Sunrise on Mount Sinai
Climb through the night to the summit for dawn, then walk down to the oldest working monastery in the Christian world.
- Where
- Mount Sinai and St Catherine's Monastery, South Sinai
- Proposed length
- Overnight, about 14 hours from Sharm El Sheikh
- Needs
- A steady night climb; no technical skill
The story
Mount Sinai rises to 2,285 m. Climbers take the gentler camel path, about 2.5 hours on foot, or the 3,750 Steps of Penitence behind the monastery, and many set out after midnight to reach the summit for sunrise (Wikipedia).
At its foot, St Catherine's Monastery was founded in the 6th century and is the oldest Christian monastery still used for its original purpose; the area is sacred to Christianity, Islam and Judaism (UNESCO).
Our judgement: It is a long night, and rushed tours cut the monastery short. We plan the timing so that you have both.
What happens
- Collection late in the evening and the drive to St Catherine.
- Climb the camel path by torchlight with a Bedouin guide, and the final steps to the summit.
- Watch the sun rise over the Sinai mountains.
- Walk down to St Catherine's Monastery when it opens, before the drive back.
A proposed shape, not a fixed programme. The host sets the order on the day.
What it asks of you
A night without sleep and a steady climb at altitude, then the descent. It is cold on the summit in every season, and freezing in winter.
- Minimum age
- Teenagers used to walking
- Best season
- Year-round; the summit is freezing in winter
What we confirm before you go
- A registered Bedouin guide for the climb
- Warm layers, a torch and water; blankets can be hired near the top
- The monastery's opening hours for your date, which change with religious holidays
- The route to St Catherine, which stays outside the area the UK government advises against
Where it fits
More in desert & sand
- Quad, camel and supper in the desert behind HurghadaThe Eastern Desert inland from Hurghada
- Sinai by quad, then supper with the BedouinThe South Sinai desert inland from Sharm El Sheikh
- A telescope night in the Eastern DesertThe Eastern Desert inland from Hurghada
- A Sinai Trail daySt Catherine, South Sinai
- Saqqara by quad and dirt bikeThe desert edge at Saqqara, south of Giza
- The White Desert after darkWhite Desert National Park, Western Desert
Ask us
Ask about “Sunrise on Mount Sinai”
Tell us your dates, where you will be and who is coming. We confirm the host, the timing, the price for your party and the terms before anything is booked.
Sources and review
Reviewed on by Deluxe Trips Egypt. Facts are attributed to their sources; where we give a judgement, we say so. Arranged on request; we confirm every detail before anything is booked.
Photo: Sara Nabih, CC BY-SA 4.0
