Mount Sinai Sunrise Climb from Sharm El Sheikh

This was an amazing experience. We booked the private tour. Tasneem handled our booking and also was very responsive to questions via WhatsApp. She also kept us updated to small changes in our pickup time as well as last minute reminders as the day of the tour arrived. We were picked up from our hotel in Sharm el Sheikh at 10:00pm after a change from the original schedule of 8:30pm. This was perfect as we arrived at Mt. Sinai ~1:00am which is about the time to start the climb. At the peak, we still had about an hour to relax before sunrise. We are in average shape and we did the climb without using camels; it was not very difficult other than some footing/irregular rocks to hike up in the dark that caution should be taken (i.e. bring a light source for when required) with. There is plenty of time to take short breaks at some of the Bedouin "cafes" on the way up. Carry some cash and you will be able to get coffee, tea, water, sodas, and snacks on the way up for reasonable prices versus carry a lot extra. Our Bedouin guide was Mohammed and he shared wonderful stories, good humor, and excellent history on the way up to help pass the hike and time. He did a good job monitoring for breaks and ensuring we knew what was next. At the top, you want to find your spot at 45-60 minutes before sunrise and everyone else starts coming up. Mohammed understood this and got us up among the first groups from the final "cafe" stop. We had a premium sitting spot looking directly toward the sunrise with a view of the valley below. At the top, you will see a Orthodox church (closed off) and a Mosque (open 24/7). Also, you will find the cave that Moses spent his time in. Going back down in sunlight provides plenty of photographic experiences. Do not worry as much about photos on the way up. At the bottom, you can tour St. Catherine's Monastery - the oldest continuously inhabited monastery in the world. Suggestions and Reminders: - Bring something warmer to wear as it is much cooler at the top (especially in the early morning), small bills for purchases, good footwear for irregular hiking surfaces, some water to start, and a light source. - Sunglasses will be necessary coming down as the sun is in your face a lot. - Wipes, paper, kleenex, and/or hand sanitizer are necessities. The toilets at the bottom are fine. As you go up, there will be toilets/outhouses at long intervals but there will be no self care products and you should not be throwing paper in the outhouses. Also, the condition of the outhouses is poor. Plan accordingly. You will need to use your hands a lot for support at times and will want to clean them up when snacking. - You do not need a high powered light. A few hikers brought these and they are distracting and blind others. Also, the night sky is amazing so far from city light sources. You will be the person ruining it for others. A smart phone light was plenty. You just need enough to see the immediate area in front of you. A hiking head band lamp on lower setting is also good. - We took a two hour nap in the mid afternoon. It did wonders. We were also able to sleep for a few hours on the three hour drive to Mt. Sinai. We were not that tired the next day and only had a short nap in the car going back. Plan your sleep to ensure a good experience.

Amazing experience. Guide and transport were excellent. Going up the mountain slowly and stopping for refreshments at the cute cafes, reaching the top just before sunrise was perfect. Coming down on a camel (Abdul Mo Salem Jennifer) was also fun! Praying, blowing the Shofar and seeing God meet with and heal people on top of Mount Sinai, as an ordained minister was awesome! Haleem and Jimmy (local guide) we’re great, kind and helpful.

Communication with the tour company was spotty at best. Now, I was having phone and WiFi issues but when I contacted them I told them of my concerns and told them how to contact me. I changed my origional date and by doing so, I had to pay an additional $22. I was given a pick up time and while I was waiting and they were 20 minutes late I received a email changing the time to an hour later and at the same time they notified me that St. Katherine’s Monastary would be closed. I can not express my disappointment. Had they notified me sooner I would have kept my original date. The tourtrek up the mountain was good and they did manage to get us on the monastery grounds to see a few sites but we were unable to go in and see the relics. The tour also said we’d stop for breakfast on the way home, which we did not. I am glad I went but I am very disappointed that I had to pay additional money and did not get the full excursion.