Egypt is famous for its ancient civilization and monuments including the pyramids. But, its lakes don’t get the attention they’re worth. The country has many different lakes from north to South, which play a crucial role for the environment.
Lake Nasser
It is the largest lake in Egypt and also one of the largest artificial lakes in the world. Named after the second president of Egypt, Gamal Abdel Nasser, the freshwaters of the lake are renowned for fishing tiger fish and catfish.
The fortress of Buhen and a few other Egyptian sites rest at the bottom of the lake as they were flooded during the construction of the Aswan High Dam. The lake holds importance as it also generates hydroelectric power.
Lake Timsah
Often known as the ‘Crocodile Lake’, this lake is located perfectly within an isthmus between Red Sea and Mediterranean Sea. The lake is overlooked from many famous beaches like Melaha, Suez Canal, and Bahary.
Lake Burullus
This brackish water lake, located east of Rosetta, is considered as the second largest in Egypt. It is also known as Lake Paralus, as the historical settlement of Paralus/Burullus rests below the waters.
The lake is an environmental site with salt swamps and sand plains, with diverse fish, reptile, and bird species around.
Lake Moeris
The lake lies 20 kilometers northwest to the Fayyum Oasis. It was once a large freshwater lake which now is a smaller brackish water lake. The lake was an outcome of overflowing Nile River.
It was also called as Lake Qarun and holds historical value to Egypt. It has been protected since 1989 as it’s surrounded by historical monuments, rare fossils, and antique treasures.
Wadi El Rayan Lake
The two freshwater lakes are located in the nature reserve of valley Wadi El Rayan. The upper and lower lakes are connected with a beautiful waterfall running in between them. It is known for the beautiful view and the surrounding sand dunes.
Magic Lake
The freshwater lake in Fayyum is well known for its natural beauty. The beautiful azure lake is in the middle of a desert and surrounded by sand dunes and rocky mountains.
It is known as Magic Lake because of its ever-changing color. There are numerous activities like camping, desert safaris, sand boarding, and dining.
Siwa Salt Lake
The Siwa Oasis in the Western Desert consists of both salty lakes and freshwater springs. It boasts of gorgeous landscapes with palm trees and pure crystal water. The lakes are so salty that actual salt crystals can be seen around.
Due to extreme salinity, no marine life can survive here. But, it is popular for medicinal and relaxation purposes. It is especially known for treating sinus and skin or eye diseases.
Lake Bardawil
Lake Bardwail is a huge but shallow saline lagoon surrounded by numerous sand dunes.
It is located on the north coast of the Sinai Peninsula and is famous among enthusiastic bird-watchers.