The Coloured Canyon of Egypt

The Coloured Canyon is a narrow slot canyon located near the town of Nuweiba, on Sinai peninsula, Egypt, so named because of its amazing spectrum of colours and banding. The canyon was formed by water erosion millions of years ago when this region was submerged under the ocean. It’s almost 800 meters long and flanked by walls 40 meters high. The sandstone walls are coloured with a range of hues from dark brown to red to straw yellow, which appears so due to the presence of magnesium and iron oxides. The canyon is little more than a meter wide at some parts, and sometimes blocked by fallen boulders that visitors have to climb over in order to proceed. The canyon is easy to reach and its short length makes it perfect for hiking.

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