Sinai Trail

Egypt Tours

This hike is from Ras Shetan, in the Gulf of Aqaba, to the highlands of St. Katherine.

We will walk through wadis, sandy deserts and high mountains crossing the territories of three different tribes: the Tarabin from Ras Shetan until Ein Hudera, the Muzeina from Ein Hudera until Wadi Fara and the Jebeleya from Wadi Fara to St. Katherine.

Accompanied Tour

You will be joined by either Kara or Carly who are both international leaders and trained Wilderness First Aiders.

Kara and Carly both have hiked within the region, including Mt Sinai numerous times and can further highlight your experience – drawing on their understanding of the culture of the Bedouin people and their intimate knowledge of desert life.

The hike is around 210km and on a typical day we will cover between 10 and 25km, according to the terrain and the elevation.

The Programme

Hikers should be aware, this is a rough programme and it may be necessary, for many reasons, from bad weather to slower-than-expected group progress – to change it at short notice.  It can also be extended adding extra mountains if we have a fast group.  Bedouin guides running the trail will make all decisions about the programme at the time. (see below programme)

12 Day Trek

The route we take throughout your trek can be adapted to more suit the level of the hikers fitness, and how many kilometres or hours they would like to walk each day.

Whether this is a 6 day hike that is of one of the sections or the whole thru hike.

The whole trail that makes up the 12 day trek does not need to be walked, but in many areas you may have to pay extra to have a jeep take you in and out of the trail.

(Maximum number of hikers on the Thru hike is 12.)

We can organise extra days before and after, should you wish to relax in Dahab snorkelling in the Red Sea after the trek.

The Itinerary

Remember – this can be changed

Dot the i’s….

Your 12 day trek will begin after the pre-tour briefing.

We will meet you at the airport in Sharm el Sheikh before being transferred to Nuweiba (approx. 2 hour drive).

We will have dinner and the pre-tour briefing in simple accommodation on the shores of the Red Sea.

We begin our adventure by meeting the Tarabin Tribe and hike into the rugged coastal ranges, passing a small oasis and hiking over a high pass.

We’ll walk through the Coloured Canyon,  one of the Sinai’s natural wonders, and continue through rugged wadis to the evening camp site.

Following the long, winding wadis south, past the oasis of Ein Furtaga.

Continue in long wadis, moving out of the coastal ranges into the sandstone desert.

Follow wild, rocky gorges into the sandstone badlands of Umm Hadabat. Navigate the badlands to camp at the beautiful oasis of Moiyet el Mileihis.

Cross the sandstone pass to Hamedat where centuries old pilgrim graffiti adorns the rocks to Ein Hudera oasis. According to legend, an immense hoard of treasure is buried here. Several Bedouin families live in the oasis today and it’s a changeover point for guides and camels.

The Muezina Tribe lead us past the prehistoric Nawamis tombs to Jebel Mutamir.

You will be given an opportunity to ascend the mountain, which is entirely optional.

On a good day, Jebel Katherina, where the hike will end, comes into clearer view.

Camp will be made near Jebel Mutamir and a possible ascent to see the sunset.

We will continue over the windswept deserts, passing the small peak of Jebel Makhroom, pierced from one side to the other by a small hole.

Jebel Barqa is a high, solitary peak, on a wide plain and is in good view here.

It can be ascended, but only if there is time.

This is the day the Sinai Trail winds out of the sandstone desert, entering a remote region of low, rocky hills.

These are the faraway foothills of the highlands, which rise gradually over the next two days to the St Katherine region.

Camp will be made in Wadi Matura – a beautiful wadi, dotted with acacia trees, reminiscent of the plains of Africa.

This is a hard, long day, on which a good pace must be maintained.

Today we will continue through low, rocky hills, crossing old camel passes and walking wild wadis.

The highlands of St Katherine are sometimes glimpsed ahead.

Here, we meet with the Jebelya Tribe and walk out of the low rocky hills onto the huge, sweeping Plain of El Sened

The Plain of El Sened is the dramatic, natural divide between the lowlands and highlands.

Scattered across this plain are rocks coloured with a surreal blue, by Belgian artist Jean Verame – they were painted blue with the approval of the Egyptian President, to celebrate peace and the return of the Sinai to Egypt in the 1980s.

We’ll continue from Naqb el Thallal, walking through high mountain wadis and starting the ascent of Mount Sinai.

This is the Sinai’s holiest peak, hopefully arriving on the top in time for the sunset.

We will then camp below the peak, in Farsh Eliyas, a secluded basin.

This part of the trek takes us on the old trails, past chapels, wells and hermit cells, before descending to Wadi Arbain – Valley of the Forty Martyrs.

Then we begin the ascent of Jebel Katherina, Egypt’s highest mountain at a whopping 2,642m, and the last peak of the Sinai Trail, aiming to reach the summit in time for sunset.

There are spectacular views to both Africa and Asia from this summit and you can also gaze back over almost the whole of the Sinai Trail, even glimpsing part of the Gulf of Aqaba near where it started.

We will camp on top of the mountain, under the stars, or in a small summit hut.

We will wake early on our final day and watch the sunrise over the Sinai, before descending on the western side of Jebel Katherina.

Wadi Ahmar, the lesser trodden side – to a realm of beautiful green Bedouin orchards.

Walk through rocky wadis and ascend the pass of Abu Jeefa, from where the town of St. Katherine the final stop, comes into view.

What’s Included

    • Bedouin guides
    • Camels/pick-up for baggage
    • Support crew on-trail
    • Permission fees
    • Breakfast, lunch and dinner each full hiking day plus water. The first day includes only lunch and dinner, the last day only breakfast and lunch.

What’s NOT Included

    • International and Domestic flights
    • Travel insurance
    • Minibus transfer in Sinai
    • Jeep transfers in and out the trail (if required)
    • Food and accommodation before/after the trip
    • Hiking gear
    • Tips

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