Trekking in Sinai via St. Catherine Trails
Trekking in Sinai Heights of Egypt and experiencing the beauty of Sinai’s wilderness. It is very diverse, a combination of trekking between the boulder-strewn wadis, dramatic gardens, ancient Sinai trails, and breathtaking landscapes of the highest mountains in Sinai peninsula.
St. Catherine’s trails are one of the most important experiences for trekking, long-distance hiking, and camping in Egypt because it has the most important seven mountains in Egypt. It is also one of the most important heritage areas, as mentioned by UNESCO.
Your trekking in Sinai will let you discover the authentic traditional mountain lifestyle of the tribe of Gebalia Bedouins, including cooking over fire and sleeping under the stars, and learn a lot about the customs and traditions of the Gebalia tribe.
Hard
13 Days
117 KM
Highlights of trekking in Sinai
Mount Sinai " Jabal Mousa "
Mount Catherine roof of Egypt
Mount Al-Ahmar
Mount Abas Basha
The black peaks or El-Somra
Hike the 3 peaks
El-Galt El-Azraq Natural pool
Mount Na'aga
Shaikh Awad village
Wadi Al-Furai
Mount El-Banat or Jabal El-Banat
Saint Catherine Monastery
Itinerary Details
Read All
Arrival to Saint Catherine City
Day 1
You will arrive in St. Catherine and stay at a local camp in the city to rest, prepare yourself, and enjoy the city before starting the trip the next day.
Hike Mount Sinai & Old churches trails 9.83 km
Day 2
In the morning, after breakfast, we will prepare our hiking backpacks and luggage bags to carry them on the camels. We will walk along the Wadi Al-Fara trail and then the ancient monastic churches to wander between them and have lunch in this area, then head to the top of Mount Sinai to enjoy the sunset, and then return to the feet of the top. Once again, go to the camping place to set out tents, have our dinner around the fire, and then sleep under the stars in the Al-Louzah or Elias wadi.
Hike Saint Catherine Mountain roof of Egypt 14.7 km
Day 3
We will leave the camping site to go to Wadi Al-Arbaeen, then to a winding path called Shaq Musa, reaching Umm Sella, and then to the summit of Mount Catherine, the highest point in Egypt, to enjoy the picturesque view and have lunch in the mountain, then go down a rocky path to reach Wadi Al-Mutahhar to camp for the night in a garden.
Hike Mount Ahmer 6.76 km
Day 4
We will take a walk towards Wadi Al-Ahmar and enjoy jumping over boulders to reach the top of Jabal Al-Ahmar and enjoy the view of the city from the top. Then we will have lunch and enjoy the same way down again to Wadi Al-Shaq Park to camp our night in Odaa Garden.
Hike Mount Abbas the old palace foundation 8.37 km
Day 5
From Wadi Al-Shaq to Wadi Al-Zawatin, passing through ancient gardens on our path, we began our ascent through a slippery rocky trail, reaching the summit of Mount Abbas Helmi, seeing the foundation of the old palace and the city, eating lunch, and then descending via a mountain path to the secret garden to spend the night in Wadi Boali’.
Hike Mount El-Somra trail 10.87 km
Day 6
From Wadi Bawali’, then to the trails of Jabal al-Samra and Wadi Nashil, eating lunch during the trail, and then descending to Farsh al-Rummaneh to camp for the night there.
Hike Mount Bab El-Donya & Mount Abo Alda & Mountb Abo Qroun 11.8 km
Day 7
From Farsh Al-Rummanah via a mountain trail and jumping over large boulders through Wadi Mubarak to the summit of Abu Qarun and then to the summit of Abu Alda. If the weather is clear, we can see the Red Sea and Gulf of Suez, then go to Ain Al-Najila for lunch and the summit of Bab Al-Dunya Mountain, and then return again to Farsh Al-Rummanah to spend the night.
Hike and swim in El-Galt Al-Azraq 7.59 km
Day 8
From Farsh Al-Rummanah, we will head to a natural swimming pool via Wadi Al-Tabaq and Ain Abu Hobeik, arriving at the Blue Galt for swimming and eating lunch, and then climbing to Farsh Umm Silah and Wadi Abu Tuwaytah, passing through Shaqq Saqr, to camp for the night in Wadi Saqr.
Hike Mount Na'ga 11 km
Day 9
We will hike from Wadi Saqar to Mount Na’ga trail to the top of the mountain to enjoy the amazing panorama to see El-Tih Plateau and Wadi Sheikh Awad village, then we will have lunch and walk to Wadi Shaq Tenya trail, then to Wadi Etlah to spend the night there.
Hike thru Wadi Shaikh Awad village 11.96 km
Day 10
We will walk through Wadi Itlah, then we will get to Wadi Ganab, then Wadi Madamen, until we get to the first garden in Wadi to have lunch, then we will continue walking through Shaikh Awad village to Al Karm Ecolodge to spend the night there.
Hike Wadi EL-Furai 12.7 km
Day 11
From El-Karm Ecolodge, we will hike through the wadis until Wadi Nuqra to have lunch, then we will continue our trial until we get to Wadi El-Free to spend the night in the garden there.
Hike Mount El-Banat 10.64 km
Day 12
We will walk from the garden to El-Ramanat, then we will get to the summit of Mount Elbanat to enjoy the view, then we will walk down to have lunch and back to the same garden to spend the last night together.
Visit Saint Catherine monastery 1.5 km
Day 12
After breakfast, we will say goodbye to all the team members and walk to Abo Sela village and ride the cars to Saint Catherine monastery to visit it and enjoy the last hours there. Then we will go back to the camp to get our bags, and we will leave Saint Catherine city.
Trail Map
Elevation Profile
Distance
117 km
Ascent
7960(-7989) m
Max Elevation
2642 m
Min Elevation
1100 m
The Price Includes
Expert Bedouin Guide
A professional bedouin guide knows the wilderness like the back of his hand to help you have a special trip
Camel & Porterage
You will only carry your daily bag of snacks, water and personal items & overnight luggage and main supplies during the mountain trek carried up the camels
Camping Gardens
The Gardens where we will camp and blanket and mattress for each person
3 Meals a Day
Three bedouin traditional meals cooked with love up the firewoods
Some Equipment
Carpets and some furnishings will be provided for wild camping in the mountains and all cooking utensils
Transfer to Saint Catherine City & back
We will help you to find the best transportation to St. Catherine
ِAccommodation in a camp
One-night accommodation includes dinner and breakfast in the camp of your choice
The Price Doesn’t Includes
Tipping for Escorts
Tipping according to your personal preference around 12.5% from the trip price
Bottled water on the hike "optional"
Everyday there is 3 liters of water for every person 2 Bottles
Personal Expenses
You can spend some of these expenses on buying local gifts, such as handicrafts and local products
Personal Camping Equipments
Personal camping equipment such as a comfortable, weather-appropriate sleeping bag, tent, and sleeping mattress
Any extras not mentioned in the program
Example snacks gifts
What To Expect
Weather
Sinai’s unique mountains weather is hot during the day and cold, pleasant, and cold at night. We prefer to run this trip in spring and autumn, when the daytime temperatures are lower and more pleasant for trekking in sinai (usually ranging from 15 to 25 °C). But we run a lot of other hikes during the winter with prepared hikers. Winter nights can be really cold, but blankets and sleeping bags are provided for safety. Accurate data is crucial for understanding the weather conditions as the trip date approaches. Summer is not a good choice to hike and trek in sinai desert. We will be able to gather information about the weather conditions that we are going to face. We’ve got to be well prepared for all conditions—the hot weather and the cold weather—with the right clothes and good equipment. The weather in Sinai at night is colder than what most people would expect, especially if they are not familiar with it.
Accommodation
The Bedouins usually sleep under the stars. They call it the million-star hotel.
But sometimes there will be camping nights in the gardens equipped with Rocky rooms by the Bedouins; some of them contain mattresses and blankets, and sometimes we will camp our way through the pristine Sinai Trail. You will learn basic camping skills and how to set up a tent. Everyone should have a tent and a sleeping bag suitable for all seasons to ensure that there is enough space to make you all feel comfortable. A 3- or 4-season sleeping bag (depending on the time of year) will be enough to make your experience safe and comfortable.
Hiking
You don’t need to be an expert hiker to join this trip, but you do need to be fit enough to hike for at least 5–6 hours every day in Sinai weather. You will walk through the amazing boulder-strewn wadis, dramatic switchbacks sometimes and through rocky trails or green valleys. However, each day will just keep you motivated for the next with the great company and breathtaking scenery.
Food
You will have three extremely delicious bedouin meals cooked up the wood fire all the trip, and you can also help in their preparation if you want to. Breakfast is usually eggs, cheese, beans, honey, and jam; lunch is on the lighter side with salad, grilled eggplant, tuna salad, mashed potatoes, and white cheese; and dinner is the amazing cuisine of bedouins, which is soup, pasta, rice, lentils, vegetables, meat, or chicken slow-cooked on charcoal or on the fire with some fruit.
What to Bring
Soft overnight duffel bag or rucksack (max 15 kg)
Hiking day-pack (20-30 litres)
Hiking shoes
Camping tent
Sleeping bag
Sleeping mat
Hiking poles
Warm Jacket waterproof
Hiking Pants waterproof
Thermal shirt
Warm Hood
Hiking short
head torch
Slipper or sandal for the night
Winter clothes
Sunglasses
Sunscreen
Energy bars, nuts and snacks
Personal first aid kit
Sanitary supplies
Battery charger or Solar charger
Sun hat
Passport
Extra cash
More Hikes
Ready to Explore Sinai?
Frequently Asked Questions
Examples of potential risks in trekking in Sinai, Egypt
- Stomach disorders : It is the feeling of pain and a feeling of discomfort in the stomach, diarrhea, and despite the multiplicity of health problems that occur in the stomach and cause pain, most of them are simple and the symptoms disappear quickly or by taking medication, as in indigestion or contraction of the abdominal muscles, and for this it must be You have a pain reliever for this.
- Sunburn : Sunburn is red, sore skin that feels hot to the touch. It usually appears within several hours after excessive exposure to ultraviolet light from the sun and you can avoid this with sunscreen and related conditions by protecting your skin. This is especially important when you are outside, even on cold or cloudy days.
- Foot blisters : These blisters usually appear in areas that have been damaged, with the aim of forming a cushion that protects the area from additional damage in most cases, and the best way to treat foot blisters is to leave them to heal on their own. Period The following can be done to speed up the healing process:Do not expose the area to any pressure or friction. Carefully clean the area around the blisters with soap and water. Cover the area with a clean, dry, breathable pad. Put a cold source on the area. Elevate the affected foot on a chair or pillow to reduce blood flow to the affected area. Not wearing the shoes or socks that caused their appearance.
- Drought : Dehydration is a common problem in athletes. During sports activity, the body loses water along with some important blood salts such as potassium. Dehydration impedes the physical and mental performance of the athlete at all levels. The risk of dehydration increases in light of the availability of auxiliary factors such as high air temperatures, so the body secretes sweat to maintain the body temperature of 37 degrees Celsius, and you can avoid this by keeping drinking sufficient water constantly.
- Low body temperature : You feel a drop in temperature when your body loses heat faster than it produces it, and your body temperature drops below 95 F (35 C). If left untreated, it can be life-threatening. It usually occurs as a result of exposure to cold weather or immersion in cold water. It can also occur with continuous exposure to indoor temperatures below 50 F (10 C). You may also be at greater risk when you feel tired or dehydrated. Signs and symptoms of hypothermia usually appear slowly and can include: Shivering, although it may stop as the body temperature drops slurred speech or mumbling Rapid and weak breathing weak pulse ataxia, or poor balance Feeling drowsy or weak Confusion or memory loss Unconsciousness The skin is bright red and cool (in infants) Gently move the person away from the cold. If they cannot enter the closed room, wrap the person in a blanket, especially around the neck and head. Isolate the person from the cold ground. Gently dispose of wet clothing. Replace wet items with warm, dry sheets or a blanket. When more heating is needed, warm it up gradually. For example, apply warm, dry compresses to the center of the body, neck, chest, and groin. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggests another option is to use an electric blanket when available. If you are using bottles filled with hot water or as a hot chemical, first wrap them in a towel before using them. Offer the person warm, sweet, non-alcoholic drinks. If the person has no signs of life, such as breathing, coughing or movement, begin CPR.
