Egypt’s Sinai can seem like an endless expanse of rugged mountains and desert. On its southern tip, it’s home to Sharm El Sheikh, the beach resort town famed for its diving sites, luxury hotels, restaurants, and nightlife; and the more laid-back Dahab, which lies an hour’s drive to the north. But the rest of the triangular peninsula—an area larger than Switzerland, framed by the Mediterranean to the north and hugged by the Red Sea’s two gulfs to the south—is less explored.
Sinai has significance in Islam, Christianity, and Judaism. The story of the Exodus begins with Moses fleeing to Sinai as a fugitive, where he encounters the Burning Bush through which God commands him to return to Egypt and free the Israelites from slavery. The sixth-century Saint Catherine’s Monastery—the world’s oldest continuously functioning Christian monastery—sits at the foot of Mount Sinai, known locally as Jebel Musa, and preserves sacred manuscripts and icons. The Muslim Jebeliya tribe, long-time protectors of the monastery, has safeguarded the sacred site for centuries.
On my first hike to explore Sinai four years ago, my family and I left our hotel in Dahab in the middle of the night to reach Saint Catherine’s Monastery, starting our three-mile ascent to the top of Mount Sinai at one in the morning. From there, we made the steep climb to the top of the summit—a mile and a half above sea level, and where Moses is said to have received the Ten Commandments—in time to watch the sunrise. Although it was an undeniably beautiful experience, any sense of spirituality was undone by the droves of people gathered with us at the top.
This time is different: I’m on a hiking and camping trip with Sinai Hikes, a Sinai-based hiking and trekking specialist led by local Bedouin guides, which promises a more authentic experience. My 12-person group is led by Ahmed Mousa, a local Jebeliya tribesman and entrepreneur, who shows us the way via unmarked trails where we barely encounter another soul.
“We have scenery and summits and dramatic valleys, and at the same time we have heritage and culture and traditions,” explains Mousa, who grew up in a nearby village and began guiding with his uncle as a teenager. “It is a beautiful place, but when you know who was in this place, the story is complete.” The charismatic 28-year-old, fluent in English, launched Sinai Hikes in 2022 and has since built a team of five head guides and five camel handlers. His company offers small-group hikes, or fully personalized tours, from 4 to 13 days in length, taking in the mountains and valleys around Saint Catherine’s Monastery, as well as day trips, jeep rides, and camel safaris.
