Mount Sinai Hike and St Catherine Monastery: a Guide from Dahab

Mount Sinai, called Jebel Musa (the Mountain of Moses) in Arabic, is the mountain where, by tradition, Moses received the Ten Commandments. It is holy to Jews, Christians and Muslims, and there is a small chapel and a mosque on the summit.

At its foot stands St Catherine's Monastery, built in the 6th century under the Byzantine emperor Justinian. It is one of the oldest Christian monasteries still in use and is home to Greek Orthodox monks. The mountain, the monastery and the land around them form the Saint Catherine Area, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Most groups leave Dahab late in the evening and start walking at around 1:00–2:00, so they reach the top before sunrise. There are two ways up. The camel path is longer and gentler, and most groups use it; camels can be hired for part of the way. The Steps of Repentance, about 3,750 stone steps cut by monks, are shorter and much steeper. Both meet below the summit, where the last stretch is about 750 steep steps on foot.

The climb takes about 2.5–3 hours at an easy pace, with stops at Bedouin huts that sell tea and snacks and rent blankets. You walk in the dark with a torch, usually in a line of other groups. You need normal fitness and comfortable shoes, not hiking experience.

At the top you wait for the sun in the cold, so a blanket from the Bedouin huts helps. The light comes up over range after range of granite mountains, and the summit is shared with walkers from many countries. Plan for about 30–45 minutes on top.

After sunrise most groups walk down in daylight, by the Steps of Repentance or the camel path. The descent takes about 1.5–2 hours and ends at the monastery gate.

The monastery is usually open to visitors in the morning and closed on Fridays, Sundays and Orthodox holidays. Opening days and hours change, so check before you go: we tell you the day before your trip whether it will be open.

Visitors can see the basilica, the traditional site of the Burning Bush and, with an extra ticket, the museum with icons and manuscripts. Shoulders and knees must be covered, and photography is restricted inside the church.

St Catherine is about 2 hours by car from Dahab, through the mountains. There is no public transport that fits the night hike, so most people go with a trip that includes the transfer, a Bedouin guide and the protectorate ticket.

There are police checkpoints on the road, so carry your passport. A full Egypt visa is required: the free Sinai-only stamp does not cover St Catherine.