Sinai Trek
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Trekking with Bedouin in a desert wilderness.
Ancient civilisations and desert cultures are combined with hiking to the heights of Mount Sinai, with Cairo and Sharm el Sheikh on the Red Sea. Beginning in Cairo, we explore the city including the Egyptian Museum, before taking in the awesome pyramids at Giza. Accompanied by our Bedouin guides we trek high into the mountains of the Sinai from our Bedouin House. A dawn ascent of the steps of repentance to the summit of Mount Sinai is a fitting conclusion to this trek in a biblical land.
Highlights
- A full afternoon exploring the Cairo Museum
- Visiting the pyramids at Giza
- Trekking with Bedouin Guides
- Experiencing the sun rise on the summit of Mt Sinai
- The vastness of the Sinai Desert
- Ras Mohamed National Marine Park
Itinerary
Day 1 Join Cairo
If you are arriving on the group flight, you will be met and transferred to the group hotel for overnight accommodation. A group briefing will be held in the afternoon. The remainder of the day is at leisure.
Day 2 In and around Cairo
Before appreciating the best preserved pyramids at Giza, this morning we visit the Step Pyramid at Saqqara which shows the style of construction used to build them. The Step Pyramid was built by the Pharaoh’s chief architect, Imhotep, in 27BC and was at that time the largest stone construction ever built. Following our visit to Saqqara, we travel to the nearby old capital of Memphis. Little remains of the once grand and thriving metropolis, except a small museum and garden. We spend time visiting the gardens where statues of Ramses II can be viewed. The Great Pyramids of Egypt set on a plateau in the Arabian Desert, are one of the Seven Wonders of the World, the reason for which becomes evident as we first set our eyes on these awesome monuments. We spend the morning exploring the main sites. We will enter the Kings Chamber and marvel at the sophisticated construction of this ancient site. We include a visit to the Solar Barque Museum, where the remains of a wooden boat, perhaps used in the funeral procession for a Pharaoh, can be seen. Time is spent appreciating the majestic Sphinx and wondering at the mystery that surrounds this enormous structure.
Day 3 Cairo
Cairo is a city of more than 18 million people – a bustling, dusty and boisterous metropolis with an abundance of character and history. Our time here is limited although we have included the highlights and focused our itinerary on the archaeological importance of the city and its surrounds. This morning we have a city tour including visits to the Coptic Quarter, the Citadel and the Alabaster Mosque. A full afternoon is spent at the Egyptian Museum, providing you with an excellent insight into Egyptian history from the Old Kingdom right through to the Roman Empire. The highlight of the museum is the Tutankhamen exhibit which houses the treasure from the tomb discovered in 1922 by Howard Carter. Although he was an insignificant Pharaoh, Tutankhamen’s tomb contained a stunning array of gold, including pure gold sandals. It is astounding to imagine what treasures a significant Pharaoh may have taken into their next life, had their tombs not been ransacked. We return to the hotel in the late afternoon for a rest before dinner.
Day 4 Drive to Sinai
From Cairo we travel west to the Suez Canal which marks the divide between Africa and the Sinai. We stop briefly at the town of Suez to view the large ships making use of this historic canal, before continuing on to the Sinai. Our journey will take most of the day and we expect to arrive at our hotel near St Catherine’s Monastery by mid afternoon. The rest of the day is at leisure for personal exploration. Our hotel is set at Wadi Raha (literally means valley of the rest). The Israelites camped here waiting for Moses whilst he remained on top of Mount Sinai to receive the Ten Commandments from God.
Day 5 Commence Trek (6-7 hours walking)
The Sinai is a region of mystical contrasts. From small Bedouin shelters nestled in the barren mountains, to the Red Sea diving resorts dotted along the southern coastlines, this dry desert is also home to the biblical Mt Sinai where Moses received the Ten Commandments. It is a very beautiful landscape, and the best way to appreciate it is by trekking into its mountainous core. Whilst it is graded moderate overall the trek includes some steep sections with scrambling and some long days. For this part of the trip, we are guided along our route by local Bedouin tribesmen, and whilst the Bedouins are not professional guides, they are the most culturally appropriate people to escort us on our trek. We will also be accompanied by local security escorts as this is a compulsory requirement for adventures in the mountains. This morning we start the trek with a foray into the beautiful Talla Valley passing by Insela Mountain. We will have our picnic lunch in the Talla Valley before continuing our walk through the spectacular Itlah Canyon with some steep slopes and scrambling sections. After a great day trekking, we reach our campsite where our camels will be waiting with our luggage and our crew will prepare dinner.
Day 6 Trekking (7-8 hours walking)
We trek into the high ranges of Sinai in the St Catherine protectorate. Our first section today will be over Abu Gifa pass. Reaching the top of this pass we catch a view of the Bedouin village directly below. We continue into Wadi Zawateen with its many olive trees. All the gardens and orchards are owned by people native to the region who are closely affiliated with the Romanians of Europe. Our Bedouin escorts are among these native people, known as Gabalia. As locals of the St. Catherine region they are originally the defendants and servants of St. Catherine Monastery. We stop for a picnic lunch and afterwards there is an opportunity to trek to the ruins of Aabas Basha Palace which dates back to the beginning of last century. There is an awesome view from atop the Aabas Basha Mountain which is over 2000m in height. We descend to our camp near the village of St Catherine. Whilst dinner is prepared we have a good opportunity to reflect on our day's activities.
Day 7 Trekking (9-10 hours walking)
Today is a long day. We climb St. Catherine Mountain, the highest peak in Egypt at just over 2600m. From our camp we start early and follow trails via the El Arbaeen Valley. We continue through wadi, valleys and across dramatic terrain to the base of Mount St Catherine and start our ascent to the top of Egypt. Climbing to the top is optional, and for those not wanting to climb it is possible to relax at the base and await the return of the rest of the group. From the summit we retrace our steps to the base then follow another trail to our campsite and a well-earned dinner. Whilst today is the most challenging day, it is also one of the most rewarding.
Day 8 Trekking (7 hours walking)
Today is a shorter day where we scramble up the Moserdy Valley. Whilst not as long as yesterday, the trails are sometimes steep and demanding. From Moserdy, we descend to Motahar Valley for lunch before exploring via Wadi Shag and Wadi Toboog en route to our next camp at Farsh Eleya on Mt Sinai.
Day 9 Dawn Ascent of Mt Sinai, Drive to Sharm El Sheikh
We rise early to climb the magnificent peak of Mount Sinai (2285m). We ascend via part of the series of stone steps that have been carved from the mountain rocks forming the "Steps of Repentence". The final section can be busy with eager travellers and pilgrims on their way to the summit. We arrive at the summit after about 45mins, in time for a spectacular sunrise over the mountains. Weather permitting, we will witness the sun peeping over the Sinai hills. Our descent is either by the camel path or down the "Steps of Repentance". We have breakfast back at our camp before descending further down the mountain for another 1.5 hours to the village where our trek concludes. Here we will meet our camels and collect all our luggage. There is then time to visit the Monastery of St. Catherine. This 6th century monastery is situated at the foot of Mount Sinai and houses one of the most important iconic collections on earth. In addition to the biblical sites of the Burning Bush and Moses Well, it houses a stunning basilica. A visit here is not complete without seeing the charnel house, or the Ossuary, where relics of monks and hermits are on display. This afternoon we drive for about three hours to the coastal town of Sharm El Sheikh. We overnight at a hotel with a welcome shower.
Day 10 Day trip to Ras Mohamed National Marine Park
Ras Mohamed National Marine Park is Egypt's first national park, declared in 1988 to help preserve the fragile coastal environment from development. The park covers an area of 829 square kilometres of land and sea at the most southern edge of the Sinai region. Only a small percentage of this is accessible to visitors for conservation reasons. We will enjoy a day trip to this section of the park where we can snorkel, swim or just relax before returning to Sharm el Sheikh for overnight.
Day 11 Return to Cairo, trip concludes
After breakfast we will return to Cairo where our trip concludes at the airport. The drive takes approx 6 - 7 hrs.
Additional Information
Inclusions
- 10 breakfasts, 4 lunches and 10 dinners
- arrival and departure transfers Days 1 & 11 only
- 3 star accommodation on a twin share basis in Cairo
- All group camping equipment whilst trekking (excluding sleeping bag and sleeping mat)
- trekking crew for 5 days, including Bedouin escort
- private vehicle transport
- Local sightseeing, including entrance fees to monuments
- entry fee to Ras Mohamed National Marine Park
- sightseeing as per itinerary
- local English speaking guide throughout
- Note: High season price on application - applicable from 20 Dec to 10 Jan and for the 2 week Easter period.
Summary
- 11 day trip
- 5 day trek
- 6 nights hotels
- 4 nights camping
Trip Main Activities
- Trekking
- Adventure Touring
Group Size Min
4
Group Size Max
16
Accommodation Summary
Equipment Required
Specialist gear required include walking boots and day pack (a comprehensive gear list is provided in the pre-departure information provided on booking).
What You Carry
In your daypack you will need to carry extra warm clothing (it is very cold on Mt Sinai in winter with temperatures below freezing at night and early morning), a rainjacket, water bottle, camera gear, valuables and personal items such as sunscreen, lip-eze etc.
Check dates and prices
Book this trip with World Expeditions on their site
from
USD$1,690
Why we recommend World Expeditions
- Pioneers in responsible travel.
- No local payments.
- True adventures in every sense.
- Expert guides and support.
- Quality facilities and transport.
Customer care
World Expeditions is a global company with offices in Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and Canada, all staffed with experienced adventure travellers.
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