Saint Catherine's Monastery?

Hi there,

I just booked a package tour to Sharm el Sheikh to go diving. Due to the political situation, prices are very attractive. I have been on a similar trip to Marsa Alam 2 months ago and it was totally calm. I also briefly went to Hurghada on that trip and that was equally calm. I have been to Aswan, Luxor and Cairo, including Tahrir square, last February, and it wasn't a problem at all.

However, now I'm traveling not alone but with my child. How safe and feasible would it be to visit Saint Catherine's Monastery from Sharm, either by taking a shared taxi to Dahab and then a private taxi from there or a taxi straight from Sharm? How bad is the situation in Sinai really? Any ideas about costs?

Please, only reply to this post if you have actually traveled around the Sinai within the past weeks. Please don't reply to my post if you haven't been to Egypt. I have been there and yes I am aware of what the travel advisories say.

Any helpful advice is greatly appreciated.

Hi Aki, I have been living in Saint Catherine's for three months this year, April, May , June. There is the
media talk that Sinai is dangerous, but I never saw anything threatening to me directly/ personally. .

I think the trouble spots are around Al Arish up north. Wadi Farun is supposed to be dangerous for kidnapping.
I went there and received hospitality. I also hitch hiked on the local roads alone- as a woman- but I had lived there a while and felt that I knew the community.
Sinai to me seems safe- its a different kettle of fish from African Egypt. I did not feel that safe in Cairo and
would advise avoiding it right now.

Hi mayadevi, thanks a lot, that's good news.

Any thoughts on if it would be fine to take a shared taxi or bus to Dahab?

And any ideas regarding costs?

Hi Aki,
There is the Bedouin bus running two times a week or more, between Dahab and St Catherine''s for 50
EP pound . It also has another bus connecting with Nueiwba.
Taxis connecting Dahab and St Catherines are around 200 EP pound which can be bargained down to
200 EP pound sometimes. A taxi can be a car or a van. There are no shared taxis as such - sharing
involves the Bedouin bus.
Hitching is easy from a police check point but sometimes the drivers want you to pay, so it''s not
worth the hassle, like walking in the blazing sun to a police checkpoint.
Safety- I felt safe in Sinai as there are so many police and military checkpoints everywhere. It can
look intimidating but it seems to serve some good purpose . I would go back to Sinai now if I could but I
would not really want to enter the country through Cairo. Sharm should be safe and fine for tourists
as is Dahab and St Catherine's. The danger spot is supposed to be the very North of Sinai.
Enjoy, beautiful place, people and culture.

Ahhh bad layout and one error. For the taxi I mean 250 EP can be bargained down to 200 EP

Hi Aki,
There is the Bedouin bus running two times a week or more, between Dahab and St Catherine''s for 50
EP . It also has another bus connecting with Nueiwba.
Taxis connecting Dahab and St Catherine's are around 250 EP which can be bargained down to
200 EP sometimes. A taxi can be a car or a van.
There are no shared taxis as such - sharing involves the Bedouin bus.
Hitching is easy from a police check point but sometimes the drivers want you to pay, so it''s not
worth the hassle, like walking in the blazing sun to a police checkpoint.
Safety- I felt safe in Sinai as there are so many police and military checkpoints everywhere. It can
look intimidating but it seems to serve some good purpose . I would go back to Sinai now if I could but I
would not really want to enter the country through Cairo. Sharm should be safe and fine for tourists
as is Dahab and St Catherine's. The danger spot is supposed to be the very North of Sinai.
Enjoy, beautiful place, people and culture.

Hi Mayadevi,

thanks a lot. A clarification - you are talking 200-250 EGP one way fare or return trip from Dahab with waiting time?

That is 250 EP just one way. It is expensive, but you can bargain. That is why those on a budget usually opt for the Bedouin bus.
Katreen or St Catherine's, is well worth the time to stay in for few nights especially if you wish to climb Mt Sinai. It is not an easy climb. Fox Camp and Bedouin Camp (run by Sheikh Mousa) are good choices. The people running the camps
can help with everything.

Enjoy.