A magical travel experience 2285 meters above sea level.
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I stumble forward in the darkness. Trying to keep up with the Bedouin guide leading the way ahead of me, but losing sight of him every time he rounds a bend. It’s surprisingly cold for an April day in the desert country of Egypt. We move forward on an increasingly steep winding gravel road alongside wildcats, stray dogs, camels, donkeys, and other travelers heading towards the summit.
At first, I can barely see a meter ahead of me, but after a while, my eyes adjust to the darkness. When we stop and my heart beats a little less vigorously in my chest, I notice that the night sky is peppered with stars, and the vague shadows are massive mountain formations in an increasingly airy landscape.
Two intense hours later, we reach the small chapel and mosque at the summit of the mountain. The sun reveals itself as a blazing streak on the horizon, painting the clouds in the sky with a pink and purple palette. The unique mountain landscape gradually emerges from the shadows in red and orange undulating forms.
The Mountain’s History and Significance
Mount Sinai is located in the southern part of the Sinai Peninsula, and according to Jewish and Christian tradition, it is the place where God revealed himself to Moses in the form of a burning bush. Moses ascended Mount Sinai and received the Ten Commandments engraved on two stone tablets. He was said to be 80 years old at the time and spent 40 days and 40 nights on the mountain without eating or drinking. If true, he was a very fit old man!
At the top of the mountain lies a small Greek Orthodox chapel and a mosque. In other words, this is a gathering point for Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. The mountain is a popular pilgrimage destination for both religious and spiritual seekers, and one should show respect for people praying, singing hymns, or speaking in tongues regardless of one’s own religion or belief.
How to Get to Mount Sinai
I booked an organized group tour through GetYourGuide. This is the most common way to visit Mount Sinai, and there are many operators to choose from. Most hotels can also help you organize the trip from Sharm El Sheikh, Dahab, or other nearby tourist areas.
Alternatively, you can rent a car or hire a driver and come here on your own, but for safety reasons, it is mandatory to hire a Bedouin guide to accompany you up the mountain. Additionally, you must pass through many security checkpoints in the Mount Sinai area where you must show your passport and permits. If you book a group tour, the organizer takes care of all the paperwork for you.
Sunrise or Sunset?
The sunrise over the mountains is an unforgettable experience. It’s also the most popular time, so you’ll encounter quite a few other people. You depart from the hotel in the evening and ascend the mountain at night in the dark.
If a night hike to Mount Sinai doesn’t appeal to you, you can climb the mountain during the day. There are fewer people then, but the heat can be unbearable in the summer. The sunset is less crowded than the sunrise, but then you have to descend in the dark, which can be challenging when you’re tired after the climb up.
How Long Does It Take?
On a sunrise hike to Mount Sinai, you depart from the hotel in the evening and return the next day around lunchtime. From Dahab, it takes about two hours to drive, and about three hours from Sharm el Sheikh. If you’re traveling independently, it’s wise to allocate extra time for the security checks.
At the foot of the mountain, we were greeted by eager Bedouins selling warm hats, gloves, ponchos, and flashlights. Then we met our Bedouin guide, who accompanied us all the way up.
The distance to the top is only 5–6 kilometers. But since the terrain is steep and challenging, most people need between two and three hours. We took breaks about every half hour and spent about three hours ascending. After the last rest stop, it’s just a short climb to the summit.
Difficulty Level: Moderate
There are two main routes to the top. Steps of Repentance is the most challenging, with 3750 steep steps. Most people opt for the other route called Camel Path.
Most people in reasonably good shape who exercise regularly and/or are used to longer hikes in rough terrain can handle this trip. There are many Bedouin tents set up along the way where you can take breaks, and it’s also possible to rent a camel or a donkey to ride part of the way.
The trail changes quite often. It’s gravelly and uneven, steep uphill, levels out, narrows with tight turns. The last part consists of 750 heavy steps.
Facilities
I could write a separate post about the toilets. They exist at several points on the way up but have a particularly basic standard. Bring toilet paper and possibly wet wipes to clean your hands. The toilet nearest the top was a particularly interesting experience. The walls were almost falling apart, the door couldn’t be properly closed, and there was a brisk breeze both outside and inside the stall…
In the Bedouin tents, you can buy simple snacks like chocolate, water, coffee, tea, and hot chocolate. Beyond that, there’s no food available until you’re back down, so it’s wise to bring some food and drinks.
Many hotels offer a “breakfast bag” that you can pick up at the reception before you leave. In the Bedouin tents, you can also rent blankets and mattresses to rest on. It’s very windy at the top, and when I was there in April, it was actually below zero degrees Celsius. I wasn’t quite prepared for that, so I happily paid 100 Egyptian pounds (about 3 euro) to rent a blanket to wrap around myself.
Saint Catherine’s Monastery
At the foot of the mountain lies Saint Catherine’s Monastery (St. Catherine’s Monastery), which is also worth a visit. It dates back to the mid-6th century (some believe there was a monastery here as early as the 4th century) and is one of the oldest functioning Christian monasteries in the world. The monastery is built on the site where Moses is said to have seen the burning bush.
In the monastery, you can see:
- The basilica, built in the mid-6th century
- Mosaics from various periods
- The library containing over 4,000 Christian manuscripts and documents, including some of the oldest biblical texts in the world
- The icon museum with many very old and valuable icons
- The chapel of the burning bush with a “descendant” of the burning bush
Next to the monastery, there is a café and a seating area where you can rest, have breakfast, and use the restroom.
Most group tours include a visit to the monastery. It doesn’t open until 09:00, so calculate your descent pace so you don’t have to wait too long.
Useful advice
- You must bring your passport and a copy of your passport. If you’re traveling on your own, you need to arrange permission.
- A Bedouin guide is required to ascend Mount Sinai.
- Bring warm clothes! Multiple layers, a proper jacket, hat, gloves, and scarf. A blanket or sleeping bag to wrap yourself in if you don’t want to rent one there.
- Good sneakers or hiking boots.
- Don’t forget your camera.
- Hat and sunscreen for the descent, especially in the summer.
- Consider a headlamp or ensure your phone is fully charged so you can use the flashlight feature if you don’t like the idea of walking in the dark.
- Distance: 11.5 km (round trip)
- Duration: 3–4 hours (the hike itself)
- Elevation: 700 m ascent, summit is 2285 m above sea level
- Difficulty: Moderate
This hike is suitable for you if:
You enjoy physical challenges, activities, mountain landscapes, and want to see more of Egypt than beaches and pyramids.
This hike is not suitable for you if:
You haven’t trained at all or hiked longer distances in a while, have knee or back problems, severe fear of heights, or similar issues.
You can book this tour by clicking here!
