Namecheck Mount Sinai
When we planned our recent trip to Egypt, I was unsure which part of the country we should visit besides Cairo. I was excited to visit the ancient riches of Upper Egypt, where places like Luxor, Aswan, and Abu Simbel are considered a must-see for first-time visitors. With twelve days available on this trip, we should have enough days to squeeze in the classic “Best of Egypt” tour. As I started researching Niles cruises and options to Abul Simbel, the amount of information out there was dizzying. I felt paralyzed by the choices of cruises and tour operators. Even worse, most tours or packages do not have instant inventory checks online, making planning more tedious than necessary. It also didn’t help that we will be in Egypt over Christmas and New Year, the busiest week in tourism there.
Without equivocation, Mount Sinai is an underrated destination in Egypt.
While awaiting replies from a few tour operators about the Upper Egypt tour package, I came across an episode on the Ameature Traveler podcast about the Sinai Peninsula by serendipity. I was immediately intrigued by the idea. Rather than stressing out about planning the perfect itinerary for Upper Egypt and dealing with many different forms of transport, I don’t mind going off the beaten path for this trip and reserving the Niles cruise for the next visit. It would be a decent excuse to return to Egypt, wouldn’t it? Also, the Saint Catherine’s Monastery has been on my travel bucket list forever.
There is an obvious caveat to visiting the Sinai Peninsula, however. The war between Israel and Hamas was already in full swing. Brian was justifiably nervous and immediately went to the travel advisory page on the State Department’s website. The government put a Level 3 (Reconsider Travel) Advisory on Egypt. However, the Sinai Peninsula has a Level 4 (Do Not Travel) Advisory. It describes Sinai as a “particularly dangerous area, with frequent attacks on security forces and civilians.” The government made an exception for Sharm El Sheikh if traveling by air. However, we were not planning on going to Sharm El Sheikh or arriving by plane.
The State Department’s travel advisory for Egypt in December 2023.
Because I have a much higher risk tolerance, I wanted to convince myself that my Sinai itinerary would be safe. I checked the Australian, British, and Canadian government travel advisory pages online. Amazingly, they all listed only the northern part of the peninsula and the border region as dangerous. South Sinai was considered safe despite the ongoing conflict near the Gazan border. I also reminded Brian that we had visited regions with similar State Department warnings, such as Guatemala and Peru. After some convincing, he eventually relented. We could only hope the conflict would not escalate and spill into Sinai. After all, Sinai has the only land border with Gaza besides Israel.
The Journey To Sinai
For most foreign visitors to Sinai, Sharm El Sheikh is a preferred home because of the plethora of Western-style resorts and direct flights from numerous destinations in Europe and Russia. Often described as Cancun of the Red Sea, Sharm, as the locals would it, is not my cup of tea. Instead, we decided to use the coastal town of Dahab as a home base. We hope to discover the quieter and hopefully more authentic side of Sinai. We aimed to spend a night in Saint Catherine at the beginning and a night in Sharm El Sheikh before taking a flight back to Cairo.
After much research, it seems the only way to travel between Cairo and Saint Catherine was through private transport. I arranged the transfer with Sharm Club, the tour operator mentioned in the Ameature Traveler podcast. Because this was a custom itinerary, the cost was steep at USD 210 per person. This custom itinerary includes door-to-door transfer from Cairo to Saint Catherine and onward to Dahab. Also included are the guided hike up Mount Sinai and the required permits and fees. While this would not be the most cost-effective way to visit Sinai, we opted for the convenience of direct transfer and peace of mind.
We were finally out of the Cairo metropolitan area.
At noon, the “tour leader” showed up promptly at our downtown Cairo hotel. The guy was towering in stature and looked almost exactly like Imhotep, the main antagonist in the 2001 movie The Mummy. He was friendly but looked quite intimidating, to be honest. For this trip, we had a 10-person van to ourselves; it was a ridiculous overkill. We almost asked him whether we were picking up some other passengers on the way. After two and a half days in Cairo, we were prepared to leave the bustle of a big city behind.
If Google Maps were to believe, it should be a five-hour drive. Unfortunately, we weren’t able to get to the monastery before sunset. Considering Cairo is infamous for traffic jams, our drive out of the city was surprisingly quick and pleasant. We drove by the country’s new administrative capital, which is bankrupting the country. A pet project of the current president, the new city was purpose-built to put physical distance between the government and the populace. By relocating the government to the middle of nowhere, the political elite could better insulate itself from upheavals.
In my head, the highlight of this afternoon's journey was crossing the Suez Canal, one of the most strategic waterways in the world. But well before getting there, we were already stopped at several police and military checkpoints. With each stop., our guide had to hand over a photocopy of our travel authorization to the officers in charge. Interestingly enough, each checkpoint would take a copy, so he had to carry a big stack of paperwork. It became clear that traveling to Sinai was not as straightforward as we imagined. I can’t believe some foreigners would contemplate making this drive by themselves.
The traffic in Sinai was sparse.
The traffic toward the Suez Canal was very light. For obvious reasons, the security measures around the canal were intense. In addition to inspecting our passports, the police had us get out of the van and had sniffing dogs go through the luggage and the vehicle. The process took about ten minutes to complete. The police and military personnel were professional and courteous for the most part, but we were glad we had a guide with us. Before we knew it, we could Siani! I was so excited to see all the container ships floating down the canal. It surely would be one of the greatest sights of modern Egypt. You could imagine my disappointment when we entered an underwater tunnel rather than an overpass.
One trivia about Sinai was that it is part of Asia geologically. It was a plasant surprsie to realize we got to visit another Asian country! The moment we crossed into Sinai, there was barely any traffic. It was somewhat of an errie feeling, as this is the most militarized region of Egypt. In the twenty centuries, Egypt and Israel fought two wars over this territory. Since the Camp David Accords in 1978, Cairo’s main concern was radical Isalmic fundamentalism. Well before the current conflict in Gaza, the northern side of Sinai had been off-limit to outsiders. Egyptisn military imposes strict control over the area to combat terrorism and smuggling operation.
A roadside mosque attached to the gas station.
Our immediate impression of Sinai was the serenity.
After nearly an hour of driving along the Gulf of Suez, we made a sharp turn inland toward Saint Catherine. This inland road was a four-lane expressway and looked almost brand new. From everything I read, Saint Catherine was a little town. Since access to Saint Catherine is strictly controlled, why the government built a sparkling highway in the middle of the Sinai Peninsula was puzzling. The desolateness of the region became even more apparent as the night fell. When we arrived at the entrance of Saint Catherine, we were already in total darkness.
At the entrance to Saint Catherine was another security checkpoint. By my count, this was the twelfth checkpoint we passed through today. The local Bedouin tribes ran this checkpoint and took the security measures seriously. Right across from the checkpoint was a giant mural welcoming visitors to Saint Catherine. I was tempted to take a photo, but I worried about getting into unnecessary travel given the tense security atmosphere. About ten minutes past the checkpoint, the valley of Saint Catherine emerged. To my surprise, the central part of the valley was illuminated by a series of giant floodlights. Saint Catherine appeared like a beacon in the desolate landscape.
We were again stopped at the monastery complex's gate for a final security check. This turned out to be the most thorough security check yet. Our luggage was thoroughly searched; their main concern was tourists sneaking drones in. The use of drones is strictly regulated in Egypt, and tourists are prohibited from bringing one in without a permit. I can’t help wondering how precarious the security situation was around Saint Catherine. For a brief moment, I couldn’t help wondering whether the heightened security was because this is a Christian monastery in the land of radical Islam.
We stayed overnight at the monastery guesthouse, just outside the walls of the ancient monastery. The guesthouse could only be reserved by phone or WhatsApp at +20 109 163 3440. At USD 80 for double occupancy a night with dinner and breakfast, it was expensive compared to available options at the main village nearby. But the historical ambiance and convenience more than made up for the cost. The guest house requires all payments in US dollars. I am certain this had much to do with Egypt’s currency volatility. And because this was an active monastery, the fee is notated as a donation to the Greek Orthodox Church. The certificate of donation was a wonderful souvenir for our pilgrimage.
Simply but satisfying dinner at the monastery canteen.
After dropping our bags in the guest room, we sprinted to the dining hall for dinner. Dinner and breakfast were included in the rate. The staff had been waiting for us so they could wrap up the operation. We were the only diners, and they were already setting up breakfast for tomorrow. The three-course dinner was basic but surprisingly delicious. It was as good as any pilgrim menu we had on Camino. Since we only had a few hours of rest tonight, we scoffed down everything quickly and retreated to our room.
As expected, our room was basic, functional, and clean for a monastery guesthouse, but the ambiance left much to be desired. We were in bed right after showering. I did not tell Brian we would do the Mount Sinai sunrise hike until a few days prior. At this time of year, the sunrise is around half past six, which means setting off on the trail at two o’clock. Thanksfully, we already had a similar experience with Adam’s Peak. At least Mount Sinai is not as challenging from everything I read.
Early Morning Ascend
Our Bedouin guide, Solomon, knocked on our door right on time. Interestingly, we did not see the “tour leader” who came with us from Cairo. He was supposed to join us for the hike, but Solomon joked the guy was sleeping in. Solomon was a young man and seemed very quiet and reserved. Wearing keffiyeh and a light jacket, he seemed a little tired. Per local regulations, everyone, including Egyptian nationals, must always be escorted by a local Bedouin guide. Officially, the guides are to protect us and prevent us from going astray. In reality, this rule provides much-needed jobs for local Bedouins.
Hiking past the Saint Catharine Monastery.
Due to its higher elevation, this part of Sainai can be cold in the winter. Snow falls in Saint Catharine about once a year, so we felt obligated to pack winter jackets. Luckily, the temperature was about 42°F and dry tonight, so it was quite a pleasant environment. I felt silly packing winter jackets for Egypt, for sure. The trail started south of the monastery's walls and followed the gentle camel path. Historically, there is a separate, steeper footpath used by monks. Known as Steps of Repentance, this path has 3,750 steps and is considered strenuous because of its slopes and rough state. Unfortunately, that trail has been closed to visitors for a few years, so visitors need not worry about picking routes.
By chance, we hiked during the full moon to make out the trail without a flashlight or headlamps, so we did not get to admire the night sky. It may be the high tourism season, but we got the trail ourselves. Solomon only makes this trek once to twice a week nowadays, which is about a third of the norm this time of year. The war had a real, tangible impact on the local economy here. Because of the low number of visitors, half of the tea shacks along the trail were closed. We surely missed the conviviality on a pilgrimage trail.
Lining up for a cup of hot chocolate.
The camel trail was gentle enough to make it a pleasant climb but steep enough to warrant frequent rests. Local Bedouins would happily offer a camel ride two-thirds of the way for anyone who wishes to minimize physical exertion. I later learned that the going rate some visitors paid was between USD 30 and USD 40 for the one-way trek. That was a considerable amount of money for the local cost of living and a significant source of income. With so many camels and guides idling by the trail side, I almost felt guilty that we did not take the camel!
As much as I wished there were more pilgrims, it was nice not to feel the peer pressure or competition. We were able to go at our own pace. The darkness was excellent at concealing our progress, and not being able to track our progress was liberating. As we progressed, the trail became progressively steep. Thanksfully, the Inca Trail earlier in the year conditioned me for the trek. The hike was relatively easy, and I don’t believe it would warrant any training regiment. I imagine it would be much more challenging to climb in daytime heat. This may be why most of us opted for a sunset hike.
This tea shop was where the gentle camel track ends.
On average, we took a quick break about every half hour. I provided us with good pacing for the hike. Soon enough, we reached the end of the camel trail. The trail was about to get steeper from now on; it was a nice spot to take a more extended break. Inside, we struck up conversations with a group of Singaporean tourists. They were on a bus tour of Egypt. The tour leader, Maggy, seemed surprised to see me here. Very few Asian travelers came to Egypt independently, let alone to the Sinai Peninsula. This was her seventh visit to Mount Sinai, and she was okay with skipping sunrise from the summit. Because it was a group tour, many elected to sleep in at a nearby hotel. Only a tiny fraction of them made it to the summit. Even more puzzling, those who reached the top did not wait for the sunrise. Instead, they all needed to get back to the monastery at the crack of dawn.
From this point on, the scenery became very dramatic. We started by walking through a slotted canyon. The spot was famously featured in the 1959 movie The Ten Commandments. One sharp turn led to the base of the Stairs of Atonement. The 750 steps of this final section are said to have been built by a monk. It was the most challenging section of the trail, with plenty of twists and turns. The higher altitude also made it more difficult. Under the moonlight, the majesty of the landscape began to emerge. I could tell from the top it would be amazing.
Things could be quite pricy toward the summit of Mount Sinai.
After about half an hour, we arrived at the last tea shacks on the trail. A few pilgrims were inside, huddling in the back to keep warm. We arrived relatively early, and it would be another half an hour until sunrise. Rather than waiting in the cold on the summit, it seemed like a nice place to grab a cup of hot chocolate. Unsurprisingly, prices here were steep; a small Snicker bar would cost you USD 3.50, which is astronomical by Egyptian standards. The shop also rented our wool blankets to keep you warm. They could be brought to the summit for sunrise.
Sunrise over Mount Sinai
Before we knew it, it was time for our final ascend. It was only a ten-minute climb from the tea house, so we told Solomon to meet us at the summit when the temperature warmed up. The final hundred steps were quite treacherous because of the ice build-up. We could hardly believe how “easy” the hike has been compared to Adam’s Peak. Dare I say the scenery on top of Mount Sinai is also more dramatic? Best of all, the summit was not too crowded at sunrise. This might be the only tangible “benefit” from the Gazan war.
I was not prepared for the beauty of Mount Sinai.
I was not prepared for the beauty of Mount Sinai.
I must confess that I knew little about Mount Sinai before this visit. What brought me here was not Mount Sinai but the Saint Catherine Monastery. Mount Sinai just happened to be a bonus during my trip planning. When I thought of Mount Sinai, the first thing that came to mind was the hospital, one of the largest hospital systems in New York. It also happened to be the hospital I usually go to. Embarrassingly, I did not realize Mount was where Moses allegedly received God's tablet of the Ten Commandments. If the story was to be believed, this was perhaps the spot where God first appeared to mankind.
Waiting for the sunrise.
According to the Hebrew Bible, Moses led the Israelites to escape the tyranny of the Egyptian pharaoh. After parting the Red Sea, the groups wandered through the desert of Sinai for decades. On the third day after the group arrived at the base of Mount Sinai, the thunder and lightning descended on the mountain. Moses ascended the summit to investigate the phenomenon. He returned to the group, but people demanded proof of his experience. He then returned to the mountaintop to await further instructions from god. He spent forty days at the top until he was spoken to again.
It was chilly but tolerable on the summit.
The marker for the summit of Mount Sinai.
Moses eventually returned with two stone tablets etched with the Ten Commandments from God. When he returned to the foothills of Mount Sinai, he found the Israelites worshipping a golden calf, thus breaking one of the commandments. Cow-worshipping was deep-rooted in ancient culture, including the cult of Apis in ancient Egypt. He was not amused and tore the tablet on the ground in half. Ironically, the group created this golden calf to pray for Moses’s safe return at the urging of Moses’s brother, Aaron. Moses had the golden statue meltdown, infused in water, forcing the Israelites to drink it. That was one disturbed individual, would you say?
The Greek Orthodox chapel on the summit of Mount Sinai.
Known as Jabal Musa in Arabic, Mount Sinai was revered in all three Abrahamic religions and considered Egypt's holiest Islamic site. On the summit stands a Greek Orthodox chapel and a mosque. The structures may not be impressive, but the physical setting was spectacular. The Greek Orthodox church operated the Saint Catherine Monastery at the foothill, so it should be no surprise that they have a chapel up here. Frustratingly, the chapel is usually locked. It was only opened when accompanied by a Greek Orthodox priest. There was no set schedule, so we could only try our luck. Based on my observation, the mosque doubles as a temporary shelter and has no unique interior decorations.
There is a small, unadorned mosque on the summit of Mount Sinai.
The firey landscape around Mount Sinai.
This cave was where Moses was sheltered for forty days, allegedly.
Right by the mosque is a nondescript staircase. Protected by metal railings, it looked like a typical service entrance. Solomon pointed out this was the cave Moses sheltered in during those forty days. I was very grateful to him as we could have easily missed out on this historically significant spot. That said, there was nothing to see inside except a few pieces of garbage. There is an English graffiti at the entrance: “Don’t Throw Rubbish!”. It certainly did not look like a holy spot, but I was still overjoyed by the novelty of it all. Of course, the inevitable question was, “How do we know this was the spot?” After all, it was over five thousand years ago!
As far as sunrise goes, the view from Mount Sinai was spectacular. While everyone trained their phones and cameras on the horizon, I was more excited to see the landscape's changing colors in the opposite direction. The barren landscape took on a red hue, having a firey appearance; words could not describe how beautiful it was. I could honestly say this is the most beautiful sunrise I have ever witnessed, and I am so glad we ventured to Sinai and were able to experience such splendid scenery.
Solomon was all bundled up on the summit.
The Greek Orthodox chapel on the summit of Mount Sinai.
The summit area is relatively small, so we decided to head down after about twenty minutes. While I would have liked to spend more time admiring the landscape, we were reminded that the monastery guesthouse would expect us at eight o’clock for breakfast at the canteen; it did not give us much time to linger. Since we were the last to show up for dinner, we did not want the staff to wait for us again in the morning. I should have elected to have breakfast at the monastery cafe instead.
The Ten Commandments
As an agonist raised in a non-Judeo-Christian environment, I had little exposure to the Ten Commandments. The only time I heard about them was in the political realm. Famously, a judge in Alabama installed a Ten Commandments statue in the courthouse. The action prompted the political debate in America about the Establishment Clause. For many American conservatives, the Ten Commandments are the foundation of the justice system and even supersede the United States Constitution. Luckily, such views are considered a fringe, and let’s hope it will stay that way.
The significance of the Ten Commandments always confounds me. While there are few commandments everyone could agree with, many seemed not only outdated and self-aggrandizing. God happened to leave out important issues like slavery, which was very prevalent in Moses’s time. For whatever reasons, keeping the sabbath is considered more important. According to most scholars, the tale of the Ten Commandments was likely written two thousand years after the time of Moses. The rules were written in a way that suggests it was not intended for nomadic people like those Israelites.
Funny enough, I somewhat agree with American comedian George Carlin's comedic critique. In particular, I agree that the list was artificially inflated to be excellent, round numbers. I understand the appeals to the ancient people, but I am surprised by its lasting power in our society today. Is observing the sabbath or not coveting your “neighbors' slaves” really the animating driving force of contemporary morality? I hope not! Although I have no emotional or spiritual admiration for the Ten Commandments, I have real appreciation for their lasting legacy in the real world.
A Second View of Mount Sinai
Descending after the sunrise hike was always a thrill. We could finally see the spectacular landscape hidden under the darkness. With the upward climb behind us, I felt a spring under my steps. I was very grateful that we had such fantastic weather. My worst fear was hiking up the mountain and being greeted with heavy fog. While that is uncommon in Mount Sinai, it is much more likely during winter. It would be frustrating to come all this way and not be able to see anything. Mount Sinai is the second tallest peak in Egypt, just slightly lower than the nearby Saint Catharine.
The view of the camel track from the summit.
Steep descend from the summit of Mount Sinai.
A few vendors were selling small stones a few minutes from the summit. Because of their association with Moses, local stones are a popular souvenir for many religious pilgrims. The rocks near the mountaintop could easily be the same material as the original Ten Commandments. I was a little tempted to purchase a piece for my father-in-law, who is a devoted Catholic. It was interesting that Brian and I had been to so many pilgrimage sites compared to him. I always wish Brian’s family would travel more. They would have liked this pilgrimage for sure.
Vendors are selling the “precious” stones of Sinai as souvenirs.
Vendors are selling the “precious” stones of Sinai as souvenirs.
The chapel and the cypress tree mark the location of Elijah’s hermitage.
Soon enough, we returned to the base of the Stairs of Atonement. Soloman pointed out a tiny oasis just a few hundred yards away. This was where the prophet Elijah stayed. Like Moses, Elijah, or Elias, came to Mount Sinai to seek refuge from a tyrannical monarch with his wife. He also spent forty days here waiting for God to speak to him. The Lord ordered him not to be dispirited by Israel's immorality at the time. This tiny oasis marks where the prophet sought shelter. A chapel was constructed on the spot. To this day, orthodox monks would still use it as a hermitage. The two lone cypress trees stand there. Their presence near the top of Mount Sinai almost seems miraculous to me.
The dramatic cliff walls of Mount Sinai.
Due to the Gazan war, the local Bedouins were happy to see visitors.
As we descended, I noticed many of the tea shacks we had visited earlier were already closed. So few visitors hiked up in the daytime that keeping them open past seven o’clock wasn't worth it. I can’t help wondering how the shopkeepers could keep the business going with such meager visitor numbers. The trail seemed a whole lot steeper in broad daylight. There were only a couple of people ascending at this hour. I was glad not to see where we were heading earlier. But on second thought, I wondered why so few people opted for a sunset hike.
The landscape was dramatic and beautiful.
The gentle descent toward the valley floor.
Sinai may be remote, but they did a great job keeping the trail clean and organized.
As the temperature warmed up, Solomon started to open up as well. Educated by the monks at the monastery, he has extended knowledge of all three Judeo-Christian faiths and the different historiography of early biblical writing. Surprisingly, he acknowledged that other places were claiming the mantle of being the biblical Mount Sinai. Although most scholars recognize this as the most likely location, some propose a historically compelling alternative in Saudia Arabia. Since I don’t believe that the biblical event did not happen anyway, it did not bother me whether this is the “real” Mount Sinai.
Like most Bedouins in the area, Solomon sees himself as a spiritual guardian of not just Mount Sinai but also a protector of Saint Catherine Monastery. Since the monastery’s 3rd-century founding by Byzantine emperor Justinian, the Bedouins have protected the monastery and the valley from foreign invaders. Sinai has long been a coveted land bridge between Asia and Africa; Sinai’s tumultuous 20th-century history is a vivid illustration. Given the current conflict in Gaza, I can’t help asking him about Israel’s rules of Sinai and his perspective on the current events.
The gentle descent toward the valley floor.
Saint Catharine’s Monastery.
Solomon pointed to a modern development at the valley's far end as the monastery came into view. The Egyptian government has been building modern hotels and a presidential villa here. They look as if an alien spaceship had landed in the ancient valley. This also explains why the government spent millions constructing a sparkling new expressway through the interior of Sinai. Naturally, the local Bedouins are worried about how this might transform the unique characters of this historical landscape.
