Mount Sinai Climb & St. Catherine's Monastery Sunrise Tour

Climb to the summit before dawn and stand at the top as light breaks across the desert

This 16- to 17-hour tour from your hotel takes you to Mount Sinai (also called Mount Moses) for a pre-dawn climb with a Bedouin guide, ending at the 2,200-meter summit in time for sunrise. After descending, you visit St. Catherine's Monastery, an Orthodox monastic center built in the 6th century and continuously inhabited for 1,400 years in the Sinai desert. The tour includes air-conditioned transport, a live guide in English, Italian or Russian, flashlights for the night climb, and a 30-minute stop at the monastery. National park entrance fees are an optional add-on at checkout.

Step-by-step itinerary

Mount Sinai climb and monastery visit

• Transfer to Mount Sinai
• Climb Mount Sinai with Bedouin guide
• Enjoy sunrise at summit
• Descend from Mount Sinai
• Visit St. Catherine's Monastery
• Rest in Dahab city
• Return transfer

The Experience

The day starts with a transfer to Mount Sinai, including a 30-minute rest stop in Dahab city along the way. You arrive at the mountain base after about 8 hours of travel, then begin the climb with your Bedouin guide. The route follows a wide serpentine path first, then 750 stone steps to the summit. Wear light, comfortable shoes, and bring warm layers — a jacket, windbreaker, pants, socks and a hat — because the air at 2,200 meters is cold before dawn. A light backpack and water bottle are practical for the climb. Flashlights are provided for navigating the path in darkness.

You reach the top in time to watch sunrise break across the desert landscape. After descending, the tour moves to St. Catherine's Monastery, where you spend 30 minutes inside the Orthodox monastic complex. The monastery has stood in the Sinai desert since the Byzantine Emperor Justinian built it in the 6th century — 1,400 years of continuous habitation. The site was patronized by Prophet Muhammad, Arab caliphs, Turkish sultans and even Napoleon, a protection that kept it from being plundered or destroyed through centuries of regional upheaval. There is a stop to buy holy icons and religious items if you want them.

The return journey takes about 8 hours in an air-conditioned vehicle. Your guide travels with you throughout, and you can ask about the mountain's biblical significance, the monastery's history, or the Bedouin routes used for centuries. Children from age 5 are welcome on this tour.

What’s included

• Air-conditioned transfer from your hotel with a 30-minute rest stop in Dahab city.
• a live Bedouin guide throughout the climb in English, Italian or Russian.
• flashlights for the night ascent.
• entry to St. Catherine's Monastery with a 30-minute visit.
• and a stop to purchase holy icons and religious items if you wish. National park entrance fees are optional and can be added at checkout.

Good to know

Easy physical levelNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditionsNot for back problems

Operated by dar El Salam Tours

Is this one for you?Book this if you're ready for a pre-dawn start and a full day combining a 1,570-meter mountain climb with a monastery visit—your Bedouin guide handles logistics and pacing throughout.

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Top questions

How steep is the climb up Mount Sinai, and what is the path like?

The route follows a wide serpentine path first, then 750 stone steps to the summit. The path is well-established and wide enough for steady foot traffic, though the altitude gain to 2,200 meters and the pre-dawn darkness require a moderate level of fitness and careful footing.

What time do we reach the summit, and will there be other people at the top?

You climb through the night and reach the summit in time for sunrise. The exact arrival time depends on your pace and the guide's route, but the timing is planned so you are at the top as light breaks across the desert.

What is St. Catherine's Monastery, and why has it lasted so long?

St. Catherine's Monastery is an Orthodox monastic center built in the 6th century by the Byzantine Emperor Justinian and has been continuously inhabited for 1,400 years in the Sinai desert. It was protected from destruction and plunder because it was patronized by Prophet Muhammad, Arab caliphs, Turkish sultans and even Napoleon, giving it a unique status across different rulers and faiths.

What should I bring for the Mount Sinai climb?

Bring comfortable, light shoes; warm layers including a jacket, windbreaker, pants, socks and a hat; a light backpack; and a water bottle. Flashlights are provided by the tour for the night climb.

How long is the total day, and what is included in the transfer?

The tour runs 16 to 17 hours total, including about 8 hours of transfer time each way and the climb and monastery visit in between. The transfer is in an air-conditioned vehicle with a 30-minute rest stop in Dahab city on the way out.

Can children do this tour, and are there any health restrictions?

Children are welcome from age 5. The tour is not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries, pregnant travelers, or those with poor cardiovascular health, as the pre-dawn climb and altitude require physical endurance.