How High Is Mount Sinai? Egypt’s Highest Mountains Explained

Mount Sinai is 2,285 metres (7,497 ft) high. That is the Mount Sinai height given by Wikipedia and by trail guides such as The Hiking Life. It is a big mountain, but it is not the highest in Egypt. That title belongs to Mount Catherine (Jebel Katherina), about 3 km to the south, which reaches roughly 2,640 metres, around 360 metres more.

Both peaks rise above the small town of St Catherine in South Sinai, inside a protected area that is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This guide explains the numbers, lists Egypt’s other high peaks, and covers what the altitude means in practice: why the summit is cold, why it is not altitude-sickness territory for a normal sunrise climb, and how people climb Mount Catherine. If you want to stand on Mount Sinai yourself, our Mount Sinai sunrise trip from Dahab leaves at 22:00 and has you back at your hotel around 11:00.

Mount Sinai Height: 2,285 Metres

The standard figure for Mount Sinai is 2,285 m above sea level, which is 7,497 ft. Locally the mountain is called Jebel Musa (also written Jabal Musa), meaning “Mountain of Moses”. In other languages you will see it as Mont Sinaï (French), Monte Sinai (Italian) and Berg Sinai (German).

How much of it do you actually climb?

You do not start at sea level. St Catherine’s Monastery and the town around it sit at about 1,586 m. That means the walk from the monastery to the summit gains roughly 700 m in height. It is a real climb, but a manageable one, and no hiking experience is needed. The two routes up, the Camel Path and the Steps of Repentance, are compared in detail in our camel path vs Steps of Repentance guide.

Prominence: why it does not look that tall

The Mount Sinai height of 2,285 m tells only part of the story. Wikipedia gives the mountain a topographic prominence of 334 m. Prominence measures how far a peak rises above the lowest saddle connecting it to higher ground. A low prominence means Mount Sinai is part of a crowded block of high granite mountains rather than a single peak standing alone. From the monastery it looks steep, but from the summit you see that many of the surrounding peaks are about as high, and some are higher.

Is Mount Sinai the Highest Mountain in Egypt?

No. This is one of the most common mix-ups. Mount Sinai is the most famous mountain in Egypt and the most climbed, but the highest mountain in Egypt is Mount Catherine, a short distance to the south. Britannica places Mount Sinai about 2 miles (3 km) north of Mount Catherine.

The confusion is easy to understand. The monastery at the foot of Mount Sinai is called St Catherine’s Monastery, the town is called St Catherine, and the protected area is the St Katherine Protectorate. Mount Catherine itself is a separate, higher peak that most visitors never climb.

Mount Catherine (Jebel Katherina): Egypt’s Highest Peak

Mount Catherine is known by several names: Jebel Katherina, Gebel Katrina, Jabal Katrina, and in German Dschabal Katrina. In French it is often called mont Sainte-Catherine. All of these refer to the same peak, the highest point in Egypt.

How high is Mount Catherine?

Sources do not agree to the metre. Britannica gives 2,642 m (8,668 ft). The website of St Catherine’s Monastery gives 2,646 m. Wikipedia lists 2,653 m. A safe way to put it is “about 2,640 to 2,650 metres”. Whichever figure you use, Mount Catherine is roughly 360 m higher than Mount Sinai.

Where the name comes from

The mountain is named after Saint Catherine of Alexandria. According to Christian tradition, angels carried the martyred saint’s body to this mountain, and in one version of the story a monk later found her remains on the summit.

What is on the summit

The top of Mount Catherine has a small chapel, which Wikipedia dates to 1905, and a meteorological station. The monastery’s own description says the chapel has two small cells and a simple kitchen area next to it for pilgrims. From the summit you look across to Mount Sinai, about 360 m lower.

Egypt’s Highest Mountains: A Comparison

Most of Egypt’s highest summits are in the same granite massif around St Catherine. Published heights differ between sources, so the table below names the source for each figure. Treat them as approximate.

Rankings below Mount Catherine are less settled than you might expect. Trekking guides from Trailblazer describe Umm Shomer as Egypt’s second-highest summit, while WorldAtlas lists two other peaks a little higher. If an exact ranking matters for your plans, ask a local guide which survey they use.

Jebel Umm Shomer

Umm Shomer is a rugged granite mountain with two peaks. WorldAtlas describes it as remote, with views towards the Gulf of Suez. WorldAtlas calls it fairly easy to climb, but Trailblazer lists it as a three-day trek from St Catherine, so plan it as a multi-day walk rather than a day outing, and ask in St Catherine about guides and permits.

Jebel Abbas Basha

Jebel Abbas Basha is named after Abbas Pasha, who began building a palace near the summit but died before it was finished. Only walls and platforms remain. SummitPost gives the summit as 2,383 m and describes a walk of about 2.5 hours from El Milga (the main village of St Catherine) to the palace, with views on most days to the Gulf of Aqaba and the mountains of Saudi Arabia. Trailblazer pairs it with Mount Catherine on a two- to three-day trek.

St Catherine: Egypt’s Mountain Town at 1,586 Metres

The town of St Catherine sits at about 1,586 m, which makes it very different from Dahab or Sharm el-Sheikh on the coast. Wikipedia notes that St Catherine has the coldest nights of any city in Egypt.

Long-term climate data for the town (1961 to 1990 averages) show a January mean minimum of about 1.7 °C, and the lowest temperature recorded since 2007 is minus 4 °C. Snow falls now and then in December, January and February. Rain is rare: the average is around 21 mm a year. These are averages for the town; the summit of Mount Sinai is about 700 m higher and usually colder and windier. Check the forecast before you go.

What the Altitude Means for Your Hike

For most people, the Mount Sinai height is noticeable in two ways: the cold, and the effort of the final steps. It is not, for a normal sunrise climb, a high-altitude expedition.

Cold, not altitude sickness

Altitude sickness is mostly linked to sleeping high. The CDC’s guidance on high-altitude travel says any unacclimatised traveller going to a sleeping altitude of 2,450 m or more is at risk, and sometimes lower. On a night trip from Dahab you sleep at sea level, climb to 2,285 m for sunrise, spend under an hour at the top, and walk back down.

That does not mean you will feel nothing. You may breathe harder on the steep final steps, and you may feel tired from the night without sleep. If you feel dizzy, sick or unusually short of breath, stop, tell your guide and head down. Anyone with heart or lung conditions should talk to their doctor before booking.

The real issue: cold and wind

Lonely Planet notes that Elijah’s Basin, the plateau just below the summit, gets cold and windy even in summer, with light snow common in winter. You climb in the coldest part of the night, sweat on the way up, then stop moving at the top for sunrise. Pack:

• A proper warm jacket, plus a fleece or sweater underneath.
• A hat and gloves in every season.
• Thermal layers in winter, when snow is possible.
• A head torch, walking shoes with grip, water and a snack.
• Your passport, for road checkpoints.

Huts near the summit rent blankets and sell hot drinks, which helps. For which months are coldest and which are mildest, see our guide to the best time to visit Dahab.

Climbing Mount Catherine: What to Know

Mount Catherine is a longer, harder day than Mount Sinai. Dahab Go does not run a Mount Catherine trip; climbs are usually arranged with a local Bedouin guide in St Catherine.

Routes and times

Published route times give a sense of the effort. The Alternative Egypt guide describes ascents of roughly 4.5 to 6 hours depending on the route, with 2 to 3 hours to come down. The monastery’s website describes about four hours from the Chapel of the Forty Martyrs (Deir el Arbain) to the summit. Trekking guides also offer two- to three-day routes that combine Mount Catherine with Jebel Abbas Basha. All these times depend on fitness and season, so check before you go.

Guide and permits

Alternative Egypt states that you officially need a local guide and must sign in with the police in St Catherine, which a local operator normally handles. As with Mount Sinai, you also need a full Egypt visa, because the free Sinai-only entry stamp does not cover St Catherine. Rules can change, so check the current requirements before you travel.

Is it for you?

Mount Catherine suits people who walk regularly, are comfortable on long uphill days, and have time to stay at least one night in the St Catherine area. If you are in Dahab for a few days and want one mountain sunrise, Mount Sinai is the practical choice.

A Protected Area and a World Heritage Site

Both mountains are inside the St Katherine Protectorate, created in 1988. In 2002 the Saint Catherine Area was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List, covering about 601 km² of mountains, valleys and religious sites. Entry to the protectorate requires a ticket; on our Mount Sinai trip it is included. If you go independently, the fee is paid locally, so check the current amount before you go.

UNESCO’s description notes the area’s rugged mountain landscape, its endemic plants and wildlife, and its Bedouin communities, alongside the religious sites. St Catherine’s Monastery at the foot of Mount Sinai was founded in the 6th century under Emperor Justinian and is one of the oldest continuously inhabited Christian monasteries. Mount Sinai itself is sacred to Jews, Christians and Muslims, with a chapel and a small mosque at the summit.

Visiting with care is simple: stay on the paths, take your rubbish back down, do not pick plants, and dress modestly at the monastery (shoulders and knees covered). Photography is restricted inside the church.

Seeing Mount Sinai from Dahab

You do not need to stay in St Catherine to climb Mount Sinai. From Dahab it works as a night trip:

1. 22:00 pickup at your hotel anywhere in Dahab.
2. Night drive to St Catherine, with police checkpoints on the road.
3. Start walking around 1:00 to 2:00 with a Bedouin guide.
4. About 2.5 to 3 hours up to the summit at 2,285 m.
5. Sunrise, then 30 to 45 minutes at the top.
6. About 1.5 to 2 hours down, past St Catherine’s Monastery.
7. Back at your hotel around 11:00.

Walking times depend on your pace, and sunrise moves through the year, so treat the times on the mountain as a guide and check before you go.

Transfers, the Bedouin guide and the protectorate entry ticket are included; tips are not. You can check the times, what’s included and the current price on the Mount Sinai sunrise and St Catherine trip page and book there on WhatsApp, paying in cash on the day. For the full background on the hike, see our Mount Sinai guide, and for other after-dark options look at night and sunrise trips from Dahab.

If you are still planning your route to the Sinai, our guide on how to get to Dahab covers airports, roads and checkpoints.

Trips in this guide

More Dahab guides

Photo credits

• Walkers waiting for sunrise on the summit of Mount Sinai — Ahmedherz, CC BY-SA 4.0
• A white day boat moored off the coast of Dahab, with the mountains behind — Grand Parc – Bordeaux, France, CC BY-SA 2.0