Ras Sudr, A Destination for Water Skiing Enthusiasts
Ras Sudr, a destination for water skiing enthusiasts
It’s more than just a small city inhabited by Sinai Bedouins, and more than just a few buildings next to the most famous tourist city in Egypt, Sharm El-Sheikh. In fact, people participated in peace negotiations for the city with the wilderness thousand years ago, to become what it is now.
It’s the first city in South Sinai on the east side and is located on the Gulf of Suez, about 60 km away from Suez Canal. It covers a land area of 6750 km² that occupies many fertile valleys. All travel options are available, you can either travel by land, sea, or air, where it is 200km away from Cairo. In case of travelling by land, you can travel through Al-Shahid Ahmed Hamdi Tunnel, while traveling by sea comes with many options, where you can head to one of the following ports: Suez, Al-Adabiya, Al-Arish, and Al-Tur. An international airport is planned to be constructed in the region, however, there are three international airports serving the Ras Sudr area, which are Cairo, El Arish, and Sharm El Sheikh.
Ras Sudr is more like a resort that attracts birdwatching enthusiasts, especially quails, in addition to wild goats wandering all over the area. It is also a destination for Fishing enthusiasts, where the Ras Matamer coral reef area is one of the richest fishing areas.
Ras Sudr includes three Bedouin settlements: Oyun Musa, Wadi Gharandel, and Abu Essaouira. There you can get to know the inherited tribal customs and traditions, and Bedouin artefacts such as valuable handicrafts inlaid with the famous Sinai turquoise, embroidered clothes and Bedouin musical arts.
Wadi Gharandel
Wadi Gharandel is one of the most beautiful valleys in South Sinai with a length of 75-85km, located 115 km away from Al-Shahid Ahmed Hamdi Tunnel. The late great historian Gamal Hamdan referred to it in his book Shakhsiyat Masr (The Character of Egypt) as the most important valley in the area, as it is characterized by many oases, wild birds, desert animals, and the density of its vegetation along the fresh water valley outflowing from natural springs that flow throughout the year. The valley is suitable for the establishment of Bedouin tourist resorts and safari trips that last for 3 days.
Pharaoh Spring
The spring is 60 km south of Al-Shahid Ahmed Hamdi Tunnel and it is said to be the place where Pharaoh drowned back in Moses’ time. It consists of a spring of sulfur water of a temperature that reaches 92 degrees Celsius flowing out of the mountain. Sulfur water is known for its extraordinary health benefits, as it is used in the treatment of many diseases such as bone diseases, rheumatism, and skin diseases such as psoriasis and others. Pharaoh Spring is considered the most important therapeutic area in Egypt since its water contains calcium, sodium, potassium, silicon, dissolved salts, and sulfur.
Wadi Qnet Cave
One of the oldest cultural attractions in Sinai, where you can get to know Ancient Egypt through inscriptions showing their interest in mining by sending missions to those areas in Wadi Sudr, east of the Gulf of Suez. Most of these inscriptions were transferred to the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, and the rest were destroyed during mining for turquoise at the beginning of this century. Only a limited part of Wadi Qnet is called the Cave, which is the mountain where the ancient Egyptians had extracted turquoise gemstones. Furthermore, you can find the remains of ancient workers’ cottages scattered over one of the hills.
Ras Sudr Spring
One of medical tourist attractions in Ras Sudr, located in the middle of the barren desert. Hot boiling sulfur water flows through the spring with a temperature that reaches 200 degrees Celsius, causing the rise of water vapor saturated with the smell of sulfur. Afterwards, the water flows in a natural-made canal of length 100 m until it settles in a depression about two meter deep, and its area is not less than 100 m². The spring represents a natural swimming pool whose temperature ranges from hot to warm.
In addition to recreational tourism, there are some archaeological sites, including:
El-Gendi Fortress
The fortress is located on the hill of Ras El-Gendi, which reaches a height of 2,150 feet above sea level. It rises 500 feet above the flat plain spread around it. The hill has an extraordinary shape and position that makes it a unique landscape that can be seen by naked eye from several kilometers, however, whoever stands above the hill can see further away. The construction of this castle is attached to historical facts, as Salah El-Din and his brother Al-Malik Al-Adel began the construction of this castle in 1183 and completed in 1187.
