Climbing Mount Sinai in Egypt is a night hike of about 11.5 km return to the 2,285-metre summit of Jebel Musa, starting beside St. Catherine's Monastery in the granite mountains of South Sinai. Most climbers set off around 2 am to reach the top for sunrise, take two to three hours to go up at a group pace, and must walk with a Bedouin guide from the local Jabaliya tribe. Average fitness is enough; the hardest part is the final 750 stone steps in the dark and the cold wait at the top.
This guide explains both routes, the timeline of a typical night climb, transfers from Sharm El Sheikh, Dahab and Cairo, what to wear for a summit that can drop below freezing, and how to fit in the monastery's short morning opening hours afterwards.
Why people climb Mount Sinai: history and meaning
Jebel Musa, the Mountain of Moses, is honoured by Jews, Christians and Muslims as the place where Moses received the Ten Commandments. Pilgrims have walked up it for well over a thousand years.
At its foot stands St. Catherine's Monastery, built under the Byzantine emperor Justinian between about 548 and 565 and described as the oldest continuously inhabited Christian monastery in the world. The monastery, the mountain and the surrounding area were inscribed together on the UNESCO World Heritage list as the Saint Catherine Area in 2002. On the summit you find a small Greek Orthodox chapel of the Holy Trinity, rebuilt in the 1930s on the ruins of much older churches, and a small mosque just to the west. Both are usually closed to visitors, but they frame the sunrise view. For hikers without a religious connection, the draw is the view itself: range after range of bare red granite catching the first light.
Mount Sinai routes: Camel Path vs Steps of Repentance
Two routes lead up. The Camel Path is longer and gentler and is the one used at night; the Steps of Repentance are shorter, steeper and best walked in daylight. Both meet at Elijah's Basin, 750 steps below the summit.
Mount Sinai routes, head to head
| Camel Path (Sikket El Bashait) | Steps of Repentance (Siket Sayidna Musa) | |
|---|---|---|
| Character | wide, zigzagging track at a steady gradient | about 3,750 stone steps up a steep gully |
| Best used | going up in the dark | coming down after sunrise |
| Camels | available for most of the way | no |
| Services | Bedouin tea huts selling drinks, snacks, blanket hire | very few |
| Final section | the last 750 steps to the summit on foot | joins the same final steps at Elijah's Basin |
| Watch out for | camel traffic and dung in the dark | knee strain, loose steps; access has at times been restricted |
Whichever way you climb, both routes end at the same summit of Jebel Musa, 2,285 metres up. The small Greek Orthodox chapel there was built in 1934 on the ruins of a 16th-century church and stays locked to visitors, and a small mosque stands beside it, so at sunrise people gather on the rocks and terraces around the two buildings.
The Mount Sinai climb, stage by stage
The Mount Sinai climb has four stages: the Camel Path or the steeper Steps of Repentance from St. Catherine’s Monastery, Elijah’s Basin about two hours up on foot, the final 750 steps, and the summit at sunrise. First-time night climbers should take the Camel Path, carry 1.5 litres of water and follow the guide’s pace.
The Camel Path from the monastery
The trail starts behind St. Catherine's Monastery and climbs in long switchbacks. In the dark it is easy to follow: you join a long line of head torches, and your guide sets a steady pace with stops at tea huts every half hour or so.
Camel handlers wait at the start and along the lower path. Riding saves effort on most of the climb, but camels do not go beyond Elijah's Basin, and walking down by camel in the dark is uncomfortable, so most riders walk the descent. On foot, allow about two hours to Elijah's Basin and carry 1.5 litres of water. For a first climb at night, this is the route to take.
The Steps of Repentance
From a start near the southeastern corner of the monastery, the Steps climb almost straight up a gully, cut, according to tradition, by a monk as an act of penance. They save distance but punish knees and are dangerous in the dark.
The popular plan is up by the Camel Path at night and down by the Steps after sunrise, when you can see your footing and the views into the valleys. Access to the Steps has been restricted at times, so ask your guide on the night whether the route is open. The descent takes about one and a half to two hours on steep, uneven steps, in daylight only, and suits strong walkers with good knees.
Elijah's Basin and the final 750 steps
Just below the summit lies Elijah's Basin, a small hollow with an ancient cypress tree and a chapel dedicated to the prophet Elijah. Everyone, including camel riders, walks from here.
The final 750 steps are irregular rock and the hardest part of the climb. Hands are useful on a few sections, which is why a head torch is better than a phone light. Take it slowly; the summit is not going anywhere and sunrise is easy to time from here, with 30 to 45 minutes to the top. Put on warm layers before you stop sweating.
The summit and sunrise
At the top you wait in the wind, often for up to an hour, as the sky turns from black to red to gold over the surrounding peaks. Mattresses and blankets can be rented near the summit, and a few kiosks sell hot drinks.
On busy nights, hundreds of people share the summit. For a quieter experience, find a ledge just below the chapel, or choose a sunset climb in the afternoon. Photographers should face east, over the granite ranges, and in winter expect the temperature to drop below freezing.
Night climb timeline: a typical sunrise tour
A typical Mount Sinai sunrise tour picks you up in Dahab or Sharm El Sheikh at 22:00 to 23:00, starts climbing from St. Catherine around 02:00, reaches the summit for sunrise between 05:00 and 06:30, descends by 08:30, and visits St. Catherine’s Monastery during its short morning opening before returning around midday.
Sunrise climb from Dahab or Sharm El Sheikh
- 22:00–23:00, Pickup in Dahab or Sharm: Tour minibuses leave late in the evening. Expect police checkpoints; keep your passport handy.
- 01:00–02:00, Arrive at St. Catherine: Meet your Bedouin guide at the trailhead, use the toilets and start up the Camel Path.
- 02:00–04:30, Climb to Elijah's Basin and the summit: Steady walking with tea-hut stops, then the final 750 steps.
- 05:00–06:30, Sunrise at the top: Exact time depends on the season. Stay warm with layers and a rented blanket.
- 06:30–08:30, Descend: Back down the Camel Path, or the Steps of Repentance if open and your knees allow.
- 09:00–11:00, Monastery visit, then return: Visit St. Catherine's during its short morning opening, then drive back, arriving around midday.
Sleeping in St. Catherine village, at about 1,600 metres, removes the late-night drive from the coast. You can rest until after midnight, meet the guide at the trailhead and still reach the top for sunrise, since the Camel Path takes about two and a half hours on foot. It also leaves you fresher for the monastery visit later in the morning, before its doors close around midday.
Best time to climb Mount Sinai
Spring (March to May) and autumn (September to November) give the most comfortable climbing and mild summit mornings. Summer nights are warm on the trail, but the valley gets very hot by mid-morning. From December to February the summit can fall below freezing, and snow occasionally dusts the top, so pack winter layers even if the coast feels warm.
Sunrise is the classic and busiest option. A sunset climb, starting in mid-afternoon, avoids the crowds and lets you see the route on the way up, but you descend in the dark, so a head torch is still essential.
Before you climb: Some governments advise against travel to North Sinai and parts of the peninsula's interior. St. Catherine sits in South Sinai, which is visited every day by tour groups from Sharm El Sheikh and Dahab. Read your own government's current advice before booking.
The most common injuries on the mountain are twisted ankles on the final steps and cold exposure at the summit. Walk with a head torch, wear boots with grip and carry a warm jacket.
Carry your passport on the drive: there are police checkpoints on the roads into St. Catherine.
What to bring for the Mount Sinai hike
For the Mount Sinai hike, bring a fleece, windproof jacket, hat and gloves even in spring and autumn, a head torch with spare batteries, trail shoes with grip, at least 1.5 litres of water, small Egyptian pounds for tea, blankets and tips, and your passport for road checkpoints. Plan for winter cold at the summit, whatever the desert below feels like.
- Warm layers. A fleece, a windproof jacket, a hat and gloves, even in spring and autumn. You sweat going up and freeze waiting for sunrise.
- Head torch. Keeps your hands free on the steep final steps. Bring spare batteries.
- Shoes with grip. Trail shoes or light boots. The granite steps are polished smooth in places.
- Water and snacks. At least 1.5 litres. Tea huts sell drinks and snacks, but prices rise as you climb.
- Small cash. Egyptian pounds for tea, blankets, camel rides and the customary tip for your guide.
- Passport. Needed at checkpoints on the road into St. Catherine.
Plan for winter cold. St. Catherine village sits at about 1,600 metres, where the average January low is 1.7°C and the record is minus 4°C, and the summit is almost 700 metres higher again. Snow falls on the high ground in some winters, mainly from December to February. Pack everything in a small daypack so your hands stay free on the steps, and put the head torch and gloves where you can reach them without unpacking.
How to get to Mount Sinai and St. Catherine
Most climbers join an organised night tour from Sharm El Sheikh or Dahab that includes transport, the guide and entry. Independent travellers can stay in St. Catherine village and hire a guide at the trailhead.
Getting to St. Catherine
| From | Distance | Drive | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dahab | about 130 km | about 2 hours | shortest transfer; relaxed base for diving afterwards |
| Sharm El Sheikh | about 200 km | 2.5 to 3 hours | largest choice of tours; international airport |
| Cairo | about 440 km | a long day | better to sleep a night in St. Catherine first |
Sharm El Sheikh airport gives the shortest overland transfer. International connections usually run via Cairo, Istanbul or the Gulf hubs; compare routes on our flights page.
Egypt's entry rules depend on your passport. Many nationalities can get a visa on arrival or apply online through Egypt's official e-visa portal, Visa2Egypt, while others must apply in advance at an Egyptian embassy or consulate. Our visa team can help with the paperwork. Dahab, about 130 km away, and Sharm El Sheikh, about 200 km, are the nearest bases.
Mount Sinai tour costs and permits: guide, camel and entry
Climbing Mount Sinai is cheap. The costs come in several small pieces, and most of them are paid in cash. The main items, current in October 2026:
What a Mount Sinai climb costs
| Item | How it works | Cost guide |
|---|---|---|
| Organised night tour from Sharm El Sheikh or Dahab | Return transport, Bedouin guide, entry and often breakfast | Group tours from around US$70 per person from Sharm; private tours cost more |
| Bedouin guide (if you arrange the climb yourself) | Compulsory for every group; hired at the trailhead in St Catherine | Agree the price before setting off |
| Protectorate entry | St Catherine Protectorate fee for foreign visitors, collected at the checkpoint or included in tours | Reported at around €10 per person; confirm locally |
| Camel ride | Optional, up the Camel Path as far as Elijah's Basin | Negotiated with the camel handler; pay at the end |
| Tea huts, blanket and mattress hire at the summit | Small kiosks along the path and at the top | A few Egyptian pounds to a few hundred, cash only |
| Guide tip | Customary at the end of the climb | Budget a tip per group in Egyptian pounds |
The monastery itself is a separate visit with its own short opening window (see below), and its rules are set by the monks. The protectorate has no say over them. There is no permit to apply for in advance as an individual visitor: the guide requirement and the police and protectorate checkpoints on the road are the controls. Carry your passport, because it is checked on the way to St Catherine, and take enough cash in small notes, since card payment is rare on the mountain.
Safety and current travel advice for South Sinai
Sinai is not one risk zone, and the advice differs by government and by area. The UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (advice updated 27 October 2026) advises against all travel to North Sinai and against all but essential travel to the northern part of South Sinai beyond the St Catherine to Nuweiba road, with the coastal resorts on the west and east of the peninsula excepted. St Catherine sits on that road, so check the FCDO's detailed map for the exact boundary before booking. The United States has long rated most of the Sinai Peninsula more severely than Sharm El Sheikh, which it treats as accessible by air, so American travellers should read the full State Department advisory for Egypt before planning the road trip from the coast.
In practice, the route from Sharm El Sheikh or Dahab to St Catherine runs through several police checkpoints. Independent travel is possible but more scrutinised than in mainland Egypt, and a taxi or private driver should be arranged through a hotel or a known operator. Travelling against your own government's advice can invalidate travel insurance, so read the policy wording if the area you are visiting is covered by a warning.
On the mountain itself, the main risks are ordinary hiking ones: cold at the summit, which can fall below freezing in winter, uneven steps in the dark, and dehydration on the descent once the sun is up. Stay with your guide on the way down, when groups spread out.
Visiting St. Catherine's Monastery after the climb
Most tours stop at the monastery on the way back. It opens to visitors for only a few hours in the morning, roughly 9 am to before noon, and is closed on Sundays and Orthodox holidays; Friday opening has varied, so confirm before you go.
The monastery became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2002, and its walls also enclose a small mosque, converted from a chapel and completed in 1106. Its best-known manuscript, the 4th-century Codex Sinaiticus, left in the 19th century and is now held by the British Library in London. Guinness World Records lists the library as the oldest continuously operating library, and only the Vatican holds a larger collection of early codices and manuscripts.
Inside the walls you can see the 6th-century basilica, the bush that tradition links to the Burning Bush and, when open, the museum with early icons and manuscripts. The monastery library holds one of the oldest collections of Christian manuscripts in the world. Dress modestly, with shoulders and knees covered. Plan the rest of your Egypt trip with our guide to places to visit in Egypt.
Add diving in Dahab, the pyramids and a Nile cruise to your Egypt itinerary. See Egypt tours
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