Mount Sinai & St Catherine Monastery Private Tour from Sharm El Sheikh
Overview
Deep in the granite mountains of central Sinai, at an elevation of over 2,200 metres, two of the most significant religious sites in the world stand side by side: Mount Sinai — traditionally identified as the mountain where Moses received the Ten Commandments, sacred to Judaism, Christianity, and Islam alike — and the Monastery of St Catherine, founded in the 6th century AD and continuously inhabited ever since, making it the oldest continuously operating Christian monastery in the world. Egypt For Travel's private tour from Sharm el-Sheikh combines a pre-dawn or daytime ascent of Mount Sinai with a full guided visit of the monastery, in a single demanding but profoundly rewarding day.
Mount Sinai
Most visitors choose to climb Mount Sinai before dawn, departing Sharm el-Sheikh in the middle of the night in order to reach the summit in time for sunrise — an experience that has drawn pilgrims and travellers for well over a thousand years. The ascent follows the Camel Path, a longer but more gradual route of approximately 7.5 kilometres each way, climbing steadily through the dark granite landscape with Bedouin tea stalls positioned at intervals along the way. The final stretch involves a steeper section of stone steps known locally as the Steps of Repentance, leading to the small chapel at the summit. From the top, as the sky lightens and the sun breaks over the surrounding mountain range, the view extends across an extraordinary landscape of bare granite peaks stretching in every direction, a sight that has moved religious pilgrims and secular travellers alike for centuries.
For travellers who prefer not to undertake a pre-dawn climb in darkness, a daytime ascent is also available, departing later in the morning and reaching the summit by mid-morning, missing the sunrise but offering daylight visibility throughout the climb and a more comfortable schedule for those who find very early starts difficult.
The Monastery of St Catherine
Following the descent from the mountain, the tour continues to the Monastery of St Catherine, built on the site traditionally identified as the location of the Burning Bush, where God is said to have spoken to Moses. Founded under the patronage of the Byzantine Emperor Justinian I in the 6th century AD, the monastery has functioned continuously for nearly 1,500 years, surviving waves of regional conflict and political change largely due to a tradition of protection said to have been granted by the Prophet Muhammad himself in a document known as the Ashtiname, a copy of which is preserved within the monastery.
The monastery complex includes the Church of the Transfiguration, its interior decorated with Byzantine mosaics of exceptional age and quality; a small chapel built around what is identified as the original site of the Burning Bush; and an extraordinary library and icon collection, considered second in significance only to the Vatican's own collection in terms of its preserved early Christian manuscripts and artwork, much of which is displayed in a dedicated on-site museum that visitors can access as part of the standard tour.
What no other guide tells you: St Catherine's Monastery holds the world's second-largest collection of early Christian manuscripts after the Vatican Library, including portions of the Codex Sinaiticus — one of the oldest surviving substantially complete manuscripts of the Christian Bible, dating to the 4th century AD. The bulk of the codex was controversially removed from the monastery in the 19th century by a German scholar and is now held primarily in the British Library in London, a matter that remains a point of sensitivity for the monastic community; portions and fragments still held at St Catherine's itself are occasionally displayed, and the monastery's continued role as a centre of manuscript preservation and recent digitisation projects makes it an active site of ongoing scholarship rather than simply a historical relic.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Mount Sinai climb | ~7.5 km each way via the Camel Path, 2,285m summit elevation, 2.5–3 hours ascent |
| St Catherine's Monastery | Founded 6th century AD, oldest continuously operating Christian monastery in the world |
| Entrance fees | Mount Sinai climb free; monastery entrance ~150 EGP — included |
| Difficulty level | Moderate to challenging — steep final section, cold pre-dawn temperatures, high altitude |
| Camel option | Camels available for hire along the Camel Path for most of the ascent, at the rider's own cost, for those who prefer not to walk the full route |
| Duration: Full day or overnight pre-dawn option | Type: Day Tour | Run: Everyday |
Included
- Private licensed guide throughout
- Private air-conditioned vehicle — hotel pickup and drop-off
- St Catherine's Monastery entrance fee (~150 EGP)
- Bottled water throughout
- All government taxes and service charges
Excluded
- Optional camel hire for part of the Mount Sinai ascent (payable directly to the camel handler on the mountain)
- Tea and snacks from the Bedouin stalls along the Camel Path (payable directly)
- Breakfast (can be arranged at the summit or after descent on request)
- Personal spending and tips
Itinerary:
Pre-dawn option:
00:00–01:00 — Hotel pickup in Sharm el-Sheikh (exact time depends on sunrise and travel time, typically 2–2.5 hours each way)
~02:30–03:00 — Arrive at the base of Mount Sinai, begin the ascent via the Camel Path
~05:30–06:00 — Reach the summit, sunrise over the Sinai mountains
06:00–08:00 — Descent
08:30–10:00 — St Catherine's Monastery: Church of the Transfiguration, Burning Bush chapel
10:00 — Return drive to Sharm el-Sheikh
12:30–13:00 — Arrive back at hotel
Daytime option: Hotel pickup in the morning, daylight ascent of Mount Sinai, monastery visit in the afternoon, return to Sharm el-Sheikh by early evening — full timings confirmed at booking
Prices:
Prices
Notes:
Prices Policy
All prices are quoted per person and are inclusive of your guide, private transport, and the monastery entrance and museum fee, as detailed in the Inclusions section above. Single travellers pay the same per-person rate. Children aged 2 to 11 receive a discounted rate — please contact Egypt For Travel for current pricing, noting that the physical demands of the Mount Sinai climb should be considered carefully for younger children, as discussed further in the Children Policy below.
Departure Tips
This is a physically demanding tour requiring a reasonable level of fitness, particularly for the pre-dawn ascent option. Wear sturdy, broken-in walking shoes or boots, never new or untested footwear. Layered clothing is essential, as temperatures at the summit before dawn can be genuinely cold, even in summer, often falling close to freezing in winter months, while the descent and monastery visit later in the day can be considerably warmer. Bring a torch or headlamp if undertaking the pre-dawn option, along with a fully charged phone or camera for the sunrise. The monastery requires modest dress, with shoulders and knees covered, for both men and women. Bottled water is provided, but bringing additional personal supplies is recommended given the physical exertion involved.
Children Policy
Children aged 0–1 travel free of charge. Children aged 2–11 receive a discounted rate — please contact Egypt For Travel for current pricing. The Mount Sinai climb is physically demanding, involving several hours of walking on an uneven mountain path in the dark for the pre-dawn option, and families with younger children are strongly encouraged to consider the daytime ascent option instead, or to discuss the camel-hire alternative for part of the route, which is available at the rider's own cost along the Camel Path. The monastery visit itself is suitable for children of all ages.
Payment Policy
A deposit of 25% of the total tour cost is required to confirm your booking. The remaining 75% balance is due before or on the day of the tour. During peak season, from October through April, and for group bookings of 6 or more people, a deposit of 50% is required at the time of booking. Egypt For Travel accepts payment by bank transfer, credit card, or cash in USD, EUR, or EGP.
Installment Policy
Flexible payment installments are available on request, particularly when this tour is combined with a broader Sharm el-Sheikh or Sinai itinerary booked through Egypt For Travel. Please contact us via WhatsApp at +20 155 555 2466 or by email to discuss installment arrangements before confirming your booking.
Tipping Guide
Tipping is customary in Egypt but always at your discretion, and Egypt For Travel never adds automatic gratuities to invoices or applies any pressure to tip. As a general guideline, your guide typically receives $10–15 for a tour of this length, and your driver typically receives $8–10 given the extended overnight or full-day driving involved. These amounts are paid directly and in cash at the conclusion of the tour, in USD, EUR, or EGP as you prefer.
Cancellation Policy
Cancellations made 61 days or more before the scheduled departure incur a 10% cancellation fee. Cancellations made between 31 and 60 days before departure incur a 20% cancellation fee. Cancellations made between 15 and 30 days before departure incur a 50% cancellation fee. Cancellations made within 1 to 14 days of departure are non-refundable, representing a 100% cancellation fee. All cancellation requests must be submitted to Egypt For Travel in writing. In the event of severe weather conditions that make the mountain ascent genuinely unsafe, a circumstance that is monitored closely given the route's exposure and altitude, Egypt For Travel will offer the daytime alternative, reschedule the tour, or provide a full refund.
