The White and Colored Canyon of Siani

Brian and I were exhausted after our sunrise Mount Sinai hike and visit to Saint Catherine Monastery. We were happy to head to Dahab, a coastal town known for its oceanfront promenade and relaxed pace of life. While Sharm El-Sheikh may be the favored destination for most visitors, Dahab seemed to be a better fit for us. To treat ourselves, we booked a three-night “all-inclusive” stay at the now-defunct Le Méridien Dahab Resort for an unbelievable nightly rate of 60 USD. It was our time to relax and have a vacation away from vacation. After a hectic few days of traveling, we were ready to take a break from ancient Egypt and biblical history.

When we arrived at Dahab, we were immediately mesmerized by the beauty of the Gulf of Aqaba. Unfortunately, the “fancy" resort was a major disappointment. Despite being a Marriot property, the resort seemed to be on its last breath. The property was severely understaffed, and it was clear that nobody cared about their jobs. After our first meal on the property, we decided to forgo this “all-inclusive” package we signed up for and had our meals off the property. It did not surprise me when I learned last week that the property had been sold off by Marriott and rebranded as Retac Qunay Dahab Resort since our visit.

Luckily, I did not plan to spend three days lounging around the resort. I learned one of the most popular activities in this part of Sinai is canyoning. Brian and I were not particularly outdoorsy travelers. But ever since we had such a good time exploring many wadis in Oman a few years back, we have been itching to take a guided canyoning tour in the Middle East. Through my research online, I found the contact information for a local tour guide with stellar reviews. Tarek is based in Dahab and does guided tours to various canyons in South Sinai.

I arranged a private trip with him to White Canyon and Colored Canyon. The full-day guided excursion cost €180 for the two of us. This was the most expensive day excursion we ever took. Considering the relatively low cost of living in Egypt, the price was astronomical, and I couldn’t help wondering whether it would be worthwhile. A quick search online shows you could find group tours from Sharm El-Shiek covering Blue Hole, central Dahab, and Colored Canyon, all for as little as 50 USD per person. However, the reviews are awful. Many tour operators take visitors to the “small” Colored Canyon because the real one is quite difficult. I suppose that you get what you pay for!

White Canyon

We met our guide and driver outside the resort's entrance gate at nine o'clock. The Toyota Land Cruiser they showed up in was so beat up that I couldn’t help wondering whether it was a legitimate operation, especially considering the cost of the tour. Our guide was Tarek's 19-year-old younger brother, Mohamed, who spoke very little English. However, our driver spoke impeccable English and was a veteran of the tourism trade. Before heading out of town, we stopped at the local police station to pick up our travel permission for the day. He explained that the permit could be arranged with local police or the Egyptian military. The locals prefer not to deal with the military.

After obtaining travel permission, we were off to White Canyon. Along the way, we passed the same military checkpoints we went through yesterday from Saint Catherine. It was apparent that they all knew each other. I got a sense that everybody involved was exhausted by the appearance of the security. It is not difficult to imagine how frustrating it would be to deal with a permit to travel to the next town ahead of time. The rules for travel permits are ever-changing and create major bottlenecks at major highway interchanges. Primarily, these regulations govern the transit of foreign nationals through Sinai, but some roads suddenly became inaccessible overnight after security assessments.

The white desert appeared right after we turned left onto the cross-Sinai expressway. As its name suggests, the limestone cliffs create a wonderfully powder-white sand desert. The wintery landscape in Sinai may not be as famous as the White Desert west of the Niles, but it is certainly more accessible. Despite White Canyon’s reputation, the access road to the trailhead was an off-road dirt track and was not signposted. Even if independent travelers could secure the necessary permits, finding their way in the desert would not be easy.

Overall, it took us forty minutes to reach the canyon's rim. The hike started with abseiling down the limestone cliff face. Given Brian’s intense acrophobia, I was worried he would abort the entire tour before we even began. This was our first try at abseiling, and it was a lot more fun than I imagined. The limestone cliff is ideal for first-timers like ourselves because of its softness and malleability. Over the years, the stone has been imprinted with the footsteps of the climbers. It makes the abseiling a whole lot easier.

The first section of the canyon was narrow and required some physical dexterity to get through. It quickly became apparent that I should not have brought my messenger bag on this trek. It took no time for it to get all kinds of scuff marks. Mohamed offered to carry the bag shortly afterward; I was pretty embarrassed. Just as we were getting in the groove of jumping through the massive boulders, the valley opened up, and the path opened up. The valley floor is filled with fine powder sands, which you would find in Yucatán or Maldives. I was tempted to take off my shoes and walk barefoot.

By this time, the cloud had lifted, and we were blessed with a crisp blue sky. The limestone cliff appeared particularly striking and jagged. Objectively speaking, the cliffs of White Canyon were not particularly tall, but they were highly formidable looking. Because of the softness of limestone, one could easily flake off big chunks of it or make graffiti with bare hands. It was fun to see the date of some of the graffiti. The oldest graffiti I could find was from 1977, well before all three of us were born. One section of the cliff walls has numerous hand prints from past visitors. We can't help making one for ourselves.

This whole experience was extra special because we saw no other groups during our visit. It felt wrong for us to have this beautiful place just for ourselves. While it was awesome, one can’t help feeling how the perpetual conflicts in this corner of the world hamper Egypt’s tourism potential and the economic opportunities of the local Bedouin tribes. Based on our conversations with Mohamed, the job opportunities here are scarce. Most jobs in tourist sectors often go to Arabic Egyprtians or English-speaking expats. While I like to complain about the high cost of the tour, it is nevertheless the best form of wealth transfer between the rich and the developing world.

I found these patterns very modern and elegant.

Among all the little spots Mohamed pointed out along the way, my favorite is the maroon-colored patterns on the side of the trail. These naturally occurring patterns are surprisingly modern and reminded me of a specific pattern from the Finnish fashion house Marimekko. I only wish I had enough artistic talent to create my custom print. The ochre color pigments came from the hematite, the main ingredient of rust. It was the earliest pigment used by humans. To pay tribute to red ochre, we joined many other visitors by making handprints on the wall. In retrospect, I wonder if this would be a form of vandalism.

One thing that jumped out to me was how still the environment was. The deep ravine is sheltered from the noise and movement of wind. This would have been a wonderful picnic or epic wedding place. Imagine walking down the white sand valley to say, “I do.” After about thirty minutes, there was a short but steep ascend to the rock shelves. We could see how water had carved into the rock from the top. It was a wonderful reminder of the power of geological time and the shifting climate. I also can’t help but think about whether the wandering Israelites or the holy family passed through this same valley a few thousand years ago.

The upper rock shelves led us out of the canyon.

From there, it was a gradual descent into a vast valley. Mohamed pointed out a green oasis adorned with a tall radio mast in the distance. Named Ein Khudra Oasis, this place seems like a perfect endpoint for a canyon walk. It turned out that this was a Bedouin village where Mohamed grew up. Compared to most Bedouin camps you would see in most guided tours, this one felt very authentic and lived in. We were invited for Bedouin tea before setting off toward the Colored Canyon. Given how much we enjoyed the White Canyon, I could hardly believe this was only a prelude to the day's main event.

It was quite a long ride ahead of us. Just ten minutes in, we made a quick roadside stop to visit the Mushroom Rock. As its name implies, this naturally occurring rock formation looks like a mushroom, perhaps a giant piece of chanterelles. I have seen plenty of mushroom rocks during my days. In Taiwan, we have many famous mushroom rocks in Yehliu Promontory. But none is as beautiful as this one in Sinai. It was a wonderful roadside attraction, I must say.

Colored Canyon

From Mushroom Rock, it was a solid hour-long drive to the Colored Canyon. The main reason this excursion was so expensive was due to Sinai’s security situation. Just a few months ago, a couple of missiles landed in the nearby Nuweiba and Taba. It was not clear whether the “projectiles” landed there were from Hamas or the Israeli side. But even before this recent conflict, there were also sporadic terrorist attacks in the border regions with Israel and Gaza. Because Sinai has been under military occupation for decades, road closure and military are facts of life. Until a few years ago, driving to Colored Canyon from Dahab would take only forty minutes. Nowadays, it takes almost two hours to get here.

As beautiful as the scenery along the way was, we were ready to go hiking again. Eventually, we arrived at the rim of a magnificent canyon. Right by the trailhead was an impressive, abandoned building. It used to be a retreat center built during the Israeli occupation. Considering the physical isolation of this spot and the current security situation, it was wild that this place used to be filled with yoga-loving hippies just a few decades ago. I thought it thought-provoking to think about how quickly the geopolitical situation shifted.

The canyon did not look all that colorful at this time of day. Despite the vast landscape expanse, there were no other people in sight. Even if we could travel here independently, having a professional guide for peace of mind would be preferable. This felt like a place where you would not like to get lost or run out of the provisions. It was a steep descent from the canyon's rim to the valley floor. We were exhausted by this point and wondered how physically taxing this trek would be. And just like the White Canyon, the valley floor is also filled with soft white sand and is a pleasure to walk through.

The initial approach toward the first slot canyon.

It was about a ten-minute trek before we entered the first slot canyon. Although this is not the narrowest slot canyon, this section was considerably narrower and several times taller than the White Canyon. Although the imposing canyon walls are impressive, sunlight only briefly reaches the valley’s floor daily, making photography more challenging. I must say this is the curse of being a travel blogger. My desire for good photography sometimes hinders enjoying the experience during my travels. I must either learn to use my mirrorless camera more effectively or put it away altogether.

The canyon walls are steep and imbued with a purplish-orange color and beautiful patterns. As we edged forward, the rock's marbling became more distinct. Bit by bit, the walls' colors changed from limestone to ruby red. The bright blue sky above and the solar reflection create a canyon full of swirling colors. It was definitely unlike any other canyon that I had ever visited. The twists and turns of the slot canyon mean we couldn’t quite see the path forward. It added a sense of mystery. I intentionally stayed a few feet behind Mohamed and Brian. It was as if I had this whole canyon all to myself.

A brief reprieve between two sets of slot canyons.

The first set of this slot canyon was relatively brief. After a short reprieve, we entered the second slot canyon, the grander of the two. Many are quick to compare it to Antelope Canyon in Arizona. While such a comparison is understandable, it is pretty inaccurate. The twists and turns of the valley are less complex here, and the swirling pattern of the rock is also less subdued. Many unscrupulous tour operators advertise the tour of Colored Canyon with a picture of Antelope Canyon. Many operators even took visitors to Salama Canyon, known as the “Small Colored Canyon,” instead of the real deal. I booked the specific excursion with Tarek because he is one of the few honest operators who bring visitors to the OG of Colored Canyon.

Some sections of Color Canyon could get exceedingly narrow. We had to leap down at some places, which could be tricky. One part required us to do a “spider move” to scale the wall. It was so much fun without physically taxing. In retrospect, we should have hiked through it more slowly. It seemed like we covered a quarter-mile trek in an instant. Fortunately, I took my time to look up for a sliver of blue sky above once in a while. One must wonder whether the sunlight might reach the canyon floor at least once daily. That would have been a magical experience.

Exiting the slot canyon, we noticed water pooling on the valley floor. That was a great reminder of the danger of venturing into slot canyons without professional guides. Although rain is relatively rare in the Sinai Peninsula, there is some rainfall in the winter months. This was perhaps the real reason one should not attempt canyoning without a professional guide. A rainstorm could quickly turn the canyon into an instant dead trap. Since Mohamed made this trek daily, he is well qualified to read the local weather patterns.

Overall, this was another pleasant and easy hike. It was a twenty-minute walk from the slot canyon on the valley floor to the canyon's edge. The climb out of the canyon was steep but quick. It took us less than ninety minutes to trek the circuit. However, Mohamed told us he recently guided an Indian family through here, and it took them more than five hours to cover this distance. I could imagine how stressful that might be as the sun began to set lower into the horizon.

It took us an hour and half to complete the Colored Canyon trek.

Back in the jeep, we felt content with our action-packed day. Even though this was our most expensive day in Egypt, the White and Colored Canyon were well worth the time and effort. Although Mohamed was not a particularly effective communicator, he was adorable and gentle. Anyone interested in this excursion should contact Tarek on Whatsapp at +20 127 301 2274. I found Tarek to be very responsive and detail-oriented. We were delighted with his service and went on to have him arrange our private transport to Sharm el-Sheikh.

Ein Khudra Oasis

After our trek, we took another 75-minute drive back to the Bedouin village we visited earlier. We were back for lunch! Per Egyptian custom, lunch is the biggest meal of the day and is often taken in the late afternoon. As a result, we didn’t get to have lunch until just before sunset and were starving. The vegetarian lunch was served in a traditional setting and was very flavorful. We can’t say we particularly enjoy Egyptian cuisine, but this simple meal turned out to be one of the more memorable meals we had in the country. It was several time better than the food served at the resort.

As we arrived at the village, we met a group of German tourists just about to start their hike through White Canyon. A couple told us they camped at this village two decades ago. It was too bad they were in a hurry, and I couldn’t ask them how this tiny village had changed since their last visit. One thing that jumped out to me about this little village was how women and men remained separated. Indeed, it was rare to see Egyptian women working, even in hostpiality industry. I never expected Egypt to be more socailly conservative than Morocco.

Could this be where Miriam contracted the leprosy?

As expect, the center of the community is a large freshwater pool fed by the mountain spring. The name Ein Khudra Oasis means the “Place of plants” in Arabic. This spot has been inhabited since the Roman times and a popular stopover point for pilgrims traversing between Saint Catherine and Jerusalem. The oasis also holds biblical significance as the place where Miriam, Moses’s older sister, contracted the leprosy. According to Book of Exodus, the Miriam and Aaron criticized their brothers for marrying an “unknown” woman from a faraway place. This angered God and decided to turn her skin white for not acknowledging Moses’s prophetic supremacy. She was only cured once Moses interfered on her behalf. Honestly, biblical stories never ceased to amaze me for the cruelty in the Old Testament.

Beside from its historical significance, Ein Khudra Oasis is also note worthy for its beauty and biological diversity. I could see why this would be a popular campground for foreign visitors. In the spirit of generations of pilgrims, the local families also organize multi-day camel trip through the center of Sinai. Lucky for us, we got to enjoy the creature comfort of a modern resort after a long but rewarding day out.

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The White and Colored Canyon of Siani

White Canyon

Colored Canyon

Ein Khudra Oasis

Misery at The Blue Hole of Sinai

Rendezvous In Anjou