Trekking holidays in Sinai mountains
| country: | Egypt |
| location: | Sinai Desert |
| trip type: | Moderate walking holidays |
| departures: | This trip can be tailormade at a time to suit you and can be adapted to suit your budget and requirements as necessary |
| price: | From €325 - €650 (3 - 10 days) excluding flights |
| vouchers: | Gift vouchers can be used with this holiday |
the amazing things you'll be doing
3 day, 5 day or 10 day hikes on offer. Daily distance and grade can be tailored to each groups’ needs.
The Galt Region is located in the central Sinai mountain range where Egypt's highest peaks are concentrated. It is characterized by sharp mountain tops and smooth granite massifs, a labyrinth of dry riverbeds dotted with green orchards, gardens, huge rock formations, granite water pools and narrow canyons. This region includes Sinai's highest, Mt. Catherine at 2642m, along with other impressive peaks. Scattered throughout the area are several water pools large enough to swim in, Galt el Azraq and Kharazet el Shaq to name but a few.
The area is home to the Jebeliya Bedouin. Beyond gathering indigenous medicinal plants and wild herbs, they build stone walled gardens near water sources where a wide variety of fruit is cultivated. There are many well preserved Byzantine ruins in the area along with Greek Orthodox monasteries still in activity. More recent historical sites include the palace of Abbas Hilmi Pasha on the mountain named after him. From there, the view affords excellent vistas over the entire central range and the Northern plateau.
This trek is offered year-round as temperatures in the mountains are pleasant in the summer with only a few hours of heat in the midday and cool nights. In the winter days are warm and sunny, but night temperatures can get below zero. There are many Bedouin rock houses, shelters and caves that we use in the winter.
Highlights:
The Galt Region is located in the central Sinai mountain range where Egypt's highest peaks are concentrated. It is characterized by sharp mountain tops and smooth granite massifs, a labyrinth of dry riverbeds dotted with green orchards, gardens, huge rock formations, granite water pools and narrow canyons. This region includes Sinai's highest, Mt. Catherine at 2642m, along with other impressive peaks. Scattered throughout the area are several water pools large enough to swim in, Galt el Azraq and Kharazet el Shaq to name but a few.
The area is home to the Jebeliya Bedouin. Beyond gathering indigenous medicinal plants and wild herbs, they build stone walled gardens near water sources where a wide variety of fruit is cultivated. There are many well preserved Byzantine ruins in the area along with Greek Orthodox monasteries still in activity. More recent historical sites include the palace of Abbas Hilmi Pasha on the mountain named after him. From there, the view affords excellent vistas over the entire central range and the Northern plateau.
This trek is offered year-round as temperatures in the mountains are pleasant in the summer with only a few hours of heat in the midday and cool nights. In the winter days are warm and sunny, but night temperatures can get below zero. There are many Bedouin rock houses, shelters and caves that we use in the winter.
Highlights:
- Trekking
- Mountain pools
- Fruit tree gardens
- Bedouin dinners
- Star gazing
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | St. Catherine's - Wadi Shaq. Morning departure from the town of St. Catherine’s. Hike through Wadi el Arbain. Bedouin wishing rock. Rock of Moses (Hajar Mousa) and it's Greek orthodox chapel. Monastery of the Forty Martyrs and it's garden. Break at Ramadan's garden. Rock Hyrax. Ascent of Mt. Catherine through Wadi Shaq Musa. Long ascent on a good path. Will break as needed. Lunch break at the summit. Stunning views. Orthodox Church. Descent through Wadi el Ahmar to Wadi Shaq. Arrive at Campsite (cameleers have set everything up a few hours beforehand). Beautiful Bedouin orchard. Dinner. |
| Day 2: | Wadi Shaq. Breakfast. Hike through the narrow canyon Wadi Shaq. Interconnected granite water pools. Wadi Mathar, a wide valley in Mt. Catherina’s shadow. Bustan - Walled gardens built to withstand flash flooding and retain soil. Byzantine Praying Cell (Hermit Cave). Well preserved monastic settlement. Easy climb up Wadi Rhazana. Beautiful view of Wadi Mathar. Lunch in a Bedouin Garden and the location of the first night’s camp. Climb up Mt. Umm Loz. Option to stay back and relax in the garden area. Mt. Umm Loz is the center of the high mountain range known as head of the mountains. Return to Garden Camp for Dinner. |
| Day 3: | Wadi Shaq - Farsh Rummana. Breakfast. Hike through Wadi Jibal. Byzantine church ruins and many gardens. Ascent to Masba Abu Gharun. Mountaintop basins. Superb view of the Southern Mountain Region including Jebel Umm Shomar. Lunch break at Ain Najila, a natural spring. Byzantine church ruins. Optional climb up Bab el Donya – magnificent views on the gulf of Suez. Descent through Naqb Baharia Canyon. Bedouin rock shelters. Dinner at garden campsite in Farsh Rummana. |
| Day 4: | Farsh Rummana - Wadi Abu Tuweita. Breakfast. Descent towards Wadi Talaa Kibira. Beautiful ponds and creeks all along this narrow valley. Hike to Galt el Azraq. Largest granite pool in the High Mountain Region. Swim and rest. Lunch. Climb to Farsh Umm Sila basin. Rojom (piled rocks left as markers). Descent to Wadi Abu Tuweita. Dinner at garden campsite in Wadi Abu Tuweita. |
| Day 5: | Wadi Abu Tuweita - Wadi Tinya. Breakfast. Descent through Wadi Sagar. Easy yet adventurous climb down – Assistance available from guides if need be. Grafted fig tree. Fountain – The crystal clear water is safe for drinking. Ascent toward Mt. Naja. Interconnected mountaintop basins. Beautiful view overlooking Sheikh Ahmed, Wadi Jinab, Northern lowlands. Return. Leopard trap. Lunch next to a spring. Kharazet el Shaq. Interconnected granite water pools. Opportunity to bathe in the water. Camp set up by a garden in Wadi Tinya. Dinner. |
| Day 6: | Wadi Tinya - Wadi Zawatin. Breakfast. Wadi Tinya. Long wide valley with Bedouin gardens. Climb to Mt. Abbas Basha. Unfinished Palace of Abbas Hilmi – (viceroy of Egypt 1849-1854). Stunning views onto high mountains, lowlands and the village of St. Catherine's. Lunch and rest on the top of the mountain. Descent to Wadi Zawatin. Many small gardens. Dinner at garden campsite in Wadi Zawatin. |
| Day 7: | Wadi Zawatin -Wadi Itlah. Breakfast. Descent through Wadi Tubuq, a sandy valley littered with boulders. Gardens including a 1000 year old Mulberry tree. Fountain source emanating from a rock. Or continue down into Sid Daud. Trail leads through narrow chimneys and small caves. Wadi Talaa. Lunch break in garden. Monastery of Cosmas and Damianos. Olive Groves and cypress trees. Spring and deep cliffs. Wadi Itlah. The Chapel of Saint John Klimakos. Hakim Ahmed's Herbal Garden. Dinner at garden campsite in Wadi Itlah. |
| Day 8: | Wadi Itlah - Kahrm Ecolodge. Breakfast. Continue in Wadi Itlah and Wadi Jinab junction. Dry riverbed with sandy floors. Gardens and Date palms. Walk up Wadi Jinab. Sheikh Ahmed (local holy man) tomb. Mt. Naja towers above. Continue through Wadi Madaman. Settlement of Sheikh Awad. Arrival at Al Kahrm Ecolodge. Solar heated showers. Sanitary composting toilets. Modern kitchen and dining facilities. Dinner. |
| Day 9: | Kahrm Ecolodge - Milan El Widya. Breakfast. Depart through Wadi Gharba. Granite water pools. Sidda Nogra - seasonal waterfall. Short break. Climb up a steep pass to the top of the waterfall. Small granite water pools. Beautiful view onto the basin down below. Massive rock formation providing shade for a short break. Lunch. Ascent of Mt. Banat. One of the many granite peaks encircling a round basin. Spectacular views - Sheikh Awad, Wadi Freah, Mt. Sinai, Mt. Katherina, Mt. Abbas Pasha and Mt. Naja. Descent towards Milan El Widya. Arrive at campsite. Dinner. |
| Day 10: | Milan El Widya - St. Catherine's. Breakfast. Descent onto wide plains of Wadi Freah at Bustan el Birka. Wide open sandy floors and singular rock formations. Many Byzantine ruins. Small clusters of old monastic settlements. Hermit Cells. Cut across the plain to reach the Abu Seila pass. Final look onto the desert plain and the settlements of Abu Seila and Wadi Raha. Descent to Abu Seila. Visit handicraft workshop. Car ride back to the town of St. Catherine's. |
travelling with a local operator
This holiday is operated by a company based in the holiday destination and they will be able to provide expert local knowledge. They will be able to tailor make your holiday to suit your requirements not only concerning the dates of travel but also typically the standard of accommodation, and thus price. It is rare for local operators to be able to help with the booking of your flights.how this holiday makes a difference
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The Jeballaya – or Mountain People – are the tribes that live in the High Mountain region of Sinai. Guides and Cameleers are drawn from this tribe. The area is full of gardens which their families have tended over the centuries for various fruits and crops. These are the gardens in which hikers stop for tea breaks or to spend the night, and the garden owners are paid accordingly. Hikers give a big boost to the local community which is less and less dependent on the produce of its fruit trees and more and more dependent on tourism revenue.
We do not use jeeps or any other motorized vehicles for this trek. The entire program is on foot and camel leaving the least possible impact on the environment. Having hikers stay in Mountain Gardens also gives the local community incentive to keep their trees watered and tended maintaining the beauty of the region as it has been for centuries. As much as possible, all of the food-stuff and other supplies needed during a trip are bought locally in the town of St. Catherine's directly benefiting local store owners. Every trek booked through us contributes to our community development fund. These monies are then used for specific development and health needs in the community. Ecolodges:
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Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've led the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |