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Mount Sinai, also called Moses Mountain, Mountain of God or Gebel Mussa is one of the most dramatic places of history for all Sinai and beyond.
According to Christian, Islamic and Jewish tradition, the biblical Mount Sinai was the place where Moses received the Ten Commandments.
Mount Sinai is a 2,285-meters (7,497 ft). moderately high mountain near the city of Saint Catherine in the Sinai region. It is next to Mount Catherine (at 2,629 m or 8,625 ft, the highest peak in Egypt).[3] It is surrounded on all sides by higher peaks of the mountain range.
Mount Sinai's rocks were formed in the late stage of the Arabian-Nubian Shield's (ANS) evolution. Mount Sinai displays a ring complex that consists of alkaline granite intruded into diverse rock types.
The summit of the mountain has a mosque that is still used by Muslims. It also has a Greek Orthodox chapel, constructed in 1934 on the ruins of a 16th-century church, that is not open to the public. The chapel encloses the rock which is considered to be the source for the biblical Tablets of Stone.At the summit also is "Moses' cave", where Moses was said to have waited to receive the Ten Commandments. There is no Jewish place of worship or memorial associated with Mount Sinai.
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| View from the Summit |
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| Sunrise over the Mountain |
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| Chapel of the Holy Trinity on the peak of Mount Moses |
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| view from the top |
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| View down to the Saint Catherine's Monastery |
Visitors have a few option of when to climb the mountain, depending on what they would like to see. It is possible to walk up in the early morning, around midday, or late at night. But i recommend the late night option. To see the sun rising over Sinai is such a fantastic view
There are two trails that guide the way up to the top of Mount Sinai, both starting right at the St. Catherine Monastery. There is the easier and smooth way, which goes along the Wadi El Deir, the valley of the Monastery. This way, called Siket El Basha, is a bit longer, but much easier to go. Walking here you'll find Beduines on the way all over to offer camel rides. Ever wondering where the camels are in Sinai, you'll find them all right here.
The second trail up the mountain is the path of Lord Moses, called Siket Sayidna Musa. It was the ancient path for the monks and is supposed count over 3.700 steps that were carved out of the existing rocks. This path takes much time and effort to climb, we recommend to rather take it once going down again, while choosing the other path for the way up.
walking up the Siket El Basha takes about 2,5 hours, if fast about 2 hours. Less trained people will rather need 3 hours. It is recommended to have warm clothes with you, especially a jacket is of much use. Do use the toilet facilities provided at the bottom of the mountain, even if they are used by many. Uphill it is more difficult to find a toilet and they are not any more comfortable. If on the way you feel that you are running out of power, you can accept the offers from the Bedouins to use a camel. They don't cost much money and it is recommended to bargain the price before accepting. Mostly they go down by 50% and more.
Once you arrive on the top it will still be dark and visitors will try to get the best place for watching the sun rise. This is a reason why it is of value to be early, but even late arrival will still give you the most impressive pictures. On top, Bedouins are offering blankets, and we recommend to take them since it will be quite cold waiting. The temperatures might go down to +5°C, sometimes less, depending on the season.
About an hour later, the first sun rays hit some mountains and the colors that this light brings up is those that all visitors have been waiting for. The charm and beauty of the nature is overwhelming everyone, some remaining breathless. This spectacle will last only a few minutes, perhaps half an hour until the sun is having enough power to light up all mountains around and to bring light to the valleys.
Once the sun has been rising, most of the visitors will start to go down. Take your time and have a look around before you start going down. The view is amazing and it is always recommendable to avoid crowds.
On the way down, you should take the Siket Sayidna Mussa path. It is steeper, but more scenic. Also, the view down to the Monastry St. Catherine is very charming. Bedouins on the way will ask you to buy their gifts and most are nice enough to pose for a photo. These Beduines are mostly from the tribe Muszeina, while the Bedouins from the tribe Gebeleya are difficult to find. They are about 1.500 in number and descendants of Macedonian people.
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