# Mount Sinai, a night trip from Sharm El Sheikh > Mount Sinai (Jebel Musa, 2,285 m) is the biblical peak three hours' drive from Sharm El Sheikh, climbed at night for sunrise. Expect 12–16 hours door to door: pickup around 22:00–23:00, a 2.5–3-hour ascent, then down to St Catherine's Monastery. The trail is open daily; group tours run from roughly US$30 with a Bedouin guide. Web page: https://yesgo.io/egypt/sharm-el-sheikh/mount-sinai - City: [Sharm El Sheikh](https://yesgo.io/egypt/sharm-el-sheikh), Egypt - YesGo score: 41/100 (Yes, if nearby) - Time on site: 4 h - Opening hours: Daily; sunrise climbs usually start 1:00–2:00. The monastery at the foot opens 9:00–11:30, closed Fridays, Sundays and major feast days - With kids: Better without small kids - Height: 2,285 m above sea level - Trip from Sharm: 12–16 hours, pickup around 22:00–23:00 - Group tour: ≈ US$30–80 incl. transfer, unofficial - The climb: 2.5–3 hours on the camel path; the last 750 steps on foot - Guide: Local Bedouin guide, usually included in tours - St Katherine Protectorate fee: Usually included — ask your operator - St Catherine's Monastery: 9:00–11:30; closed Fridays, Sundays and major Orthodox feasts - Entry stamp: Operators say the free Sinai-only stamp is enough — confirm - Money on the mountain: Egyptian pounds in small notes: camels, tea, blankets - Kids: Not for young children: no sleep, cold, steep steps - Coordinates: 28.53840, 33.97520 - Facts checked: 03.11.2026 ## Key facts - **2,285 m** — summit height, one of the highest points in Sinai (source: St Catherine's Monastery (official site); Wikipedia) - **≈ 3,750 steps** — the Steps of Repentance, the steep monks' path laid in the 6th century (source: St Catherine's Monastery (official site); English Wikipedia) - **750 steps** — the final stretch shared by both routes — no camels here (source: St Catherine's Monastery (official site); Wikivoyage) - **2 routes** — the gentle camel path (Siket El Bashait) and the Steps of Repentance (source: St Catherine's Monastery (official site); English Wikipedia) - **5–7 hours** — to allow for the round trip on foot (source: St Catherine's Monastery (official site); Wikivoyage) - **1934–1935** — the Holy Trinity chapel on the summit, built from stones of earlier churches (source: St Catherine's Monastery (1935); English Wikipedia and Wikivoyage (1934)) - **Mosque** — a small one stands beside the summit chapel (source: St Catherine's Monastery (official site); Russian Wikipedia) - **Elijah's Basin** — a double chapel of Elijah and Elisha below the summit — the main rest stop (source: St Catherine's Monastery (official site); Wikivoyage) - **Ten Commandments** — by tradition, Moses received the tablets of the law on this mountain (source: Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities; St Catherine's Monastery) - **2002** — the mountain and monastery joined the UNESCO World Heritage List as the Saint Catherine Area (source: English Wikipedia (Saint Catherine Area)) - **Below zero** — winter nights on the summit; snow is possible (source: Wikivoyage; christianroutes.com) > **Pack for cold, not for the beach** The summit at night is far colder than the coast, and in winter it can drop below freezing with a sharp wind. Bring a warm jacket, hat, gloves and closed shoes. Blankets are rented out at the top, but they are not always clean — your own fleece is the better bet. ## Mount Sinai sunrise climb from Sharm El Sheikh: how it works Almost everyone does Mount Sinai as an overnight tour from Sharm. A bus or minivan collects you from your hotel around 22:00–23:00, drives about three hours inland to St Catherine village, and you start walking around 1:00–2:00 with a Bedouin guide and a torch. You reach the summit for sunrise, walk down to [St Catherine's Monastery](https://yesgo.io/egypt/sharm-el-sheikh/saint-catherines-monastery) for its 9:00 opening, and are back at the hotel by early afternoon. Group tours with transfer, guide and the monastery stop cost roughly **US$30–80** per person — unofficial figures that vary by agency and season; private trips cost several times more. Before you pay, ask whether the protectorate fee, the guide and monastery entry are included, and which night the tour leaves. > **The monastery is closed on Fridays and Sundays** If you want the monastery after the climb, don't leave Sharm on a Thursday or Saturday night — it will be shut the next morning. It also closes to visitors on major Orthodox feast days. The nights that work: Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday. ## How hard is the Mount Sinai hike? Moderate, not technical. The camel path climbs gently for most of the way and takes **2.5–3 hours** at an average pace; the way down takes 1.5–2 hours. The monastery itself suggests allowing 5–7 hours for the round trip. The hard part is the final **750 steps** from Elijah's Basin to the top: uneven, high, climbed in the dark and in a queue of other hikers. No ropes or climbing skills are needed, but it is several hours uphill at night on no sleep. It is not a good idea for young children, pregnant travellers or anyone with heart, back or knee problems. Camels can carry you part of the way, up to where the steps begin; handlers set the price on the spot. ## What is Mount Sinai? Mount Sinai — **Jebel Musa**, the Mountain of Moses, in Arabic — is where, by biblical tradition, Moses received the Ten Commandments. It is sacred to Christians, Jews and Muslims, which is why a small Greek Orthodox chapel of the Holy Trinity and a small mosque share the summit. For most visitors, though, the draw is the walk itself: a line of torches zigzagging up the mountain under the stars, then dawn spreading over the red granite ridges of southern Sinai. The peak stands at **2,285 m** in the St Katherine Protectorate; the monastery at its foot is one of the oldest working monasteries in the world. ## What to see on Mount Sinai - Sunrise over the ridges of southern Sinai — the rock turns from grey to red in a few minutes. - The Holy Trinity chapel on the summit, built in the 1930s from the stones of older churches. It is usually locked, but you can stand by its walls. - The small summit mosque, already recorded by 11th-century writers. - Elijah's Basin below the top: the double chapel of Elijah and Elisha and a lone cypress tree. - The Steps of Repentance on the way down, with the monastery appearing in the gorge below. - Bedouin tea stalls along the trail selling hot tea, coffee and chocolate — a good place to wait out the cold. ## How to get to Mount Sinai from Sharm El Sheikh 1. Book a tour through an agency or your hotel — there is no practical public transport from Sharm to St Catherine at night. Bring your passport. 2. Pickup is around 22:00–23:00 at your hotel; [Naama Bay](https://yesgo.io/egypt/sharm-el-sheikh/naama-bay) and the nearby areas are on the way. 3. The drive to St Catherine village takes about three hours, with stops at checkpoints and a café. 4. A Bedouin guide meets the group at the car park by the monastery; you set off up the camel path around 1:00–2:00. 5. Summit and sunrise after 2.5–3 hours, then 1.5–2 hours down to the monastery. 6. Visit the monastery from 9:00 (not on Fridays or Sundays), then drive back — you'll be in Sharm by early afternoon. ## St Catherine's Monastery after the descent The monastery sits at the foot of the mountain, so nearly every tour combines the two. According to the monastery's own site, it is open to visitors **9:00–11:30** and closed on Fridays, Sundays and major Greek Orthodox feasts. Egypt's Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities lists different hours, so leave some slack and check with your guide. Inside are the 6th-century Church of the Transfiguration, the site of the Burning Bush and a library of ancient manuscripts — more on the St Catherine's Monastery page. Guided tours are not allowed inside: your guide talks at the gate, and you follow the set route through the grounds. > **Dress code for the monastery** Cover shoulders and knees; no low necklines. Swap hiking shorts for trousers or carry a light scarf to wrap around. Photography and filming are not permitted inside the monastery. ## Steps of Repentance or the camel path? The monastery puts the old monks' staircase at about **3,750 steps**, carved in the 6th century; other counts run from 3,000 to 3,750, and nobody has published an exact tally. It is shorter but steep, and hard on the knees. Most people go up the camel path, which only meets the steps for the final 750, and choose on the way down: the camel path again (easier on the joints) or the Steps of Repentance (steeper and quieter, and they finish right at the monastery walls). ## Weather and what to wear The summit at night is 10–15 °C colder than the valley. In winter temperatures fall below freezing and snow is possible; in summer the night is cool and the morning turns hot fast. Spring and autumn are the most comfortable seasons. Wear layers you can peel off on the way up and put back on at the top: a windproof jacket, hat and gloves, plus proper closed shoes with grip. A headtorch beats a phone torch — you'll want both hands free on the high steps. Bring water, a snack and a power bank. ## Money, passport and the Sinai stamp Tours are usually paid in US dollars or euros, in cash or by card at the agency; Visa and Mastercard work in hotels and larger shops in Sharm. On the mountain it is cash only: carry **Egyptian pounds in small notes** for a camel, tea, toilets, blanket hire and a tip for your guide. Bring your passport. Tour operators say the free Sinai-only stamp you get when flying into Sharm covers this trip; the UK government's list for the stamp names only the Sharm, Dahab, Nuweiba and Taba resorts, so confirm with your operator. UK travel advice does not place St Catherine or Mount Sinai in its areas to avoid. ## Before you go: checklist - [ ] Not leaving on a Thursday or Saturday night, if I want the monastery - [ ] Warm jacket, hat and gloves - [ ] Closed shoes with good grip - [ ] Headtorch and power bank - [ ] Water and a snack - [ ] Egyptian pounds in small notes - [ ] Passport - [ ] Trousers or a scarf for the monastery ## Mount Sinai or just the monastery? | | Mount Sinai | St Catherine's Monastery | | --- | --- | --- | | What it is | A night climb to a 2,285 m summit for sunrise | A 6th-century monastery at the foot of the mountain | | When | Overnight, every day | 9:00–11:30, not Fri, Sun or feast days | | Effort | 2.5–3 hours uphill in the dark | Hardly any walking | | Good for | Fit adults and teenagers | Everyone, children included | If a night climb sounds too much, look for a daytime trip to the monastery only: the same road from Sharm, without the sleepless night. ## Is Mount Sinai worth it? Yes, if you like mountains, sunrises or biblical sites and can handle a night without sleep. It is the most memorable trip into the Sinai interior from Sharm — the starlit trail and the dawn over the ridges stay with you longer than another beach day. Skip it if you're travelling with young children, struggle with cold and stairs, or have only a few days: the day after is mostly lost to sleep. In that case, see the monastery alone or stay by the sea at [Ras Mohammed](https://yesgo.io/egypt/sharm-el-sheikh/ras-mohammed). ## A night and morning in Sinai Sunrise climb, the monastery at the foot, then an evening by the sea after some rest. 1. [Mount Sinai](https://yesgo.io/egypt/sharm-el-sheikh/mount-sinai) — YesGo score 41/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 4 h · Tour from Sharm ≈ US$30–80 2. [Saint Catherine's Monastery](https://yesgo.io/egypt/sharm-el-sheikh/saint-catherines-monastery) — YesGo score 49/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · Free entry, museum extra 3. [Naama Bay](https://yesgo.io/egypt/sharm-el-sheikh/naama-bay) — YesGo score 41/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h · Free (promenade) ## Sharm El Sheikh's best views compared Places around Sharm El Sheikh with the best views, rated by YesGo. - [Mount Sinai](https://yesgo.io/egypt/sharm-el-sheikh/mount-sinai) — YesGo score 41/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 4 h · Tour from Sharm ≈ US$30–80 - [Tiran Island](https://yesgo.io/egypt/sharm-el-sheikh/tiran-island) — YesGo score 21/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 4 h · ≈ US$30–50 + ≈ US$5 park fee - [Ras Mohammed National Park](https://yesgo.io/egypt/sharm-el-sheikh/ras-mohammed) — YesGo score 16/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 4 h · ≈ US$5–7, usually included in tours ## Good to know Mount Sinai in Egypt is not Mount Nebo in Jordan, where Moses is said to have seen the Promised Land. Egypt's highest peak is neighbouring Mount Catherine, not Mount Sinai. A large tourism development is under construction around St Catherine village, so expect fences and machinery near the monastery. ## Tips - Leave on a Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday or Friday night so the monastery is open when you come down. - Don't race to the top: waiting an hour or more for sunrise in the wind is how people get cold. - With healthy knees, come down the Steps of Repentance — fewer people, and you finish at the monastery gate. - A camel only saves effort up to the steps — everyone walks the last 750. - Wear a headtorch rather than holding your phone: you'll want your hands on the high steps. - Keep the next morning free — you'll need the sleep. ## Questions ### How long does it take to climb Mount Sinai? About 2.5–3 hours up the camel path at an average pace and 1.5–2 hours down. The monastery suggests allowing 5–7 hours for the round trip. ### How hard is the Mount Sinai climb? Moderate: a gentle path for most of the way, then 750 steep, uneven steps to the top, all in the dark. Reasonable fitness is enough; no climbing skills needed. ### What time do Mount Sinai tours leave Sharm El Sheikh? Usually around 22:00–23:00. You start walking at 1:00–2:00, reach the summit for sunrise and are back in Sharm by early afternoon. ### How much is a Mount Sinai tour from Sharm El Sheikh? Group tours with transfer and guide cost roughly US$30–80 per person — unofficial prices that vary by agency. Private trips cost several times more. ### Do you need a guide to climb Mount Sinai? Climbs are led by local Bedouin guides, and tours from Sharm include one. Most sources say a guide is compulsory; one guide says optional — go with a guide. ### How many steps are there on Mount Sinai? About 3,750 on the Steps of Repentance, according to the monastery. The camel path has only the final 750. ### How cold is it at the top of Mount Sinai? Around 10–15 °C colder than the valley at night; in winter below freezing, sometimes with snow. Bring a warm jacket, hat and gloves in any season. ### Can I visit St Catherine's Monastery after the climb? Yes, it is at the foot of the mountain and opens 9:00–11:30, but it is closed on Fridays, Sundays and major Orthodox feast days. ### Is Mount Sinai worth it? Yes for fit travellers who want a sunrise and a biblical site; no for families with young children or anyone short of time, since the next day goes to sleep. ### Is the Sinai-only stamp enough for Mount Sinai? Tour operators say yes, but the UK government's list names only the Sharm, Dahab, Nuweiba and Taba resorts — confirm with your operator before you book. ## How we checked Height, step counts, routes, the summit chapel and mosque and the monastery hours come from St Catherine's Monastery's official site; other facts are checked against at least two sources. Egypt's Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities lists different monastery hours (8:45–12:45, Friday 10:30–11:30, closed Sunday), so we show the monastery's own and advise leaving slack. Step counts differ: the monastery says about 3,750, Russian Wikipedia about 3,100. The chapel's date is 1935 per the monastery, 1934 per Wikipedia and Wikivoyage. Tour prices and the guide requirement are not published officially — they are unofficial and marked “verifying”; one guide calls the guide optional. We found no official figure for the protectorate fee, and camel prices vary between sources, so we quote neither. UK travel advice does not list St Catherine or Mount Sinai among areas to avoid; the US State Department page did not load for our checker. The English query core comes from search results and “People also ask”. ## Sources - St Catherine's Monastery, official site: Holy Summit, Mount Horeb, visitor information — 03.11.2026 - Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities: Saint Catherine's Monastery — hours and description - GOV.UK: Egypt — warnings and insurance, entry requirements (updated 27.10.2026) - English and Russian Wikipedia: Mount Sinai, Saint Catherine Area; Wikidata Q377485 - Wikivoyage: Mount Sinai - weseektravel.com: Climbing Mount Sinai in Egypt (updated 2026) - christianroutes.com: Mount Sinai climb guide - Tour listings from Sharm El Sheikh (Tripster, Headout, Expedia) — prices and timings --- This is the Markdown version of a YesGo page for AI assistants. Quote the web page link above, not this file.