St Catherine's Monastery

World famous monastery apparently built on the site where Moses saw the burning bush. This is the oldest monastery in the world with a unique history and it is a world heritage site. Located towards the summit of Mount Sinai at about 800 metres above sea level.

The monastery is open from 8am - 12noon Monday - Thursday and Saturdays. (Closed on Fridays and Sundays).

There is a twice daily private bus service from Sheikh Salem House to St Catherines at 8am and 4pm daily. The price is 45 egyptian pounds per person each way for the bus journey.

A return mini bus from the Monastery runs at 11am and 7pm daily back to Dahab. Bookings can be made via Sheikh Salem House in Dahab or via Bedouin Paths at Sheikh Musa Camp in St Catherine's.

Mount St Catherine

If the weather permits you can walk (daytime only) to the summit of Mount St Catherine at 2629m, it is Sinai's and is Egypt's highest point and features Egypt's highest monastery at the peak. That is much smaller than St Catherine but impressively perched on the top of the mountains summit. From the peak on a clear day it is possible to see a full 360 degree view of Sinai from Suez Canal in the north to Taba, Saudi Arabia and Southern Egypt.

Mount Sinai

The second highest point and the most famous in Sinai at 2285m and one of the most visited sites. Breathtaking views and historical - this is a must do when you're in Sinai. This is the site where Moses is supposed to have received the 10 commandments. Overnight is recommended so that you can enjoy the magnificent views of sunrise over sinai, and if you get there early you can enjoy the sunset as well.

It is a long walk to the summit and depending on your fitness walking the ascent will take between 2-4 hours. Or it is possible to go by Camel 2/3rd's of the way but you may have to walk the last part which is the most difficult. Climbing Mount Sinai may be extremely difficult from late December  - February due to poor weather conditions and sometimes there is snow and ice in winter. In July and August plan your ascent and descent avoiding the heat of the day.

Please note that the Mountain does get very crowded during the night whilst people wait for sunrise as this is the most popular climbing option. If you prefer it to be more peaceful climb to watch sunset or in between sunrise and sunset to avoid the crowds.

Take a torch and warm clothes for this climb even in summer you may feel at little cold at the summit after the climb.

We use local guides from the Jebaliya tribe for climbing Mount Sinai. The guide's fee is around 85 egyptian pounds per group of up to 8 persons. The guides will assist you so that the trip is comfortable and enjoyable.

There is a twice daily private bus service from Sheikh Salem House to St Catherines at 8am and 4pm daily. The price is 45 egyptian pounds per person each way for the bus journey.

A return mini bus from the Monastery runs at 11am and 7pm daily back to Dahab. Bookings can be made via Sheikh Salem House in Dahab or via Bedouin Paths at Sheikh Musa Camp in St Catherine's.

 

Sinai has natural landscapes that tell a story about the history of the earth and the region. Layers of rock from highlight how the earths layout has changed and where there is land today may have been sea before. The Gulf of Aqaba is a rift valley where the tech tonic plates of Africa and Asia meet.

Coloured Canyon

A famous and beautiful canyon displays thousands of years of history in the coloured layers of rock. Weathering by the wind has created some amazing rock formations. This is a popular place to visit as part of a day or longer safari as there are many other things to see in this part of Sinai. it does involve a 30 minute walk each way from the end of the road.

Wadi Ulrada - A valley of weathered rock formations, contrasted with soft white sand. A beautiful area to visit  between St Catherines and Nuweiba.

Arched Canyon - A big gorge that makes for good exploration if visiting the nearby Ain El Furtaga or Bir es-Sawa

Blue Valley - A valley with rock formations, some of which were painted blue by a Belgian artist in 1978. A piece of art in an unusual setting.

El - Haduda - The biggest sand dune in eastern Sinai. Close to Nuwebia this is a great place to visit. Take a strong tray or strong smooth board and try sand boarding here, great fun.

Forest of Pillars - A unique natural landscape of weathered rock formations on the cliffs of Mount El Tih.

Wadi Huweiyit -This is another colorful sandstone canyon, but it is not visited as often as the coloured canyon which is surprising as it is very close by. It also features typical desert plants and flowers.

Jerbel Serbal - Close to Oasis of feiran this is one of Sinai's most beautiful mountains with ruined chapels along the path leading up to the summit, recommended for a visit.

Ras Abu Gallum - Large national park with a Bedouin fishing village and basic hut accommodation (private or shared) offering amazing landscapes, good snorkeling or diving and a chance to truly escape to nature. There are no shops, cafes, and food is cooked by the resident Bedouin families or your safari guide. This is un spoilt Sinai at its best and it reminds us all of what Dahab was like 30 years ago. We recommend a 2- 3 day stay here (although day trips are possible) for complete relaxation to enjoy the silence of the desert and star filled sky. Or make this part of a longer safari as other great locations are in easy reach.

Nabq - National Park with something even more unique to Sinai - Mangrove lakes. This is a great national park with natural oasis, ship wrecks and a good information centre. definitely worth a visit. Kayaking is great in the mangroves here and can be organised if you want to add this to your safari. Basic huts are available for overnight stays which is recommended as there is much to see in this park and there is a park information centre that details the wildlife and history of Nabq.

Ras Mohammed - Beautiful national park close to Sharm el Sheikh, with brilliant diving and snorkeling sites. A shark observatory with telecopes gives you the chance to maybe spot a shark. There are walking trails and mangrove swamps, rock formations and desert landscapes. This can be organsied as a day trip or camping overnight is possible but there are no shops or cafes. Our guide would organise provisions and cook meals.

Please note a full Egyptian visa is required to visit Ras Mohamed National Park. Other places mentioned above can be visited on a South Sinai only free 15 day visa.

Under ground springs throughout Sinai form a number of oases in surprising places. Set against harsh desert landscapes these provide areas of outstanding natural beauty and in some places an abundance of wildlife.

Oasis of Feiran - This is another place that was mentioned in religious scriptures and is full of history. A beautiful Oasis with hundreds of Date Palms. Lush gardens and a small town here makes this a great place for an overnight stay. One of the worlds oldest Nunneries is located here and is still in operation.

Wadi Kid - Another oasis of palm trees set within a fertile canyon, along with a bedouin village and farm.

Ain El Furtaga Oasis - Palm tree oasis close to coloured canyon.

Ain Kudra Oasis - Beautiful Palmy Oasis with religious significance, this is apparently Miriam was stricken with leprosy for being critical of Moses.

Ain Umm Ahmed - An oasis fed by the melting snow from the Sinai Mountains in winter

Natural springs in Sinai are formed largely by the melting snow in winter of the Sinai's highest mountains. However surprisingly there is a vast amount of water underground and it is not clear where exactly all of this water comes from. These springs and water sources usually form underneath the valleys between the mountains, then they flow downwards and eventually out to the sea.

Ain Musa

The 'Springs of Moses'. According to local legends and scholars this is the site that Moses and the Israelites rested after crossing the red sea. However this has been widely disputed. There was originally 12 springs here but now only one remains along with an oasis.

Bir Es Sawa - Small oasis and spring coming from within a cave.

Hamman Faraoun - Hot springs known as 'The Pharaohs Bath'. Linked with legends and it is possible to bathe here, and it is said that the waters here are able to cure rheumatism.

Serabit El Khadim

Pharonic ruins featuring a hilltop temple, turquoise mines and inscriptions surrounded by amazing scenery. The temple here was dedicated to the goddess Hathor as 'mistress of turquoise' and the god Soped as Guardian of the desert ways'. Close by is also Wadi Mukattab 'Valley of Inscriptions' with hieroglyphics carved into the rocks.

Pharoahs Island - North of Nuwebia this island has a long history. It features a medieval fortress similar to european castles of the same era.

Nuwamis - This is a pre-historic site with graves over 5550 years old and inscriptions.

 

Valleys are named Wadis in Arabic and Sinai has hundreds of Wadis leading from the highest mountains down to the sea. Many of these Wadis have been used as roads and tracks for hundreds of years, providing convenient routes for caravans and travelers. Many of these Wadis have now become main roads in Sinai, whilst there are still many that offer ideal sites for villages, or resting spots.

Wadi Ghazala - Sand dunes with flora and wildlife including acacia groves and gazelles.

Wadi Mandar - Big valley between Dahab and Sharm El Sheikh, where camel races and bedouin weddings are often held.

Wadi Naseb - A huge valley that runs from Mount Catherine to Dahab. The upper levels are green and lush during spring and small palmy oases line the route down to the coast.

Wadi Swall - Bedouin Village located between St Catherine and Nuwebia, offers overnight bedouin accommodation and is close to Nuwamis (see above).

Some of Sinai's smaller and less visited resorts make a good overnight or two day trip from Dahab.

Nuweiba - Town north of Dahab by 60km that is quieter and less touristy. It is mainly a port town but it does have some great places to stay and some great locations to visit within the vicinity. There are some good snorkeling and diving sites and Ras Shatain has lovely beach huts offering peace and tranquility. This is a good place for a stop over if you are seeing the Coloured Canyon and the Dunas. We can arrange day trips or overnight trips, or just transport and let you do the rest. We can advise on good places to stay for all budgets.

Taba - Resort close to the border of Israel. Consisting of holiday resorts and some diving possible here.

Ras Sudr - Once a small Bedouin village the western coast of Sinai on the Gulf of Suez, it now has some big holiday resorts that are a popular escape for people living in Cairo. This is a good place to stay if you are planning to visit Hamman Faraoun and some of the other sites on the western side of Sinai. Some nice sandy beaches here but some of them are overlooked by oil rigs and refineries.

Ras Sudr has recently become a popular wind and kite surfing spot as it enjoys a good and fairly regular wind.

St Catherine's Town - More than just Mountain and Monastery!

St Catherine's Town is of course home to the area of Mount Sinai and the Monastery. But is also have a whole lot more to offer the unknowledgable visitor. Firstly it is set up high (about 800m above sea level) which means it is surrounded by High Mountains and Valleys. In the valleys are beautiful gardens, springs and even more monasteries and other places of interest to visit.

The town also have a world famous Bedouin Medicine Doctor who is the local expert on all the herbs in the area. He has a herbal garden which can be visited, close by Baraka Gardens offers walks and organic gardens.

Fansina is the longest running Bedouin Womens Handicraft Project in South Sinai, established over 6 years ago and part funded by the European Union.  Fansina offers beautiful crafts and information on the history of Bedouin dress in the region. A must visit during any trip to St Catherine's.

A new bus to the Monastery is starting in November 2009 which will run twice daily from Sheikh Salem House to St Catherines. We work closely with a like minded organisation in St Catherine's and can offer a wide choice of accommodation so that you can enjoy a few days in one of Sinai's most beautiful but often overlooked areas.

There is a twice daily private bus service from Sheikh Salem House to St Catherines at 8am and 4pm daily. The price is 45 egyptian pounds per person each way for the bus journey.

A return mini bus from the Monastery runs at 11am and 7pm daily back to Dahab. Bookings can be made via Sheikh Salem House in Dahab or via Bedouin Paths at Sheikh Musa Camp in St Catherine's.

 

Dahab can be used as a base for exploring further a field and visiting other countrys. Jordan and Petra can make ideal 2 - 3 day trips from Sinai.

Jordan

From Nuweiba you can take a fast ferry to Aqaba Jordan (1 hour crossing time, two hours customs and docking times) and visit the amazing Petra with its monastery's carved from rock. This is a great excursion but it requires at least two nights in Jordan to be worthwhile. We can provide you with more details and suggest some good accommodation.

Long day trips are possible but are not recommended due to the whistle stop nature of them. They start at 4am from Dahab and finish at 11pm, with only around 4 hours in Petra itself.

Israel

The lovely resort city of Eilat is accessible in about 3 hours from Dahab. Its a good excursion from Sinai and has excellent shops and restaurants. There are various hotels and resorts to suit most budgets and it is a good base for exploring other areas of Israel including the Dead Sea and Jerusalem.

If you are interested in visiting any of the above places we can arrange them for you. The places closest to Dahab can be visited as day trips and these can be booked upon arrival. However to see all the above places would require at least a two week holiday. We can group together some of these places to form a 2 day - 14 day safari, these would require advanced booking at least two weeks prior to arrival. Contact us with your interests and your holiday itinerary and we will make some safari suggestions with prices based on your requirements.