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Climb Mount Sinai by night with a Bedouin guide, watch sunrise from the summit, and visit St. Catherine's Monastery on tours departing from Sharm El Sheikh, Dahab, and Cairo. Options range from a 12-hour overnight hike to a 48-hour private trip, with prices starting at $27.
Free Cancellation 16-hour overnight trip from Sharm El Sheikh: climb Mount Sinai for sunrise, then tour St Catherine's Monastery.
Free Cancellation Night climb of Mount Sinai for sunrise, then 2 hours at St. Catherine's Monastery, from Sharm El-Sheikh.
Free Cancellation 17-hour trip from Sharm El Sheikh: night climb up Mount Sinai for sunrise, then a 2-hour visit to St. Catherine's Monastery.
Free Cancellation Night climb of Mount Sinai from Sharm El Sheikh for sunrise, then a visit to St. Catherine Monastery.
Free Cancellation 15-hour overnight trip from Sharm el Sheikh: guided night climb of Mount Sinai for sunrise, then St Catherine Monastery.
Overnight climb of Mount Sinai for sunrise from Dahab, followed by a 2-hour visit to St. Catherine's Monastery. 12h.
Free Cancellation Night climb of Mount Sinai with a Bedouin guide, monastery visit, and two-way transfer with a rest stop in Dahab.
Free Cancellation Overnight coach from Sharm to climb Mount Sinai for sunrise, then visit St Catherine's Monastery before returning.
Free Cancellation 48-hour trip from Cairo: overnight in St. Catherine, guided night ascent of Mount Sinai, monastery visit, all meals included.
Free Cancellation Overnight trip from Sharm El Sheikh: 3-hour hike up Mount Sinai for sunrise, then St Catherine Monastery, back by morning. 16 hours total.
Read what travelers share about their experience visiting Mount Sinai — from practical tips to personal highlights.
Nearly every tour here runs the same script: pickup from your hotel in Sharm el-Sheikh or Dahab around 8:30 PM or 11 PM, a two-to-three-hour drive through military checkpoints, then a night climb with a Jabaliya Bedouin guide to the 2,285 m summit for sunrise. You're back down by mid-morning, in time for Saint Catherine's Monastery before it closes at noon. It's a long, cold, occasionally gruelling night — and the sunrise over the granite massif pays for it.
You start walking between 1 and 2 AM and reach the top by 4-5 AM, then wait in the dark near a small chapel and a 12th-century mosque. Around 6:00 AM the light comes up over Mount Catherine (2,629 m) and turns the whole Sinai range gold. Pilgrims have climbed for this view for roughly 1,700 years.
The Camel Path switchbacks are unlit, so you walk under a sky free of light pollution with a headlamp. Warm glows mark the Bedouin tea huts strung along the route, selling mint tea, coffee, chocolate and instant noodles. Moving keeps you warm; stopping is when the cold bites.
Camels stop at Elijah's Basin, leaving a steep stone stairway clamped between granite walls to the summit plateau. Pilgrims pass the Gate of Stephen and the Gate of the Law, two arches flanking the ancient Path of Moses. Allow 30-45 minutes for this last stretch.
At the foot of the mountain stands a fortress monastery built under Emperor Justinian I between 548 and 565 CE, operating continuously for over 1,400 years. Tours visit after the descent: shoes off in the basilica, the Burning Bush enclosure outside, and the Justinian walls against the rock. It holds some 3,500 manuscripts and 2,000 Byzantine icons.
Every climb is led by a guide from the Jabaliya tribe, who have guarded the mountain for centuries — hiring one is compulsory, checked at the visitor centre. Expect strong mint tea at rest stops, blankets for rent on cold nights, and camels for the lower stretch at about EGP 250.
Mount Sinai is only the region's eleventh-highest peak — at least ten neighbours top it, including Jebel Umm Shawmar at 2,588 m. The panorama, not the altitude, is the reward. On clear winter mornings you can see ridgeline after ridgeline running toward the Red Sea, 50 km away.
Almost every Mount Sinai tour is a guided overnight group trip built around sunrise — there's no audio-guide or casual drop-in option, and unguided hiking is banned. Here's what to sort out before you pay.
Options are group coach tours from Sharm el-Sheikh (14-18 hours, from about US$27-36), tours from Dahab (12 hours, around US$50), premium versions with park fees and drinks included (US$199), and a 48-hour private trip from Cairo with one night's accommodation in Saint Catherine (US$414). Everything runs at night. There is no daytime-only standard tour.
Book 2-4 weeks ahead in the peak months of March-May and October-November. Sharm tours depart several days a week with various operators, but seats on popular departures go first. Weekends and Egyptian public holidays draw big crowds — go midweek if you can.
Saint Catherine National Park fees are included in some tours (the US$78 and US$199 options) but excluded in others — the US$27 tour lists park entry as an exclusion, so check before booking. Monastery entry is free per most recent visitor reports, though some tours collect about €10 per person for the Saint Catherine visitor area. Budget EGP 500 per person to cover every scenario.
A locally licensed Bedouin guide from the Jabaliya tribe is required for every climb and verified at the visitor centre. If you arrive independently, the going rate is about EGP 800 (roughly US$16) as a flat fee per group at the entrance. Tour prices include this.
Most tours bundle the monastery visit after the descent — about 30 minutes to 2 hours depending on the operator. The monastery is a 15-minute walk from the trailhead. Mount Catherine, Egypt's highest peak at 2,629 m, sits 3-4 km away but isn't on standard tours; it needs a separate, tougher arrangement.
The round trip is 11.5 km with 700 m of climbing: 2.5-3 hours up the Camel Path, 2-3 hours down, plus waiting on the cold summit. Several tours state a high level of fitness is required, and pregnant travellers and people with spinal injuries or poor cardiovascular health are advised against it. Camels cover most of the lower route to Elijah's Basin for about EGP 250 if your legs give out.
The climb is not wheelchair accessible — both routes are steep stone paths and the final 750 steps must be climbed on foot. The monastery car park lies more than a quarter mile from the church along uneven cobbles, though security will let wheelchair-accessible vehicles drive closer if asked. The Cairo private tour lists wheelchair-accessible transport for the vehicle legs only.
Most tours offer a full refund if you cancel at least 24 hours before departure. The Dahab sunrise tour is the exception: all sales final, no refunds. The monastery can close at short notice amid the ongoing land dispute, so treat it as a bonus rather than your sole reason for booking.
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| Budget group tour from Sharm el-Sheikh | Group tour from Dahab | Premium guided tour (Memphis Tours) | Private overnight tour from Cairo | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Duration | 14-18 hours (8:30 PM pickup, back ~8 AM) | 12 hours (11 PM departure, climb starts 1 AM) | 15 hours (10:30 PM pickup) | 48 hours round trip |
| Price from | US$27-36 | US$50 | US$199 | US$414 |
| Best for | Package-holiday travellers in Sharm on a budget | Backpackers based in Dahab wanting the shortest drive | Travellers who want fees and logistics handled, no cash surprises | Cairo-based visitors and anyone wanting a bed instead of a bus seat |
| What's included | Hotel pickup, air-conditioned coach, Bedouin guide, monastery visit; park fees often excluded — one 4.8-rated option at US$27 includes water but not St. Catherine park entry | Hotel pickup anywhere in town, 2-hour transfer, Bedouin guide, St. Catherine National Park fees; cancellation is non-refundable | Bottled water and soft drinks on board, St. Catherine park entrance fees, all taxes, Bedouin guide, private air-conditioned vehicle; rated 4.8 from 47 reviews | Private vehicle, one night's accommodation in Saint Catherine, breakfast, lunch, dinner, Bedouin guide, hotel pickup in Cairo; passport copy required 2 days ahead |
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The mountain itself is open around the clock for guided climbs — there's no gate or closing time. Standard sunrise ascents start hiking between 1:00 and 2:00 AM to reach the summit by 4-5 AM, with sunrise around 6:00 AM.
Saint Catherine's Monastery keeps short hours: Monday-Thursday and Saturday, roughly 9:00 AM to 12:00 noon (some sources say 9:00-11:30 AM). It closes on Fridays, Sundays and major Greek Orthodox feast days, and can shut at short notice — check its status before you travel, as gates were closed for months during the 2025 land dispute.
From Sharm el-Sheikh (230 km, ~3 hours): guided tour minibuses are the standard and safest option, with hotel pickup from 8:00-8:30 PM and prices from €24 per person. Departures run several days a week depending on the operator.
From Dahab (130 km, ~2 hours): the shortest transfer of any departure point. Minibuses typically leave around 11 PM; tours cost €35-60, shared taxis €15-20 per person. Dahab's hostels and tour shops are the main booking hubs.
From Cairo (440 km): East Delta/Go Bus services run from Cairo Gateway (Turgoman) and Abbasseya stations in 7-9 hours (Cairo-Sharm 480 EGP, Cairo-Dahab 570 EGP), and overnight timings can line up with a night climb. A 48-hour private tour from Cairo with one night in Saint Catherine runs from US$414.
Self-drivers get free parking with 24-hour security at the visitor centre. Expect multiple military checkpoints en route — one 2024 visitor counted twelve — with mandatory passport checks each time.
March-May and October-November are the sweet spots: daytime temperatures of roughly 22-35°C, nights of 10-20°C, minimal rainfall and clear skies for sunrise.
December-February also works — crisp days of 15-25°C and the year's clearest skies — but summit temperatures sit at 0-5°C on night climbs, with occasional snow on the high peaks. Manageable with proper layers; miserable without.
June-August are punishing. Daytime temperatures hit 37-45°C at the base with zero rainfall, and climbs then require very early 10 PM starts. Heat exhaustion is the main risk of daytime attempts — carry at least two litres of water.
The summit trails are not wheelchair accessible — both routes are steep stone paths, and the final 750 steps must be climbed on foot. Standard tour operators list the excursion the same way.
The monastery is also difficult: the car park lies more than a quarter mile from the church along an uneven, centuries-old cobbled road. Security staff will permit wheelchair-accessible vehicles to drive directly alongside the monastery if the situation is explained to them. The 48-hour Cairo private tour lists wheelchair-accessible transport for the vehicle legs.
Older travellers: fit seniors regularly complete the climb via the gentle, well-graded Camel Path at 2.5-3 hours. A camel can carry you to Elijah's Hollow, leaving only the final 750 steps (30-45 minutes). Travellers 65+ should consult a doctor first and consider a private tour to set their own pace.
Children: kids around 8-10 can manage the night climb; children as young as 6 can do daytime ascents with frequent breaks. Families with young children should book private tours rather than crowded group departures.
Bedouin tea huts line the Camel Path and cluster at the summit rest areas, selling mint tea, coffee, chocolate and instant noodles at inflated mountain prices. On cold nights they rent blankets — worth it when the temperature drops toward freezing and you're standing still waiting for dawn.
At the visitor centre at the trailhead there's free parking with 24-hour security, a checkpoint where backpacks are inspected and guides verified, and where the compulsory Bedouin guide is hired (about EGP 800 flat per group). Carry your physical passport — a photo copy won't pass.
Dress code at the monastery: shoulders and knees covered for everyone — long trousers or a below-knee skirt, sleeved tops. Some sources advise women to carry a headscarf. Shoes come off before entering the basilica and at the Burning Bush. Guards enforce the code and can refuse entry.
On the mountain: dress for conditions, with warm layers, hat and gloves for night climbs even in summer. A locally licensed Jabaliya Bedouin guide is compulsory; unguided hiking is not permitted. Camels are not allowed on the final 750 steps.
Photography: no photos inside the basilica or the Icon Gallery, and no video or audio recording anywhere in the monastery — the courtyard and garden are generally fine, but ask the attending monk first. Never photograph monks or worshippers without permission, avoid flash, and stay discreet during sunrise prayers on the summit. Drones are prohibited across the site.
Litter: this is holy ground — pack out everything, including on the summit.
A guide is compulsory. A locally licensed Bedouin guide from the Jabaliya tribe is assigned and checked at the visitor centre before you start, and unguided hiking is not permitted. If you arrive independently, the guide costs about EGP 800 (roughly US$16) as a flat fee for your whole group; all organized tours include one. Multi-day trekking permits, including the 200 km Sinai Trail, are currently suspended, so the summit climb is the main permitted walk.
From Sharm el-Sheikh, hotel pickup runs 8:00-8:30 PM for the roughly 3-hour drive, and you start walking between 1:00 and 2:00 AM. From Dahab, minibuses leave around 11 PM and climbing starts at 1:00 AM. You reach the 2,285 m summit by 4-5 AM and wait for sunrise around 6:00 AM.
The round trip covers 11.5 km with 700 m of elevation gain and takes 3-4 hours total: 2.5-3 hours up the Camel Path (or about 2 hours up the steeper 3,750-step Steps of Repentance), 2-3 hours down, plus 30-60 minutes on the summit. The final 750 stone steps are the toughest part, and tired legs on the descent are where most people struggle. Several tours warn that a high level of fitness is required.
It varies by tour. The US$78 and US$199 Sharm tours include St. Catherine National Park fees, while the US$27 budget option excludes them. Monastery entry is free according to most recent visitor reports, though some tours collect about €10 per person for the Saint Catherine visitor area and a 2026 Egyptian fee list prices the monastery at EGP 200 (US$4). Carry up to €10 or EGP 500 per person to be safe.
Partly. Camels carry riders or bags along the Camel Path as far as Elijah's Basin for about EGP 250 (some operators quote €20 each way). The final 750 stone steps to the summit must be climbed on foot — allow 30-45 minutes. Camels are a good option for older travellers or anyone whose legs give out on the lower switchbacks.
Yes, for this trip. The free 15-day entry stamp issued at Sharm el-Sheikh airport covers only Sharm, Dahab, Nuweiba and Taba — Saint Catherine lies outside that zone, and you can be refused at the checkpoints en route. Buy a full Egyptian visa (US$30 on arrival in cash, or US$36 via the digital system) at the kiosk before immigration. Carry your physical passport on the climb; copies don't pass the checks.
In December-February the summit sits at 0-5°C on night climbs, even when the base is a mild 15-20°C during the day. Summer nights run roughly 20-25°C, but cold snaps bite whenever you stop moving. Pack layers, a hat, gloves and a windproof jacket year-round, and rent a blanket from Bedouin vendors at the summit rest areas if you underpacked.
The southern Sinai sites, including Saint Catherine and Mount Sinai, sit outside the do-not-travel zone covering North Sinai, and the US State Department confirms its embassy staff are cleared to visit the mountain and monastery. Expect plenty of routine military checkpoints on the drive — one visitor counted twelve — and travel with a licensed tour rather than independently. Don't photograph the checkpoints.
Children around 8-10 years old can manage the night climb, and kids as young as 6 can do daytime ascents with frequent breaks. Camels can carry younger children along the Camel Path to Elijah's Basin, but the final 750 steep stone steps demand close adult supervision. Families with young children should book a private tour to set their own pace and avoid crowded group departures.
The monastery is only open Monday-Thursday and Saturday, roughly 9:00 AM to noon, closing on Fridays, Sundays and Greek Orthodox feast days — and it can shut at short notice, as it did for months during the 2025 land-ownership dispute, with a final legal settlement still pending. Most tours include only 30 minutes to 2 hours there anyway. Check the opening status before you travel and treat the monastery as a bonus on top of the sunrise climb.
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This is a 16-hour bus trip that starts with late-evening pickup from your hotel in Sharm El Sheikh. You ride overnight to the mountain and begin the climb at 02:00 am — a 3-hour ascent of 2,285 m with a local guide, following the long path up to the final 700 steps to the summit, timed for the sunrise view. After descending, your guide meets you at the monastery gate for a tour of St Catherine's: the Transfiguration Church, the Burning Bush, and the Well of Moses. A qualified Egyptologist guide leads the monastery portion, with tours in Russian or English. Round-trip transfers, hotel pickup and drop-off, transport, St Catherine National Park fees, and both guides are included. Gratuities are not. Cancel at least 24 hours before departure for a full refund.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Russian, English
This is the classic overnight schedule: hotel pickup in Sharm El-Sheikh at 20:00, roughly 3 hours by air-conditioned coach to the mountain, and a night ascent of about 750 steps taking around 4 hours to reach the 2,285-metre summit in time for sunrise. Descent to the monastery takes 2-3 hours, then you get about 2 hours inside on a guided tour. You're back at your hotel around 13:00 — a 14-hour day in total. At the monastery the guide covers the 11th-century mosque inside the walls, the Greek Orthodox church with the reliquary of Saint Catherine, and the holy valley beside it, the spot where Moses was told to remove his sandals. A professional guide accompanies you throughout, speaking Arabic, English, Russian, or Italian. Entrance permissions and vehicle air conditioning are included; gratuities are not. Pickup is from your hotel's main gate, not the reception gate, and the exact time depends on where your hotel sits in Sharm El-Sheikh. The operator confirms your room number at pickup to avoid name mix-ups. Cancel at least 24 hours before departure for a full refund.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Arabic, Russian, English, Italian
The day starts with a late-evening pickup from your Sharm El Sheikh hotel and a coach transfer to Mount Sinai, where you begin the nighttime climb with a Bedouin guide. The ascent covers roughly 750 steps to reach the summit before sunrise. After descending, you spend about 2 hours at the UNESCO-listed St. Catherine's Monastery, including the Holy Valley, before the coach returns you to your hotel around 1:00 PM. Pickup and drop-off are included from any hotel or location within Sharm El Sheikh; you'll get the exact pickup time once you provide your hotel name. The tour includes a guide, the Bedouin summit guide, air-conditioned transport, and a bottle of water per person. Entrance to St. Catherine National Park is not included. Guides work in Arabic, Russian, English, and Italian. Cancel at least 24 hours before departure for a full refund.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Arabic, Russian, English, Italian
A Memphis Tours rep picks you up from your Sharm El Sheikh hotel at 10:30 pm for the roughly 3-hour drive to St. Catherine, in an air-conditioned vehicle with bottled water and soft drinks on board. A Bedouin guide leads the climb up Mount Sinai in the dark, timed so you reach the top for sunrise. Total tour time is about 15 hours. After sunrise you descend and visit St. Catherine's Monastery. Entrance fees to St. Catherine National Park are included, along with all transfers, taxes, service charges, and hotel pickup and drop-off in Sharm. Guiding is in English. Cancel at least 24 hours before departure for a full refund.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
English
The day runs backwards: you're picked up from your Sharm el Sheikh hotel in the late evening and driven by air-conditioned bus toward Mount Sinai. Around 02:00 you start the climb — roughly three hours up 2,285 m, first on the long camel path, then the final 700 steps to the summit — with a Bedouin guide leading the way. Sunrise from the top, then back down. Descent takes you straight to the monastery gate, where an Egyptologist guide takes over for about three hours. You visit the Transfiguration Church, the Burning Bush, and the Well of Moses before the return transfer. Total duration is around 15 hours. Included are the Bedouin climbing guide, the Egyptologist, hotel pickup and drop-off (free for Sharm hotels), and both site visits. Not included: the Mount Sinai area entrance fee of 10 EUR per person, and the optional camel ride for part of the climb. Guides speak English, Russian, or Italian — say which you need when booking. Pickup time is confirmed via WhatsApp beforehand; you'll need to give your hotel name and room number so security lets the driver in. Cancel at least 24 hours ahead for a full refund.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Russian, English, Italian
The tour leaves Dahab at 23:00, with hotel pickup from anywhere in town and a 2-hour drive to the mountain in an air-conditioned vehicle. Climbing starts at 01:00 with a Bedouin guide, in the dark, and there's time to watch the stars while waiting for dawn at the summit. Altogether you get about 7 hours on the mountain. After sunrise, the group descends to St. Catherine's Monastery for a 2-hour visit — a monastery built around the site of the Burning Bush. Guiding is in English. Included are the Bedouin climbing guide, entrance fees to St. Catherine National Park, and hotel pickup and drop-off. Note the cancellation terms: all sales are final, no refunds.
All sales are final. No refund is available for cancellations.
English
This tour runs as a night climb with a Bedouin guide who takes you up Mount Sinai, followed by a 30-minute visit to St Catherine's Monastery after you come back down. The two-way transfer totals about 8 hours, so the schedule includes a 30-minute rest stop in Dahab city along the route. Wear comfortable shoes for the ascent; flashlights for the night climb are provided. There's also a stop in St Catherine where you can buy holy icons. A guide accompanies you for the whole trip, in Russian, English, or Italian, and vehicles have air conditioning. Pickup is from in front of the hotel's main gate — wait there for the guide. Cancellation is free up to 24 hours before departure; after that, no refund.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Russian, English, Italian
The tour leaves your Sharm El Sheikh hotel at 8:30 PM and covers everything in one long outing — about 18 hours door to door. A four-hour air-conditioned coach ride takes you to the base of Mount Sinai, where a Bedouin guide leads the roughly five-hour night climb to the 2,285-metre summit for sunrise. Afterward you descend for two to three hours to St Catherine's Monastery, where you get about 30 minutes inside — the 11th-century mosque, the Greek Orthodox church, and Saint Catherine's remains — before the four-hour drive back, arriving around 2 PM. Pickup is from your hotel's main gate, not the reception gate, and the operator confirms your room number at booking to avoid mix-ups. Bring your passport and a copy. A professional guide travels with the group in Arabic, Russian, English, or Italian, and a separate Bedouin guide accompanies the climb. Air conditioning and guiding are included; gratuities are not. Cancel at least 24 hours before departure for a full refund. Expect a short night's sleep — most of it is spent on a bus or on the trail.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Arabic, Russian, English, Italian
This is a 48-hour round trip from Cairo with a private air-conditioned vehicle and one night's accommodation in St. Catherine. Pickup is from your Cairo hotel, both directions. You'll need to send a copy of your passport to the local operator at least two days before departure. The drive out takes most of the day, arriving in St. Catherine in the afternoon. You wake before dawn and climb Mount Sinai in the dark with a Bedouin guide, timed for sunrise at the summit. After descending, the tour visits St. Catherine's Monastery, built around the site of the Burning Bush, before breakfast and the drive back to Cairo. Lunch, dinner, and breakfast are included, along with all taxes and service charges. Guides are available in Arabic, German, Chinese (Taiwan), Russian, and Portuguese. Cancel at least 24 hours before departure for a full refund.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Arabic, German, Chinese (Taiwan), Russian, Portuguese, Greek, Japanese, English, Italian, French, Spanish
This tour leaves Sharm El Sheikh late at night and puts you on Mount Sinai's summit for sunrise. The drive covers roughly 230 km — about 3 hours — from your hotel to the trailhead, where a Bedouin guide meets you for the climb. The ascent takes around 3 hours on foot with the Bedouin guide, plus time at the top for the sunrise. Afterward you descend and spend about an hour at Saint Catherine Monastery, the Greek Orthodox monastery at the foot of the mountain, before the drive back to Sharm El Sheikh. Total tour length is 16 hours. Hotel pickup and drop-off in Sharm El Sheikh are included, along with the Bedouin guide on the mountain. You'll need to contact Deluxe Travel Egypt ([email protected], +20 122 141 8581) to confirm your exact pickup time. Cancel at least 24 hours before departure for a full refund.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.