Hiking Mt Sinai: the Best Sunrise in Egypt - (2024)

Hiking Mt Sinai Reading Time: 26 minutes

Hiking Mt Sinai was easily the highlight of my entire trip to Egypt. I met great people, made new friends, was surrounded by a clear night sky and millions of bright stars, and saw one of the most beautiful sunrises in one of the most incredible locations in Egypt.

I am not religious, but for so many, Mt Sinai holds a lot of spiritual significance; in the Torah, Bible and the Quran, one can find the story of Moses climbing this exact peak to speak directly with his God for 40 days and 40 nights. There he received the Ten Commandments from God.

In this ultimate guide to hiking Mt Sinai, I’ll provide information regarding the Mt Sinai trip cost, transportation, what to wear, tips for hiking Mt Sinai, etc.

Read More: 13 Things to Know Before Going to Egypt.

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Quick FAQ for Hiking Mt Sinai

What is the real name of this mountain?

You may hear/see several names for this particular place: Mt Sinai, Mt Horeb, Moses Mountain, Mount Mousa, St Catherine, etc. They are all the same thing, so don’t be confused. Most scholars agree that this is the most likely location of Mt Sinai, as mentioned in the Bible; it is the mountain where Moses climbed and spent 40 days, hence Moses Mountain. In Arabic, the name of the mountain is Jabal Mousa. From the peak, you can look out to see Mt Catherine. The monastery at the base of the mountain is called Saint Catherine. I will refer to this mountain as Mt Sinai throughout this blog post.

Where is Mt Sinai?

Let’s zoom out for a second and picture the entirety of the country of Egypt. In the top right corner of Egypt, you can find the Sinai peninsula that juts out into the Red Sea, forming the shape of an upside-down triangle. It shares a land border with Israel and the Occupied Palestinian territory of Gaza in its northeastern corner. The Sinai Peninsula is flanked on both sides by smaller bodies of water: The Suez Canal to the west, and the Gulf of Agaba to the east.

In the center of South Sinai, you will find Mt Sinai. It’s about a 2-hour drive from Dahab, and 3 hours from Sharm El Sheik, the two main towns along the east coast of the South Sinai Peninsula.

Read More: 21 Exciting Things to do in Dahab

Why is Mt Sinai famous?

Mt Sinai is famous for its historical and religious importance. The Quran and the Bible both mention the story of Moses climbing Mt Sinai to talk to God for 40 days and nights. This is where he received the Ten Commandments. The Saint Catherine Monastery at the base of the mountain is famous because it is the oldest Christian monastery, and is part of the Eastern Orthodox Church.

What is the best time to visit?

I think the experience of hiking to Mt Sinai will be enjoyable all year round.

I did the hike to Mt Sinai in the middle of January. The hike up was cold, but manageable as the constant movement kept me warm. However, the peak was extremely cold, at -1 degrees C. However, with a rented blanket and several layers, I was fine.

If you do it in the summer months, you’ll be able to spend your time at the peak outside waiting for the sun to rise, rather than inside the cafe drinking hot chocolate and renting blankets. If it were warmer, I think it would have been nice to take a nap during the 3:30-5:30 am rest period up at the very peak.

Ultimately, however, I think any time is the best time to hike to Mt Sinai. You should not miss this opportunity.

Where does the hike start?

The hike up Mt Sinai begins down the hill from the St Catherine Monastery. The trail is obvious and very well-marked. The walk from the parking lot to St Catherine is on pavement and limestone rocks. From there, the trail turns into a dirt road.

How tall is Mt Sinai?

Mt Sinai is 2285 meters (7497 feet) above sea level.

Can I hike alone without a tour group?

It’s possible to hike alone, but much more complicated. You’ll need to find transportation there, organize the permit (paid in USD), and find a guide to take you up the mountain (required). I don’t recommend this.

If you book a tour with a group, you’ll get camaraderie with the others, and all of the logistics taken care of for you (transport, permits, guide). It’s easy to find group trips in Dahab and Sharm El Sheikh. Continue reading further down for more details on this.

Hiking Mt Sinai Everything You Need to Know

Finding a Tour to Hike Mt Sinai

Tours leave every single day to Mt Sinai from both Dahab and Sharm El Sheik. I did the trip from Dahab, so I’ll be providing details from that location.

In Dahab, there is one main road that is parallel to the water. As you walk along this route, you’ll see dozens of tour companies. They offer more or less the same thing: USD 25 for the trip that includes transportation, late night pick-up, a guide up the mountain, and the return back to Dahab the next day.

Once you decide which company you feel comfortable going through, it’s all straightforward. You’ll pay (better to pay in USD cash), and then they will most likely send you a WhatsApp message to confirm the date and time. From there, you’ll send them the exact location of your accommodation. Then they’ll pick you up at the agreed time. In my experience, they are very punctual.

Read More: 21 Exciting Things to do in Dahab

A few Trip Contacts

Both of these companies run tours to Mt Sinai. Feel free to contact them to ask any additional questions you may have. These are their Whatsapp numbers:

Mohamed at Plant Safari: +20 109 616 0373
Safari One: +20 120 000 6003

How soon should I book my trip?

This could depend on the season greatly. But trips are leaving every single night, so it shouldn’t be hard to join a group.

I decided at 6 pm that I wanted to do the trip that very night. I sent a WhatsApp message to a guy I had spoken to earlier in the day and confirmed my place for that evening; I was easily able to join. The tour operator picked me up 4 hours later.

What is the tour like?

Amazing. I loved doing this group tour up to Mt Sinai. In my group, we were ten people: A mother and son from China, a group of 5 Egyptian college kids, and 2 childhood best friends from Alexandria. Plus me. We had great chemistry within our group and had so much fun together.

The time passed quickly and we talked about everything on the way up. One of the college students told me stories from the Quran related to Moses Mountain, and I was able to ask him several questions about his life and Islam. I was so happy to have the group I did.

Below are more details about the entire adventure’s itinerary.

Itinerary for Hiking Mt Sinai

10 pm – 11 pm Hotel Pick Up

Mohammed, the tour operator, picked me up at my hotel at 10 pm. He then drove me about 5 minutes down the road where a few vans were waiting. This seemed to be the meeting point for several groups. Everyone who got dropped off here was divided into the vans. My group of 10 was put together in a van, and off we went.

11 pm – 12:30 am Drive to the St Catherine Area

The drive from Dahab was pretty quiet as everyone was tired. Not a lot of talking. The drive took about 1.5-2 hours to reach St Catherine, the town’s name at the bottom of the hill. Along the way, there were a couple of checkpoints. We gave our passports to the driver who had them inspected by the guards.

12:30 am – 12:45 am Check-point and Bag Check

Once we arrived at the base of the hike, we were immediately surrounded by boys and men wanting to sell us headlights, gloves, blankets, jackets, etc. There is also a bathroom at this point if you need to go. Once we moved past the vendors, we all lined up single file near a small building. Again we showed our passports, and one at a time, we stepped forward to open our backpacks for inspection. Once we were approved, we moved past the checkpoint and began hiking.

12:45 am – 3:30 am Starting the hike

The first part of the hike was along the pavement and a stone road. After approximately 10-15 minutes, we arrived at the St Catherine Monastery. There, we were assigned a local Bedouin guide. Our guide was named Zakariah.

Zakariah then led us up the rest of the way. The majority of the trail is along the Camel Path. This is a wide dirt road. The ascent is steady, not that steep.

All along the trail, you can find small snack shops. Some are a bit larger with decorations of flags and international money pinned up. At these cafes, you can get coffee, tea, bread, cookies, soda, etc.

We took many breaks along the way. Sometimes at the cafes and sometimes on the side of the trail. I didn’t feel the number of breaks was necessary (there were so many), but several of the people in my group had never hiked before so it was helpful for them.

There are many points where men with camels will ask if you want a ride. That is an option if you are interested.

The last push towards the peak consisted of 750 stone steps. This portion of the trail was the most challenging.

3:30 am – 5:30 am Resting at the (near) Peak

At 3:30 in the morning, we arrived at the last cafe, just below the peak. The sunrise wasn’t until 5:30, so we needed to wait a couple of hours. If you want to wait inside this cafe, you need to purchase something. Anything. It was quite cold outside, so I recommend waiting inside. Waiting two hours outside in the cold was a suffering I wasn’t willing to do.

I got a hot chocolate and rented a blanket. A lot of the guys in my group slept with their rented blankets in a cuddle puddle. The Chinese teen played video games on his phone. I read my Kindle, which I was glad I grabbed at the last minute.

As time went on, more and more groups began to arrive and the cafe filled up completely.

In my mind, it makes the most sense to start hiking at 2:30 am, so I’m not sure why so many groups start a few hours earlier, only to then wait 2 hours at the top.

5:30 am – 6:00 am Watching the Sunrise

At 5:30, we grabbed our rented blankets and walked the last several stone steps (about 10 minutes) to the very peak. You’ll know you’ve reached the peak when you start to see structures. Find yourself a good spot and wait for the sun to rise.

I recommend going up a little bit before all the groups start heading to the peak. Once up there, it gets pretty crowded, and views start to get blocked. I think it’s ideal if you get a spot along the ledge (like the guys in the photo below).

One of the structures up top is a mosque that is still used. At the call to prayer time, you’ll notice the Muslim men enter this small mosque and you can hear them praying. It’s really beautiful to hear as the sun breaks on the horizon.

As more light begins to fill the Earth, the landscape will begin to show itself in all its expansiveness. You can finally see what you couldn’t see just minutes and hours before. You can also start to see the many people up there, all with their phones out, trying to capture the best shots.

6 am – 7:00 am Taking Photos and Enjoying the Peak

Click here to see my Instagram reel with sunrise videos.

Once the sun is up and you can see all of the surroundings, you’ll be able to move all around the buildings and climb on the rocks. There are so many incredible spots for taking photos and videos up here. Time passes quickly, and before you know it, the crowds will all start moving back down the same path they came up.

You’ll be able to shed the blanket once the sun comes up (but remember where you put it because you need to bring it back down to the cafe) because it gets warm fast.

What can you see at the Peak of Mt Sinai?

The sun rising on the horizon is the star of the show, but there are a few other things to notice up top.

Mosque

This is a small square building made of stones. I sat against the outer wall as I waited for the sun. Many Muslim men entered the mosque at prayer time and it was really beautiful to hear them at such a special place.

The Chapel

You can tell the chapel by the small cross up top. Many people gather here to watch the sunrise. You can also follow the steps below to get another view.

Justinian’s Basilica

The original structure was built in 380 AD and crumbled almost completely by the 12th century. However, there have been some recent renovations in an attempt to rebuild the structure.

Cave of Moses

There are two small caves here associated with Moses; they are easy to miss. The caves can be found on the north and south sides of the chapel.

Incredible Views

You can finally see what you couldn’t on the way up. Everywhere you look, you’ll see magnificent and incredible views all around you. The mountain ranges in the distance glow bright red and orange in the sun’s morning light. The shots below are a few in the morning’s light.

Mt Catherine

As you look out from the peak of Mt Sinai, you’ll be able to see the imposing peaks of Mt Catherine. Hiking to the peak of Mt Catherine is an entirely different trip which is much more challenging, and much longer.

7:00 am – 8:30 am Hiking Back Down

Once you’re done taking photos, everyone will begin filtering back down the steps. Remember to drop off your rented blanket at the cafe on the way back down. On the way up the mountain, our group was virtually all alone. But going back down, you’ll be leaving at the same time as all the other groups, which means things will move a bit slowly at first.

Because the first section of the descent is along steep stone stairs, it’s not possible to pass people. Everyone is filtered into a single file line until the end of the steps, and then the path opens up a bit more.

With the daylight, you’ll be able to see small shortcuts in the path opening up. You can take these routes to cut down the descent time a bit. The descent is quite easy. Keep walking down until you reach the St Catherine Monastery.

8:30 am – 9:30 am Visiting the St Catherine Monastery

This part felt a bit disorganized to me. But it’s unclear if it was just my group, or if all groups were like this. We met our guide, Zakariah, here at the entrance. He didn’t take us into the monastery, just pointed to a few other guides and told us to follow them. I latched on to an English-speaking guide who seemed to be hired by another group.

You can easily walk around the monastery on your own as well. The area is not that big.

There is also a cafe near the entrance, as well as the nicest bathrooms you’ll find in Egypt.

What is the significance of the St Catherine Monastery?

There are several instances of Biblical/Torah history found inside the St Catherine monastery. It is the oldest Christian monastery in the world, having been built between 548 and 565 AD; since its construction, it has never been uninhabited.

What can you see at the St Catherine Monastery?

Besides the fantastic bathrooms and small cafe, there are a few historical sites to see within the complex.

Burning Bush

The Burning Bush (top right photo) is currently housed behind a stone wall, about 6 feet tall. Yet its dead branches extend out over the wall, with its roots and vines protected behind it. The burning bush is referenced in both the Bible and the Torah. From this bush, it is said that God spoke to Moses and commanded him to lead the Israelites out of Egypt.

St Catherine Orthodox Church

The St Catherine Monastery is a Greek Orthodox Church still in use today; once inside, only people of the Orthodox faith are allowed to enter a special side section to pray. You cannot take photos inside.

Well of Moses

Supposedly Moses met his wife here at this well.

9:30 am – 11:30 am Returning to Dahab/Hotel Drop-Off

Once we had a little walk around the St Catherine complex, we headed back down the stone path toward the parking lot to meet our driver. After all ten of us arrived back in the van, we started the two-hour journey back to Dahab. Mostly everyone slept.

The driver dropped each group off at the front door of their accommodations. Full door-to-door service each way.

Hiking Mt Sinai Trip Costs

Here is a breakdown of what I spent on this hiking trip to Mt Sinai:

Something to keep in mind about payment: You should make sure that you have small bills (in Egyptian pounds) for the trip to pay for things like bathrooms, blanket rental, and food. However, you should have USD in cash to pay for the trip.

This is one of the annoying things about Egypt. There are so many things set in USD prices. If you don’t have USD in cash, then they will charge you a much higher price to pay in Egyptian pounds.

For example, the official rate is $1 = 33 EGP. Therefore, $25 should be 772 EGP. But I was told that if I wanted to pay in EGP, it would be 1200 EGP. Almost double the official exchange rate. 1200 EGP at the official rate is nearly USD 40.

In conclusion, bring cold hard cash (in USD) when you come to Egypt to be prepared for this.

How long does it take to hike Mt Sinai?

It took our group 3 hours to hike up to the peak of Mt Sinai from the base, just below the St Catherine Monastery parking lot. It is possible to hike up a bit faster. Many people in our group had never hiked before, therefore, we took lots of breaks.

The total trip was about 13 hours long, from 10 pm to 11 am the next day.

What to pack for the trip

I used every article of clothing I brought for this trip, so I feel I packed pretty well. This is what I suggest you bring on the hike to Mt Sinai:

Shoes

When I packed for Egypt, I didn’t know I would be hiking, so I didn’t bring my hiking boots. While it would have been nice to have them, I was just fine hiking in my Vans. Hiking boots are not necessary.

Pants

I wore two layers of pants. Underneath I wore my FreeFly All Day leggings and on top I wore my Cotopaxi pants. I was very happy to have had two layers. It’s so cold up top, that two layers of pants was necessary.

Inner Layers

I wanted to be prepared for the cold, so I made sure to have several layers. On the inside, I wore a T-shirt, a long sleeve shirt, a light fleece, and my FreeFly Fleece jacket. I only needed my T-shirt and long sleeve shirt under my down jacket on the way up, but once at the peak, I needed every single layer.

Outer Layers

It’s no secret that I’m obsessed with Cotopaxi, so I was so glad I had my Cotopaxi down jacket with me on this trip. It kept me so warm up top, but it also folds nicely into a small pocket when you’re not using it. I didn’t need this down jacket walking down the mountain when it was sunny, but it was so necessary up top.

Scarf

Having a scarf was necessary. I put my hood up on my down jacket, and then wrapped the scarf around my neck and face. It was great having this one extra layer to cover my face.

Beanie & Cap

You need to cover your head. It’s cold going up, and colder up top. You need a beanie. The next day when the sun came out, I took off the beanie and replaced it with my favorite Cotopaxi cap to block the sun.

Water & Snacks

You can buy water and snacks on the way up at the huts, but their prices are inflated. Save yourself a few bucks and bring your own snacks and water. Bonus points if you have a water bladder with a straw. I brought my LifeStraw water bottle with me. A good idea also would be to bring compressable water bottles; that way when the water is gone, you’ll have no extra weight since they fold up small.

Backpack

You need to have a backpack to store all your layers when you’re not wearing them. A place to put your keys, phone, camera, clothes, water, snacks, etc. I use the Cotopaxi Allpa 28L.

Sunglasses

You won’t need these going up, but coming back down they were crucial. It gets really sunny in the morning.

Money

Make sure to have small bills in Egyptian pounds for teas, snacks, bathrooms, etc.

Kindle

I threw in my Kindle at the last minute, just in case, and I’m glad I did. We had two hours up top to do nothing while we waited for the sun to come up. I was glad I had my Kindle with me in that moment. It’s light and fit easily into my backpack.

Earbuds

If you’re like me and have trouble sleeping in cars and vans, you’ll be glad to have your earbuds to listen to music or podcasts in the car. You have a two-hour drive each way.

Camera/phone

This one is obvious. You’ll want to capture this incredible experience.

Powerbank

Trust me, you’ll use your phone a lot. Make sure you bring some extra battery power.

Hiking Mt Sinai Difficulty Level

I found this to be a very easy hike. The first few hours were just walking up a slowly ascending, wide, dirt footpath. The last 25 minutes or so were spent climbing the 750 stairs to the peak. I also hike a lot.

The guys in my group who had never hiked before said this was the hardest thing they’d ever done. So as you can see, it is all very subjective. But I think anyone can do it, and overall it is an easy to moderate level hike.

Tips for Hiking Mt Sinai

Bring Cash

As mentioned earlier, make sure to have some cash with you on the hike in case you want tea, a blanket, a bathroom, or a crepe filled with Nutella.

Bring toilet paper and hand sanitizer

As with all places in Egypt, this one still stands. You will rarely find toilet paper in a bathroom in Egypt, especially in small huts along the trail. Bring your own toilet paper, and some hand sanitizer for afterward.

Bring a backpack with clothing layers

You will need layers while hiking to Mt Sinai. The hike up warmed up my body quite a bit, so I was way too hot wearing all the clothes I had brought and had to shed layers as I went. However, up top the temps drop and it’s very cold. You’ll need to put on all the layers you have up there. Once the sun comes out the next morning though, it’s hot again and you will be shedding layer by layer.

Having a backpack is necessary to store all these layers you’ll constantly be taking off and putting back on, not to mention your money, phone, book, camera, water, etc.

Bring water and snacks

You can buy water and snacks all along the trail. However, the prices you’ll find along the trail are very inflated. Bring your own water and snacks to save a few pounds.

I brought my LifeStraw water bottle that I can snap onto my backpack with a carabiner. It’s also great if you have a water bladder that you can stick in your backpack and drink from the straw.

Rent a blanket

For some reason, I was really resistant to this idea at first. It sounded silly that I should rent a blanket, so I didn’t rent one right away, though I should have. It gets so cold at the peak that having a heavy blanket was clutch. Also, since we had to wait at the cafe for two hours before hiking to the peak, the temperature drop was noticeable, as we were no longer moving. I gave in and rented a blanket after about an hour. Then I got cozy underneath to read my book.

Don’t make plans the day after the hike

You will not get much sleep, if any at all, on this trip since it goes all night. You’ll be tired the next day, so don’t make big plans. Unless those plans are sitting on a chair at one of the beachfront restaurants and drinking a beer while staring at the sea like I did.

Is Mt Sinai Worth Visiting?

I can say that without a doubt, Mt Sinai is worth visiting. This was one of my favorite days in all of my 3.5 weeks in Egypt. I was hesitant at first because I didn’t want to lose the sleep and hike through the wee hours of the morning. But when I thought about how I would probably never be in this position again, so close to Mt Sinai, that I should just go for it. I’m so glad I did. I met cool people and had a great time with them while seeing one of the best sunrises of my life. If you are on the fence about hiking to Mt Sinai, this is your sign to DO IT!

Read More:
Headed to Cairo? Here is everything you need to know about Cairo.
Coming to Egypt? Here is everything you need to know before going to Egypt.
Going to Dahab? Here are 21 Exciting Things to do in Dahab

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