Hiking in Egypt’s Sinai desert is more fun than you think.  Surely desert hiking requires a bit of preparation, but the Bedoin’s have it down to a science. From small kiosks along the hiking route up Mt. Sinai to a bevy of guides willing to help you from town, they’ve perfected the art of hiking with ease.

Mount Sinai (2285m ) is the most famous and probably most sacred mountain in Egypt.  Pilgrims from all over the world converge on the mountain, usually late at night to be on the summit for sunrise.  We chose to do the exact opposite, and hike up to the summit for sunset.  It turned out to be fantastic, as the sunset reflected on the rocks was a sight to be seen.  Read more about our hike up Mt. Sinai.

While we made it up on our own two feet, there are plenty of people who make it to the top and are too tired to come down.  Hence this guy trekking up on a camel.  Huts along the path provide every kind of nourishment and comfort you can imagine, but still some find the path too difficult to navigate and the Bedoin’s are more than happy to provide transportation up or back.

HIKING IN EGYPT

IF YOU GO: Hiking in Egypt does require a bit of pre-planning, even with the bevy of help from the local Bedoin’s.  It is still a desert, so sun protection is a must, as is adequate water.  You can imagine how expensive a bottle of water can be at the top of a mountain in the desert.  In addition to hiking Mt. Sinai, you can also climb Mt. Catherine (also leaves from St. Catherine), Egypt’s tallest mountain.  St. Catherine is easily accessible if you travel to Sharm el Sheikh first, as there are tour buses that leave every day.  From Cairo, you will likely have to change transportation in Dahab although there are a few buses direct to St. Catherine every day.  We have an independent traveler’s guide to Egypt that you might find valuable if you’re traveling in the area.