sinai’s most northern protected area, located southwest of Taba and north of Nuweiba. It borders the Ras Abu Galum Protected Area in the south and the Saint Katherine Protected Area in the southwest.
This gorgeous protected area is 3.595 km² and includes geological formations such as caves, desert landscapes, a string of steep-walled Wadis, mountainous passages and some natural freshwater springs.
Taba
Taba (Arabic: طابا Ṭāba, IPA: [ˈtˤɑːbɑ]) is an Egyptian town near the northern tip of the Gulf of Aqaba. Taba is the location of Egypt’s busiest border crossing with neighbouring Eilat, Israel. Taba was initially developed as a tourist destination by the Israelis, with the first hotel opening in the 1960s. It is a frequent vacation spot for Egyptians and other tourists, especially those from Israel, on their way to different destinations in Egypt or as a weekend getaway. It is the northernmost resort of Egypt’s Red Sea Riviera.
Declaration of Taba Protectorate
The Taba protected area was established primarily for protecting mammals, water reserves, reptiles and rare bird species. It is currently the northernmost Protectorate in Sinai, lying south of Taba. The Protectorate has many geological formations like caves, desert landscapes, steep-walled wadis, mountainous passages, and natural freshwater springs. The Protectorate is a gorgeous place visited by many tourists every year.
Characteristics
The natural setup of the place is gorgeous and fabulous, so that attracts a large number of tourists. Much rare wildlife resides within the Protectorate, and the scenic layout is stunning with the traditional heritage of nomads—the parts of the valley help protect wildlife like deer, giant birds and more. The valleys also have important communities like acacia. Here, one can find 72 species of plants like Ba’ataran, Ratam, and Rimth. Also, the adjacent area houses around 480 species of plants. You can even find a group of hills about 1000 m high here. The animals found here include hyrax, Nubian ibex, wolf, hyena, deer, and others. The mountaintops also feature wild birds like Egyptian vultures, eagles, bearded vultures and the golden eagle.
There are 46 named mountains in the Taba Protectorate. The highest and the most prominent mountain is Ra’s al Junaynah.
Some water springs are also in the area, giving it a unique setting, including Hadra Spring in Wadi Ghazala Oum Ahmed Spring in Wadi Elswana and Fortaga Spring in Wadi Water, which flows on the ground surface.
The protected area contains 25 species of mammals, 50 kinds of rare birds, 24 species of reptiles, and approximately 480 species of plants.
Some other animals found here are the Nubian Ibex and the Sinai Leopard. The latter was believed to be extinct until 2014 when one was killed. The Black Eagle (Aquila verreauxii) and the rare Lammergeyer (Gypaetus Barbarus) are other animal species that breed in this area.
Tourist attractions in the Taba Protectorate
Some areas in the Protectorate, like the EinKhudra oasis, the White Canyon, and the Colored Canyon, are frequently visited by people seeking adventures. Tourists often come here to appreciate the beauty of Mother Nature at its best.
How to explore the place
The best way to enjoy Taba National Park is to choose some safari activities like riding a camel and walking to 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 it with a relaxed stay on the beach of the Gulf of Aqaba and by adding to its adventure with snorkelling or diving.
Transportation
No fundamental transportation infrastructure existed since Taba existed only as a small Bedouin village. Many tourists enter via the Taba Border Crossing from Eilat, Israel. A marina has been built in the new Taba Heights development, some 20 km (12 mi) south of Taba, with frequent ferry sailings to Aqaba in Jordan. However, these are restricted to tourists on organised tours. More recently, Al Nakb Airport, located on the Sinai plateau some 35 km (22 mi) from Taba, was upgraded and renamed Taba International Airport (IATA: TCP, ICAO: HETB) and now handles half a dozen charter flights a week from the UK as well as weekly charter flights from Belgium, Russia, Denmark, and The Netherlands.
