Mount Sinai and Saint Catherine’s Monastery sit deep in the mountains of South Sinai, about eight hours by road from Cairo. This two-day tour makes that journey properly, with a night in St. Catherine so that you are already at the foot of the mountain when the climb begins, instead of compressing the whole thing into one punishing day.
You leave your Cairo hotel in the morning in a private air-conditioned vehicle and travel east into Sinai. You check in to a 4-star hotel in St. Catherine, have dinner and sleep early. At two in the morning a Bedouin mountain guide meets you at the hotel and leads you up Moses Mountain, the 2,285-metre summit where the Bible, the Quran and the Torah all place Moses receiving the Ten Commandments. The ascent is walked in the dark at a steady pace, and you reach the top in time for first light over the Sinai range.
After the descent you visit Saint Catherine’s Monastery itself, one of the oldest working monasteries on earth, where you see the Chapel of the Burning Bush, the Byzantine icon collection and the monastery’s celebrated library. Breakfast is at the hotel, and your driver then takes you back to Cairo.
The tour is private throughout: your own vehicle, your own English-speaking guide, and a Bedouin guide for the mountain. The climb takes roughly three hours on foot and suits reasonably fit travellers, which makes this a natural two-day break from a longer stay in Cairo.
Already staying in Sharm El Sheikh? The Mount Sinai Sunrise Hike is the small-group version of the same climb, leaving from your Sharm hotel in the evening and returning the next morning.
| Feature | The pre-dawn Mount Sinai climb | St Catherine's Monastery visit |
|---|---|---|
| Timing | Overnight: the climb begins around 2 AM for sunrise | Mid-morning, after the descent |
| Physical effort | Demanding: roughly a 3-hour ascent on foot | Easy: mostly level walking |
| Highlight | Sunrise from the 2,285 m summit | The Burning Bush chapel, icons and ancient library |
| Suitable for | Reasonably fit travellers | Most ages and fitness levels |
This tour includes both: the pre-dawn climb up Mount Sinai for sunrise and a guided visit to the monastery after the descent.
Prices are shown in US dollars per person. Seasonal supplements may apply during Christmas, New Year and Easter unless a specific seasonal price is displayed.
Note: Child rates apply to children travelling with their parents. Where accommodation is included, a maximum of one child per room applies.
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