From Sharm: Mount Moses Trekking, Sunrise & Monastery Visit

Sunrise is better after a hard climb. This $50 trip from Sharm El Sheikh pairs a nighttime ascent of Mount Sinai with a visit to St. Catherine’s Monastery, giving you both a powerful mountain experience and a look at one of the Sinai’s most important religious sites. I especially like the spectacular sunrise and the steady support from the Bedouin mountain guides. The main drawback is the punishing schedule: a long night drive, two to three hours uphill, a descent, and a monastery visit before the return journey.

You should also prepare for cold, wind, crowded transport, uneven stone, camel droppings, and a very early finish. Still, if you have a reasonable level of fitness and want something more meaningful than another beach day, this is one of Sharm’s strongest day trips.

Key Points Before You Book

• The summit reaches 2,285 meters: You climb at night to reach the traditional site linked with Moses and the Ten Commandments.
• The hike is harder than the distance suggests: The route includes a steep, uneven path followed by roughly 750 rough steps and stones near the top.
• Sunrise comes with cold and wind: Bring several warm layers, gloves, a hat, and cash to rent a blanket if needed.
• Bedouin guides lead the mountain section: The Egyptologist guide stays with the group until base camp, then a Bedouin guide assists with the climb.
• The monastery visit can feel short: St. Catherine’s is valuable, but exhaustion and transport schedules may leave limited time inside.
• The $50 price is strong value: Transport, guides, water, hotel pickup and drop-off, and the mountain and monastery visits are included, but food, drinks, toilets, blankets, and personal expenses cost extra.

Leaving Sharm El Sheikh After Dark

Pickup is scheduled between 8:00 and 9:00 PM, with the exact time confirmed on the day. Wait at your hotel’s main gate along the highway, not at the reception desk. This small detail matters, since the vehicle may not enter the hotel grounds.

The first vehicle may be a minibus collecting people from several hotels. Some departures run smoothly, while others involve a wait before transferring to a larger air-conditioned coach. One practical weakness is comfort: crowded vehicles and, at times, folding seats in the aisle can make the roughly four-hour journey to Mount Sinai tiring before the hike even begins.

Security checkpoints can lengthen the trip in either direction. The total outing is advertised as 16 to 17 hours, but you should leave room for delays. The guides and drivers generally keep the operation moving, though the pickup stage may feel less polished than the mountain section.

The drive itself is not the reason to book this outing. It is simply the price of reaching South Sinai from the resort coast. Use the time to rest, eat something light, and keep your warm clothing where you can reach it.

Reaching Mount Sinai Under the Stars

At Mount Sinai, the group begins walking in darkness. The route rises from the base area toward the summit, which sits at 2,285 meters. You will want a proper flashlight or headlamp. A phone light works, but it leaves one hand occupied and gives a narrow beam over loose stones.

The first part is a steep, uneven trail of about 7 kilometers. It is not a smooth mountain path. You may need to watch for stones, gaps, and camel droppings, especially where animals pass groups on the route. Camels can be hired for part of the ascent, but only until the final 750 steps. You must complete that upper section on foot, and the operator does not recommend relying on the camel option.

The Bedouin guides set the pace and stop regularly. Several guides may work with a group, checking on people and helping them manage the climb. Guides such as Ibrahim, Amr, Ali, and Ashrof have been praised for being friendly, reassuring, and able to explain the religious and local setting in several languages. Your actual guide will depend on the departure.

Do not confuse a slow pace with an easy walk. The breaks make the ascent possible, but the night start, thin air at altitude, and lack of sleep add to the strain. People who exercise regularly but rarely hike have found the route tougher than expected. If you have shortness of breath, bone pain, or limited mobility, this is not the right excursion.

The Final 750 Steps Are the Real Test

The last section is often described as 750 steps, but do not picture a tidy staircase. You climb rough, uneven stones and natural rock ledges. Some are high, some are shallow, and the footing needs care. This short section can take more effort than the longer trail below.

Groups may arrive well before sunrise so they can find a good place to sit. That is helpful for the view, but it can mean waiting at the summit for an hour or two. At this altitude, the cold feels sharper when you are no longer moving.

A camel blanket can make the wait much more comfortable. Expect to pay around 200 Egyptian pounds for a rental according to recent trip details, though prices can change. Small shops along the way sell hot drinks, snacks, and extra clothing. Toilets are available at points along the trail, usually for a small fee, but they are basic. Carry tissues and small notes in Egyptian pounds, euros, or US dollars.

The best clothing plan is layers. A long-sleeve shirt, fleece, down or padded jacket, and windproof outer layer worked well for a February climb, with wool socks, a hat, and gloves adding real comfort. January and February can bring temperatures around minus 2 degrees Celsius at the top, and some conditions may feel colder in the wind. Even in warmer months, the summit can be cold before sunrise.

Mount Sinai at Sunrise

The reward is not subtle. As the sky lightens, the dark ridges around Mount Sinai turn into layers of brown, gold, and gray. You look across wide valleys and mountain peaks while the first sun reaches the stone. The scale is dramatic, and the quiet moment has clear religious meaning for many people.

This is a shared experience rather than a private one. Several groups may reach the summit at the same time, and the area can be crowded. Camels, guides, worshippers, hikers, and photographers all share the upper route and summit space. If you want a completely solitary sunrise, this will not provide it.

Still, the combination of darkness, stars, cold air, and the slow arrival of daylight gives the climb a pilgrimage-like feel. You can take photographs, pray, or simply sit and watch the mountains change color. Bring a phone or camera, but protect batteries from the cold and do not forget to look up from the screen.

The Descent Takes About Two Hours

Going down is easier for many people, but it still demands care. Your knees may be tired, and loose stones are more noticeable when daylight exposes the full route. The descent takes around two hours, though the pace depends on the group.

Morning warmth arrives quickly in the Sinai. You may begin the descent bundled up and finish in bright sunshine, so pack clothing where you can remove it without emptying your entire bag. The route contains rest stops and small refreshment stalls, but do not depend on free drinks or food. Water is included, while extra beverages, snacks, and personal purchases are not.

There can be uncomfortable encounters with children asking for money or trying to sell items along the trail. Carrying small change is useful, but you are not required to buy anything. Keep your attention on the path, especially where camels have the right of way.

After reaching the base, you should have time to rest and eat breakfast. Order a breakfast box from your hotel before leaving Sharm, then collect it before pickup. This is easy to miss, and there is no promise that breakfast will be supplied during the tour.

St. Catherine’s Monastery After the Climb

St. Catherine’s Monastery gives the day a second focus. The 6th-century Christian monastery sits at the foot of the mountain and remains an active religious site. It is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is widely described as the oldest functioning Christian monastery in the world.

Inside, you may see the church associated with the burning bush, old religious icons, and manuscripts displayed in the library and museum areas. The visit connects the mountain’s biblical traditions with a living place of worship rather than treating the story as a museum exhibit alone.

The timing is the weak point. By the time you arrive, you will have been awake all night and walked uphill and down again. Some people have been too tired to enter, while others found the visit one of the best parts of the day. The tour can also feel rushed because the group must meet the coach and follow the return schedule.

If the monastery matters to you, save some energy for it. Listen for the main explanations, then use any free minutes to see the church and museum rather than trying to cover every corner. Confirm that the monastery is open on your date. It closes on Sundays and on certain Christian holidays, and dates can vary.

Is $50 Good Value?

At $50 per person, the package is well priced for the amount of ground covered. You receive hotel pickup and drop-off in Sharm El Sheikh, an air-conditioned vehicle, water, an Egyptologist guide, a Bedouin trekking guide, the mountain climb, the sunrise stop, and the monastery visit.

The value is strongest if you would otherwise need to arrange several separate pieces. The drive to Mount Sinai is long, and local transport, access arrangements, and mountain guidance are not simple tasks to organize independently. You also gain guides who know the route and can monitor the group.

The price does not cover extra drinks, food, toilet fees, camel rides, or a summit blanket. Carry cash in small denominations. Do not assume the water supplied will cover every need during a 16 to 17-hour day, especially in warmer months. A breakfast box from your hotel is a smart addition.

Free cancellation is available up to 24 hours before departure, and you can reserve now and pay later. Those terms help if your Sharm schedule is still changing, but they do not make the physical challenge any easier.

Who Should Book This Mountain Day Trip?

I would recommend it to adults and older teenagers, with children under 14 excluded. You should be comfortable walking for several hours over uneven ground and climbing rough stone steps. Regular gym exercise helps, but hiking experience is more useful than simply being strong indoors.

This is a good choice if you want:

• A sunrise from a major biblical site
• A physically demanding challenge with regular rest stops
• A guide-supported mountain climb
• A meaningful religious and cultural visit
• A lower-cost alternative to arranging South Sinai transport yourself

Think twice if you dislike night travel, group schedules, cold weather, crowded buses, or basic mountain facilities. Pregnant people, wheelchair users, older people, and anyone with shortness of breath or bone pain should not book this activity.

Pack hiking shoes, comfortable clothing, warm layers, a jacket, food, a passport, water, tissues, and a headlamp. Keep your warmest items and cash in a small bag you can reach during the drive and hike.

Should You Book It?

Book this tour if the thought of earning a sunrise appeals to you. The hike is demanding, the transport can be cramped, and the monastery visit may be brief, but the summit view and the sense of place are worth the lost night of sleep for many fit adults.

My advice is to judge it as a mountain pilgrimage with a monastery visit, not as a relaxed sightseeing day. Arrive prepared, accept that the schedule may run long, and save enough energy for St. Catherine’s. With good shoes, serious warm clothing, a headlamp, food, and small cash, this $50 trip offers an unusually strong mix of scenery, religion, and adventure from Sharm El Sheikh.

FAQ

How long does the Mount Sinai tour take?

The tour lasts about 16 to 17 hours, including hotel pickup and drop-off. Security checkpoints and transport delays can extend the schedule.

What time is hotel pickup?

Pickup from Sharm El Sheikh hotels is scheduled between 8:00 and 9:00 PM. You should wait at the hotel’s main gate along the highway, not at the reception area.

How difficult is the Mount Sinai climb?

The climb takes about two to three hours uphill, followed by a descent of around two hours. The route includes a steep, uneven path and roughly 750 rough steps near the summit.

Can I ride a camel all the way to the summit?

No. A camel can be used only during the lower part of the ascent. The final 750 steps must be completed on foot.

What should I bring for the climb?

Bring your passport, hiking shoes, comfortable clothes, warm layers, a jacket, food, and a flashlight or headlamp. Gloves, a hat, tissues, and small cash for drinks, toilets, or a blanket are also useful.

Is St. Catherine’s Monastery always open?

No. The monastery is closed on Sundays and on certain Christian holidays. Opening dates can vary, so confirm availability for your chosen date.