Earnest lad
Well-known member
Birding trip report to Sharm El-Sheikh, December 13th to 16th inclusive 2023
With a flight from Sharm-El-Sheikh from Luton Airport advertised at £35 each way (Wizz Club price) I decided to take the plunge, solo travelling with carry-on luggage only. I arrived 2115 hrs on the Tuesday after a five and a half hour flight, and flew back on the Saturday 21:15. This meant a total of 96 hours spent in the country. It was my first trip to the Middle East or to Africa. I hoped for a flying visit to get some birding in, see a few lifers, and obtain a few photographs with the trusty Nikon D7100 and Sigma 150-600mm C lens. I took the binoculars but not a ‘scope. Admittedly, this was not the time of peak migration, so I was prepared for birding to be somewhat slower than autumn or spring time.
This trip was quite an intensive experience because travelling to and from the north of England by National Express meant that journey time including coach park and airport waiting was 21 hours each way in total (Whew!). Also I was keen to make the most of the limited time when I arrived in Egypt, by doing as much birding as possible. Upon arrival back home, I was quite exhausted. However I was happy with the birds I had seen and photographed.
Car rental for four days with Avis Egypt, was £88, It is worth pointing out that only 480 km driving was allowed for four days rental, with a surcharge of 30 cents per km excess. Actually I did fall foul of this and had a surcharge to pay. The moral is to take a careful note of the milometer reading as soon as you pick up the car at the airport. Then one can effectively monitor ones driving miles.
Trip reports There are quite a few trip reports for this area to be found online, and I looked at these, as well as ebird and other sources. These trip reports, although helpful, were all at least ten years old. So, hopefully the information here can help if anyone is considering a trip to this venue.
Sharm El Sheikh Since the latest previous trip reports a lot of new roads have been built in Sharm. Also, new tourist developments are going up everywhere. It appears the region is gearing up for massive tourist expansion for the years to come. In the meantime, the resort is far from congested or full. It is a good time to visit, I would say, because presently prices are very low. I would heartily recommend a birding trip to Sharm, in view of potential of cheap travel and accommodation, alongside the opportunity to easily see some new birds.
Accommodation
Was booked online with Hotels.com : The Sharm Bride Hotel in the Nabq area was chosen at £22 per night Bed & Breakfast. The hotel was lovely, with very friendly & attentive staff, and a nice swimming pool. At the buffet-style breakfast anyone could eat as much as desired. I seemed to be the only British person staying there, and most of the other guests were Russian.
Currency
Forty Egyptian Pounds were equal to one GBP at the time of the visit.
People
The Egyptian people proved to be warm and friendly, and courteous. Many are on very low incomes indeed. Accordingly it is nice to tip generously as even a small tip makes a large difference.
Weather
While I was there the weather was perfect sunshine everyday. No rain or clouds at all. Beautiful. Quite hot but, in December, not uncomfortably so. A perfect break from wintry UK.
Itinerary
Day 1. Travelled the 52 miles to Dahab along the mountain road and back. Visited Sharm New Water Treatment Works (Near to Sharm Safari) and the pools immediately adjacent to the south. Visited Golf Heights Resort at Nabq (A hotel that has a golf course in its centre).
Day 2. Visited Nabq Protected Area. Visited the Sharm Botanical Gardens (off El-Salaam Road)
Day 3 Walked across the desert to Sharm "small pools" - a venue mentioned in several trip reports. Visited New WTP again and then the pools next door. Parked at Peace Square and birded the grassy roundabouts and grassy verges as I found this spot quite "birdy". Visited the New WTP pools again.
Day 4; Birding along El Salaam boulevard. Returned to Peace Square and birded. Visited Novotel (Naama Bay area) as there was some good bird activity in this small place.
Notes on Places visited
Sharm New WTP: (Sharm Pools) 27.941835, 34.302386 a place mentioned in many trip reports. Possibly THE place for birding in Sharm. There is here is series of sewage treatment tanks, and also some pools with reed beds to the south-east of them. The two are separate entities. The former which we will call New WTP is accessed from the main 523 road: You enter at the sign post to Sharm Safari, and pass through a police checkpoint (I didn’t get stopped). The plant is on your right a few hundred meters along the slip road. However it is a dual carriageway, and one has to drive past the WTP until the first opportunity of a U turn (a few hundred metres further on) and then turn back to the entrance. There was a lot of construction work going on here with quite a lot of workmen on site. The plant as been modernised & cleaned up. New tanks are in the process of being built. After gaining entry, a man approached me and said I was not allowed to walk round because it is not safe. However he directed me to a birdwatching observation tower newly built to facilitate (and contain) birdwatchers. Another man asked me to sign the visitors book. There was no charge. This place looks good for birding but one was not able to wander around, which curtailed things somewhat. Having said that it proved to be a fantastic place for overhead raptor watching.
Pools and reedbeds 27.939560, 34.305175
As can be seen on a map, directly next door to the above new WTP (to the South-East) is a set of pools with a small amount of reed bed. These are freely accessible and separate from the above facility. To get there just go back onto the slip road and access the place via the opening a few yards along to the south-east. The opening is situated via a large tree (the only large tree in the immediate vicinity) and small building. A great place for birding. One drives in and just parks up. The reedbeds are very small in size. I did see a few small birds furtively moving around among the reeds but was never able to get onto any of them in spite of making three visits here. The main pool was great for birding, and full of birds.
Golf Heights resort, Nabq: 28.051952, 34.425510
I visited here in late afternoon, so bird activity was much reduced and I didnt see a great deal. The security man at the gate let me in when I explained the purpose of my visit, although he insisted on holding my passport while I was in there.
Peace Square, Sharm 27.963199, 34.361276
Not far from the airport is a cluster of roundabouts on the main El Salaam Road. The largest roundabout here contains a large monument, that seems to attract a continuous flow of tourists. It almost seems to be a site of a pilgrimage of sorts. There is a parking area. I pulled up here in the car. I found the set of roundabouts with their grassy verges and shrubbery good for birds, holding several with flocks of Red-throated Pipits and Spanish Sparrows as well as other species.
Nabq Protected area: 28.065887, 34.428301
One enters from the south via a police checkpoint at the southern end of the reserve 28.065887, 34.428301
The armed police at the entrance were wanting to know what I was doing. They searched the car boot, and held the car licence for the duration of the time I was in the reserve. Having said that they were not aggressive, unfriendly or threatening in any way. The price to enter was about £2.50 per person and the same for the car.
The reserve stretches some 10 miles and more to the north, and the mountains to the west are a couple of miles in the distance. A sandy road/track runs from the entrance more or less parallel with the shore, past a mosque and then a Bedouin village called El Ghargana (28.120928, 34.441005) which is alongside some mangroves and a lovely beach area. After this one comes to another mangrove area followed by a visitor centre (The visitor centre building was completely empty-no one was there). Just before the visitor centre ( 28.193763, 34.430791) was another armed police checkpoint. Here I was subjected to another car boot search and a little questioning, along with an examination of my passport. Still, I have to mention in no way were the police unfriendly or aggressive. The high security in this part of the world is meant to keep tourists safe, and I was grateful for that. One point to mention is that some time after passing through the second checkpoint, I was seen by those police taking photographs which they thought was of them. This caused them to approach me and ask what I was doing. They then proceeded to check the photographs on my camera. Upon seeing that the photographs were only of birds and scenery, they were satisfied. My advice is that if anyone goes to this part of the world, security is very high. It is highly advisable to be very careful where one points one's camera. Police are everywhere and are on high alert, as tourism gets underway again in Sharm- El Sheikh.
This Nabq Protected Area was a beautiful place, and quite large. It would warrant many hours birding. Apart from resident Bedouin people living in their huts, I was basically the only person present. I didn’t see another tourist. To bird this place, one is perhaps recommended to drive or walk along the road and periodically access the shore to search for birds, such as waders, gulls, and terns.
Sharm Botanical Gardens: 27.943346, 34.359975
I entered this place and it was deserted. I parked the car up and had a wander. There were some good birds here although not in profusion. It was mainly grassy areas with a pool or two. Upon leaving a man emerged and asked me if I had paid. I explained that when I had arrived there had been no one around to pay to. I offered to pay him. He said it would be one hundred Egyptian Pounds (about £2.50 GBP) . I said I only had a 200 EP note. He said that would do. I said I didnt feel like paying that amount but told him I had some smaller denomination notes. In the end he accepted 70 Egyptian pounds. (about £1.80 GBP)
Golf Villas: (Maritim Jolie Golf Course) 27.939726, 34.366799
This place is adjacent to the Botanical Gardens on the opposite side of the road. It is a resort complex with a Golf Course at its centre and some pools said to be good for birds. Although previous trip reporters reported good birding here, others reported they had, sadly, been denied access by the management. I located the entrance and approached in the car. The man on security asked what I was doing and he could see my camera. I said I just wanted a look round. He made a phone call and his superior spoke to me on the phone. I had to leave because he said photography is not allowed for security reasons. In retrospect I should have just said I was here to do some birdwatching. Maybe had I handled it that way I would have been let in.
Small Pools, Sharm El-sheikh 28.009754, 34.407944
Several trip reports mentioned this as a good place to do birding, so I decided to make a visit. New roads have been built in recent years and there is no stopping alongside the pools. However, I found an opening to the south east here 28.006836, 34.413051.and parked up the car just off the road. One had to walk over half a mile to the pools. However, upon arrival, I found all the pools to be completely dried out and birdless, at least while I was present. Some reedbed was present completely dead and dried out. Perhaps at certain times of the year these pools are not dried out.
Novotel Palm resort, Naama Bay (just on the El-Salaam Boulevard): 27.916486, 34.330262
I found a nice little area of greenery here with quite a few birds present : a place that (unusually for the Sharm area) afforded unrestricted access without security.
Had I had more time, I would have visited and found more places to do birding. A better birder than myself would surely have amassed a larger total. A decent guide might have been useful.
Birding report day by day to follow.
With a flight from Sharm-El-Sheikh from Luton Airport advertised at £35 each way (Wizz Club price) I decided to take the plunge, solo travelling with carry-on luggage only. I arrived 2115 hrs on the Tuesday after a five and a half hour flight, and flew back on the Saturday 21:15. This meant a total of 96 hours spent in the country. It was my first trip to the Middle East or to Africa. I hoped for a flying visit to get some birding in, see a few lifers, and obtain a few photographs with the trusty Nikon D7100 and Sigma 150-600mm C lens. I took the binoculars but not a ‘scope. Admittedly, this was not the time of peak migration, so I was prepared for birding to be somewhat slower than autumn or spring time.
This trip was quite an intensive experience because travelling to and from the north of England by National Express meant that journey time including coach park and airport waiting was 21 hours each way in total (Whew!). Also I was keen to make the most of the limited time when I arrived in Egypt, by doing as much birding as possible. Upon arrival back home, I was quite exhausted. However I was happy with the birds I had seen and photographed.
Car rental for four days with Avis Egypt, was £88, It is worth pointing out that only 480 km driving was allowed for four days rental, with a surcharge of 30 cents per km excess. Actually I did fall foul of this and had a surcharge to pay. The moral is to take a careful note of the milometer reading as soon as you pick up the car at the airport. Then one can effectively monitor ones driving miles.
Trip reports There are quite a few trip reports for this area to be found online, and I looked at these, as well as ebird and other sources. These trip reports, although helpful, were all at least ten years old. So, hopefully the information here can help if anyone is considering a trip to this venue.
Sharm El Sheikh Since the latest previous trip reports a lot of new roads have been built in Sharm. Also, new tourist developments are going up everywhere. It appears the region is gearing up for massive tourist expansion for the years to come. In the meantime, the resort is far from congested or full. It is a good time to visit, I would say, because presently prices are very low. I would heartily recommend a birding trip to Sharm, in view of potential of cheap travel and accommodation, alongside the opportunity to easily see some new birds.
Accommodation
Was booked online with Hotels.com : The Sharm Bride Hotel in the Nabq area was chosen at £22 per night Bed & Breakfast. The hotel was lovely, with very friendly & attentive staff, and a nice swimming pool. At the buffet-style breakfast anyone could eat as much as desired. I seemed to be the only British person staying there, and most of the other guests were Russian.
Currency
Forty Egyptian Pounds were equal to one GBP at the time of the visit.
People
The Egyptian people proved to be warm and friendly, and courteous. Many are on very low incomes indeed. Accordingly it is nice to tip generously as even a small tip makes a large difference.
Weather
While I was there the weather was perfect sunshine everyday. No rain or clouds at all. Beautiful. Quite hot but, in December, not uncomfortably so. A perfect break from wintry UK.
Itinerary
Day 1. Travelled the 52 miles to Dahab along the mountain road and back. Visited Sharm New Water Treatment Works (Near to Sharm Safari) and the pools immediately adjacent to the south. Visited Golf Heights Resort at Nabq (A hotel that has a golf course in its centre).
Day 2. Visited Nabq Protected Area. Visited the Sharm Botanical Gardens (off El-Salaam Road)
Day 3 Walked across the desert to Sharm "small pools" - a venue mentioned in several trip reports. Visited New WTP again and then the pools next door. Parked at Peace Square and birded the grassy roundabouts and grassy verges as I found this spot quite "birdy". Visited the New WTP pools again.
Day 4; Birding along El Salaam boulevard. Returned to Peace Square and birded. Visited Novotel (Naama Bay area) as there was some good bird activity in this small place.
Notes on Places visited
Sharm New WTP: (Sharm Pools) 27.941835, 34.302386 a place mentioned in many trip reports. Possibly THE place for birding in Sharm. There is here is series of sewage treatment tanks, and also some pools with reed beds to the south-east of them. The two are separate entities. The former which we will call New WTP is accessed from the main 523 road: You enter at the sign post to Sharm Safari, and pass through a police checkpoint (I didn’t get stopped). The plant is on your right a few hundred meters along the slip road. However it is a dual carriageway, and one has to drive past the WTP until the first opportunity of a U turn (a few hundred metres further on) and then turn back to the entrance. There was a lot of construction work going on here with quite a lot of workmen on site. The plant as been modernised & cleaned up. New tanks are in the process of being built. After gaining entry, a man approached me and said I was not allowed to walk round because it is not safe. However he directed me to a birdwatching observation tower newly built to facilitate (and contain) birdwatchers. Another man asked me to sign the visitors book. There was no charge. This place looks good for birding but one was not able to wander around, which curtailed things somewhat. Having said that it proved to be a fantastic place for overhead raptor watching.
Pools and reedbeds 27.939560, 34.305175
As can be seen on a map, directly next door to the above new WTP (to the South-East) is a set of pools with a small amount of reed bed. These are freely accessible and separate from the above facility. To get there just go back onto the slip road and access the place via the opening a few yards along to the south-east. The opening is situated via a large tree (the only large tree in the immediate vicinity) and small building. A great place for birding. One drives in and just parks up. The reedbeds are very small in size. I did see a few small birds furtively moving around among the reeds but was never able to get onto any of them in spite of making three visits here. The main pool was great for birding, and full of birds.
Golf Heights resort, Nabq: 28.051952, 34.425510
I visited here in late afternoon, so bird activity was much reduced and I didnt see a great deal. The security man at the gate let me in when I explained the purpose of my visit, although he insisted on holding my passport while I was in there.
Peace Square, Sharm 27.963199, 34.361276
Not far from the airport is a cluster of roundabouts on the main El Salaam Road. The largest roundabout here contains a large monument, that seems to attract a continuous flow of tourists. It almost seems to be a site of a pilgrimage of sorts. There is a parking area. I pulled up here in the car. I found the set of roundabouts with their grassy verges and shrubbery good for birds, holding several with flocks of Red-throated Pipits and Spanish Sparrows as well as other species.
Nabq Protected area: 28.065887, 34.428301
One enters from the south via a police checkpoint at the southern end of the reserve 28.065887, 34.428301
The armed police at the entrance were wanting to know what I was doing. They searched the car boot, and held the car licence for the duration of the time I was in the reserve. Having said that they were not aggressive, unfriendly or threatening in any way. The price to enter was about £2.50 per person and the same for the car.
The reserve stretches some 10 miles and more to the north, and the mountains to the west are a couple of miles in the distance. A sandy road/track runs from the entrance more or less parallel with the shore, past a mosque and then a Bedouin village called El Ghargana (28.120928, 34.441005) which is alongside some mangroves and a lovely beach area. After this one comes to another mangrove area followed by a visitor centre (The visitor centre building was completely empty-no one was there). Just before the visitor centre ( 28.193763, 34.430791) was another armed police checkpoint. Here I was subjected to another car boot search and a little questioning, along with an examination of my passport. Still, I have to mention in no way were the police unfriendly or aggressive. The high security in this part of the world is meant to keep tourists safe, and I was grateful for that. One point to mention is that some time after passing through the second checkpoint, I was seen by those police taking photographs which they thought was of them. This caused them to approach me and ask what I was doing. They then proceeded to check the photographs on my camera. Upon seeing that the photographs were only of birds and scenery, they were satisfied. My advice is that if anyone goes to this part of the world, security is very high. It is highly advisable to be very careful where one points one's camera. Police are everywhere and are on high alert, as tourism gets underway again in Sharm- El Sheikh.
This Nabq Protected Area was a beautiful place, and quite large. It would warrant many hours birding. Apart from resident Bedouin people living in their huts, I was basically the only person present. I didn’t see another tourist. To bird this place, one is perhaps recommended to drive or walk along the road and periodically access the shore to search for birds, such as waders, gulls, and terns.
Sharm Botanical Gardens: 27.943346, 34.359975
I entered this place and it was deserted. I parked the car up and had a wander. There were some good birds here although not in profusion. It was mainly grassy areas with a pool or two. Upon leaving a man emerged and asked me if I had paid. I explained that when I had arrived there had been no one around to pay to. I offered to pay him. He said it would be one hundred Egyptian Pounds (about £2.50 GBP) . I said I only had a 200 EP note. He said that would do. I said I didnt feel like paying that amount but told him I had some smaller denomination notes. In the end he accepted 70 Egyptian pounds. (about £1.80 GBP)
Golf Villas: (Maritim Jolie Golf Course) 27.939726, 34.366799
This place is adjacent to the Botanical Gardens on the opposite side of the road. It is a resort complex with a Golf Course at its centre and some pools said to be good for birds. Although previous trip reporters reported good birding here, others reported they had, sadly, been denied access by the management. I located the entrance and approached in the car. The man on security asked what I was doing and he could see my camera. I said I just wanted a look round. He made a phone call and his superior spoke to me on the phone. I had to leave because he said photography is not allowed for security reasons. In retrospect I should have just said I was here to do some birdwatching. Maybe had I handled it that way I would have been let in.
Small Pools, Sharm El-sheikh 28.009754, 34.407944
Several trip reports mentioned this as a good place to do birding, so I decided to make a visit. New roads have been built in recent years and there is no stopping alongside the pools. However, I found an opening to the south east here 28.006836, 34.413051.and parked up the car just off the road. One had to walk over half a mile to the pools. However, upon arrival, I found all the pools to be completely dried out and birdless, at least while I was present. Some reedbed was present completely dead and dried out. Perhaps at certain times of the year these pools are not dried out.
Novotel Palm resort, Naama Bay (just on the El-Salaam Boulevard): 27.916486, 34.330262
I found a nice little area of greenery here with quite a few birds present : a place that (unusually for the Sharm area) afforded unrestricted access without security.
Had I had more time, I would have visited and found more places to do birding. A better birder than myself would surely have amassed a larger total. A decent guide might have been useful.
Birding report day by day to follow.
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