Explore the Sinai Peninsula of Egypt, Egypt: Mount Sinai (Jabal Musa)

An experience

5/16/20255 min read

Hiking trail leading up Mount Sinai with rocky desert terrain in Egypt

Overview

Distance: 11.6 km

Average Duration: 2-4 Hours

Difficulty Level: Easy

Total Elevation Gain: 724 m

Summit height: 2,285 m

Start/Finish: Base of mountain close to Saint Catherine's Monastery.

Mount Sinai's popularity as a hike is largely due to its historical and religious significance, particularly in Judaism and Christianity. The hike itself offers a challenging but rewarding experience, culminating in the sunrise views from the summit.

Planning

Getting There: I booked this through a guide based at my hotel in Sharm El-Sheikh. They sent a bus and a guide handled everything else.

Season: I visited in early Spring; I think Spring or Autumn are best as summer would likely be very hot, and winter very cold at night.

Permits & Fees: I paid around £30 for the bus, and £10 for entry. The £10 had to be paid in cash.

Water: I carried 2 litres, there some vendors at the base of the mountain.

Food: I took a small of snacks and a basic breakfast.

Accommodation

Most commonly people complete their visit and return to their accommodation via bus. There are a variety of lodges, and hotels available in the area.

The Hike

I’d planned a family holiday to Sharm El-Sheikh. I try to incorporate hiking into most things, and our all-inclusive resort stay was no exception. Upon arrival at our resort, it was very straight forward to book through the resort’s guides. I was told to be waiting at the front gate for collection at 02:00.

At 01:50 the next morning I was waiting. A small minibus eventually arrived and the driver said my name. He then asked me if I had my passport. I wasn’t told to bring my passport so I hadn’t. He said not to worry. I jumped in and was informed by others in the minibus that we were being driven to a larger bus. I was concerned about the passport but assumed if it was a serious issue the driver wouldn’t have allowed me on the minibus.

After a short drive we arrived at the side of a road where a larger bus was parked up. We entered the bus, it was packed, almost every seat taken. I had hoped to sleep on the way to catch up but that wasn’t looking likely. Almost everyone on the bus was school aged and Russian. I felt a little out of place because I can’t speak the language. I couldn’t get to sleep on the bus and after what felt like a very long time we arrived.

The guide stood in the aisle and said “Please can we have everyone’s passports, I’ll be coming through to collect” I was now very nervous, it had only just dawned upon me that Sharm El-Sheikh and Egypt aren’t the same place. I assumed this level of domestic travel wouldn’t require a passport. When the guide approached, I apologised. He said “Okay, you stay with me”

We all got off and a man from the bus approached me and asked if I was British? It turns out he was also from the U.K. We made our way through a security checkpoint where passports were being monitored. The guide gestured me to stand behind him as we passed through. I did so and no issue was raised.

As we continued walking, I felt more at ease and chatted to the man from the U.K. There were some lights in the area we were in, but the stars already looked great. I could make out the milky way immediately.

The path begins very wide, and there were a lot of people. The atmosphere was upbeat considering the time. We were offered a coffee stop only 1km into the hike. We stopped with the group as we were instructed but didn’t really require anything. I was distracted on the hike by noises coming from close to but just away from the path. We continued on and the stars became more visible. I love the night sky so this was a treat for me. Another kilometre in we stopped again, was concerned about time and missing the sunrise but I used the time to take a few shots of the sky.

We continued on with on at a leisurely pace. We met with a man from Romania who was concerned about our times. After checking our current times, we realised we could miss the sunrise. The Romanian man slipped ahead and myself and the man from the U.K were close behind. We decided we’d have to rush to make it. Our pace was just a little out of our comfort zone. Both of us hiding uncomfortable breathing.

The path has some steep parts and also some areas that require you to stop to allow others past. We continued to climb until we noticed the sky getting lighter. About half an hour from the summit we really pushed ourselves. In some places we were running uphill, and at one point we needed to rest for a few minutes. Eventually we made it to the summit. A small amount of people from all over the world, were already gathered just before the sun came up. People were singing religious songs; the atmosphere was really lovely.

We found a large flat rock that offered a nice view. We sat and enjoyed breakfast snacks as the sun came up. After some time, we decided to head back down. The landscape I had taken for granted on the way up was now visible and in places abstract and beautiful to me. I was slightly concerned when descending to find what I believe the source of the noises to be. Several men carrying machines guns stationed just outside the path. This shouldn’t put anyone off this hike but worth noting if you’re not used to seeing this.

Upon arrival at the base of the mountain we were told it would be some time before the bus would collect us. The sun was strong and there weren’t many places to hide from it. We visited the monastery and learned about the history of the area, and saw the Moses bush. It was very interesting. Later there was a lot of sitting around waiting for the bus. I slept well on the return journey. The trip was well worth it.

Notes

· Historical Significance: Mount Sinai is renowned as the place where Moses received the Ten Commandments from God.

· Religious Significance: It holds religious importance for Jews, Christians, and Muslims.

· Camel Rides: Camel rides are an option for those finding the hike too challenging.