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Climbing Mount Sinai is one of the most incredible experiences when visiting the Sinai Peninsula of Egypt. It’s holy to Christians, Muslims, and Jews, and is a popular destination for tourists. The mountain is 2,285 meters (7,497 feet) high and located within the UNESCO World Heritage listed Saint Catherine Area.
My Experiences on Mount Sinai
I can’t think of too many more rewarding things I’ve done than climbing Mount Sinai. I’ve climbed twice – the first time in February 2013 and the second time in November 2022. It was beyond the experience I had expected and hoped it to be, and was even better the second time. It wasn’t just a spiritual or religious experience like many believe it to be. Both the feeling of being at the summit of the mountain where Moses was said to have received the Ten Commandments and the stunning landscape are overwhelming.
First Tour
On my first visit to the mountain, I took a tour from Sharm el-Sheikh. Tours leave late at night to climb and reach the top of Mount Sinai by sunrise. They run every day except Thursday, Saturday, as Saint Catherine’s Monastery is closed Fridays and Saturdays. They also don’t run on nights before before Orthodox holy days. If you’re in decent physical shape, it’s extremely well worth it. You won’t regret it.
For my tour from Sharm, I was picked up shortly after 11pm. From there, it was a long and bumpy two-hour ride in an uncomfortable minivan to the town of Saint Catherine. We made a short stop at a gift shop for a bathroom break and continued to the base of the mountain to start the climb. After coming back down and visiting the monastery, we were treated to a mediocre lunch in town before going back to Sharm.
Second Tour
On my second visit to the mountain, I was on an overnight trip from Jerusalem. We stayed at the monastery guesthouse, started climbing Mount Sinai at 2am, and were at the summit before 5am. The best part about this climb was that it was on a Thursday night. There were only about 100 other people hiking. If you can go on a night the monastery is closed, you’ll have a much better experience overall on the hike. The only negative is that you’ll have to adjust your plans to see the monastery another day.
Hiking Up the Camel Trail
The Camel Trail is the longer but easier path up Mount Sinai and starts just outside Saint Catherine’s Monastery. It takes about two to three hours to hike depending on stops, speed, and physical ability. For those who don’t want to hike all the way up, it’s possible to take a camel up to the end of the trail for an extra fee. Just before reaching the summit, there’s a steeper, more difficult path.
What to Wear
As far as weather is concerned, be prepared with several layers of clothes. I took several layers of clothes and a flashlight to light my way. At the base of the mountain it’s still relatively warm, so I added layers on my way up as it got colder. You might want to take some gloves and a hat as well. It can be windy and freezing cold at the top.
On my first trip I wore regular shoes and wish I had taken hiking boots, especially for the last steep section before the summit. I was prepared on the second trip and the boots made a huge difference.
Climbing Up
Both times I climbed, we started at 2am when it was pitch black. This was to ensure we made it to the summit before sunrise. We also had a Bedouin guide responsible for leading us up. The guide keeps the group together for the most part, making stops every 20 to 30 minutes to check on everyone. The guides do a fantastic job – don’t forget to tip them well at the end!
Along the way, there are a few shops selling hot and cold drinks, snacks, and Bedouin scarves. These make the hike easier, especially for those who aren’t prepared with water and food. Just make sure to bring cash with you.
At the end of the Camel Trail are a few more shops where you can get some hot tea or coffee and snacks. If it’s cold, you can even borrow a couple blankets and take a quick nap before continuing.
Final Path to the Summit
The last section up to the summit consists of some very steep and sometimes uneven steps. If it’s icy like it was on my first trip, it can be very dangerous. Either way, it’s a tough but rewarding finish.
My First Experience
On my first trip climbing up Mount Sinai, we had a group of 16. They were mostly Russian tourists and an extremely rude and aggressive Belgian guy. Unfortunately, a few of the Russian women couldn’t make it and were taken back down via camel. I felt terrible for them.
Once we got to the final path to the summit, ice on the path made things dangerous. The combination of ice and rocks that had been smoothed over by millions of pilgrims over time was terrible. Bedouin guides strategically placed themselves on different sections of the path to lift people up if they needed a hand.
With the amount of people walking up the mountain, just one person slipping could be extremely deadly for others below. Nobody had the right kind of equipment or shoes to be climbing up such a slippery path – except for the Belgian guy. He was shouting and pushing people out of his way as he made it up the path. I along with a few others yelled at him to tell him he was making it unsafe, but he didn’t listen and continued to act like an idiot. As for me, I managed not to slip once on the way up, but I slipped twice on the way down. I was lucky not to be seriously hurt!
My Second Experience
On my second trip, there were only seven of us and nobody was rude or obnoxious. We only had one person take a bad step and tweak her ankle on the steep path coming down. Nothing else to report!
Summit of Mount Sinai
Congratulations! You’ve made it to the summit of Mount Sinai! It was a long hike up the Camel Trail. Now what do you do?
Sunrise
The reason to start climbing Mount Sinai at 2am is to reach the top in time for the eagerly awaited sunrise. It’s one of the most idyllic scenes you will ever experience.
Hands down, Mount Sinai has the most incredible sunrise I have ever witnessed. As the sun peeks up over the horizon, the colors of the sky and mountains change dramatically.
On a somber note, as we waited patiently for the sun to rise on my first trip, one of the Bedouin guides told us how every year a few tourists commit suicide by jumping off the ledge. They believe they will be rewarded by killing themselves in a place so close to God.
Church of the Holy Trinity
You’ll quickly notice a couple stone structures at the summit. One is the Greek Orthodox Church of the Holy Trinity, which is administered by Saint Catherine’s Monastery.
History
The first church on the site was built in 363 atop the rocks said to be used as the source for the Tablets of Stone, which were inscribed with the Ten Commandments. Byzantine Emperor Justinian rebuilt the church sometime between 530 and 532. It was known as the Chapel of the Latins, the Chapel of Archangel Michael, and the Chapel of Moses.
The Church of the Holy Trinity was built in 1934 using some of the pink granite blocks used in Justinian’s church. Those blocks were quarried in Elijah’s Basin and can be identified with an inscription of a cross. The interior of the church contains frescoes depicting biblical scenes of Moses as well as several saints and prophets.
Access to the Church
The church is closed to the public, but on my second trip climbing Mount Sinai, the monks at Saint Catherine’s Monastery gave us special permission to enter. After hiking up the Camel Trail, we rested and stayed warm inside the church for about 45 minutes. It was a unique and unforgettable experience for our entire group of seven.
Understanding how rare an opportunity we had been given, two of us spent a good 20 minutes trying to get photos of every fresco and detail of the church as possible. I apologize for the quality of some of the photos. It was dark but we did our best. The remainder of this entry will include the best of those photos.
Narthex
Nave
Iconostasis
Apse
Altar
Mosque
Right next to the church is a mosque which is still used by local Muslims to pray. Mount Sinai is holy to all three Abrahamic religions – Christianity, Islam, and Judaism. However, there is no place of worship for Jews on the summit.
Moses’ Cave
Also on the summit of Mount Sinai is Moses’ Cave, where Moses is believed to have waited to receive the Ten Commandments. A few steps lead down to the cave where pilgrims light candles.
Ready to Head Back Down…
On both of my trips climbing Mount Sinai, we spent about an hour at the summit. After the sun rises, there’s not much else to do other than admire the views. Most people start walking down shortly after 6am.
Once back down the final steep path leading to the summit, everyone is given a choice of how to make it back down to the base of the mountain – the Camel Trail or the Way of the Steps, an ancient stairway used by monks and pilgrims to reach the summit. On the first trip, I took the Way of the Steps. On my second trip, I had to take the Camel Trail.
Hiking Down the Way of the Steps
The Way of the Steps is the original path between Saint Catherine’s Monastery and the summit of Mount Sinai. The trail is 3,750 steps from the monastery and is also known as the Monk’s Trail, the Steps of Repentance, and the Steps of Penitence.
On my first trip climbing up Mount Sinai, I decided to hike back down the Way of the Steps, which was an excellent decision. There were almost no tourists along the way. I had the whole trail to myself most of the time, except for a few who I passed on the way down. On my second trip, it was unfortunately closed due to flooding.
Elijah’s Basin
The first section I came to was a naturally flat area called Elijah’s Basin. It contains the Chapel of Elijah and the Chapel of Elisha. They mark the cave where Prophet Elijah stayed on Mount Sinai. The Chapel of Saint Stephen is also at Elijah’s Basin but I don’t have a picture.
The scenery was nothing like I had ever imagined. Next to the chapel was a small lake with crystal clear water. It was so calm the reflection of the mountain above it formed a perfect mirror image. The lake was created by a dam built by the Byzantines in order to control flooding at the monastery below.
Stone Gates
Further along the path are two stone gates. The first is Elijah’s Gate, and the second is the Shrive Gate. If you look closely, you can find inscriptions on them.
At the Shrive Gate, pilgrims would confess their sins to a priest before being allowed to continue to the summit. The Shrive Gate is also known as the Gate of Forgiveness or the Gate of Confession.
Chapel of Our Lady of the Steward
Not too much further is the Chapel of Our Lady of the Steward. It was built to commemorate the Virgin Mary’s visit to the steward of Saint Catherine’s Monastery in the 6th century.
End of the Trail
About halfway down the path, I was finally able to spot the walled Saint Catherine’s Monastery at the foot of the mountain. The rest of the way down, I didn’t find anything too interesting other than the views of the monastery.
Hiking Down the Camel Trail
While the more interesting way down Mount Sinai is the Way of the Steps, it’s easier and faster to go back down the Camel Trail.
Personally, I prefer the Way of the Steps because there’s lots to see on the way down. Unfortunately, like on my second trip to the mountain, there are instances when the Way of the Steps is closed. In that case, the only way down is the same way you came up.
If you’re pressed for time, the Camel Trail is the best option. It’s also possible to take a camel down the mountain if you feel like you put in a little too much effort going up, especially on that last push to the summit.
The positive thing about taking the Camel Trail back down Mount Sinai is you’ll be able to see what you hiked up in the first place! On your way up, it’ll most likely be pitch black and you won’t be able to see anything at all.
Heading back down, there’s some beautiful scenery as well as a good look at the trail winding down the side of the mountain. You can even get a good look at some of the Bedouin stores you passed on the way up.
Once you’re near the end of the trail, Saint Catherine’s Monastery comes into view. It’s a welcome sight after a long night of hiking. You can also look back and get a fantastic view of Mount Sinai in all its glory.
