Mount Sinai sunrise from Sharm El Sheikh: Private overnight climb

Climb through the night to watch sunrise from Moses' Mountain

A private overnight tour from Sharm El Sheikh that departs at 10:30 pm, drives three hours to Mount Sinai's base, and guides you up the mountain starting at 2:00 am to catch sunrise from the summit. After descending at 7:00 am, you visit St. Catherine's Monastery (one of the world's oldest Christian sites), then have lunch and free time in the seaside village of Dahab before returning to your hotel. The tour includes a Bedouin desert guide, bottled water, and a local restaurant meal. It runs about 15 hours total and suits all fitness levels.

Step-by-step itinerary

Mount Sinai sunrise and monastery visit

• Pickup from Sharm El Sheikh hotel
• Drive 3 hours to Mount Sinai base
• Climb Mount Sinai starting at 2:00 am
• Watch sunrise from Mount Sinai summit
• Descend Mount Sinai by 7:00 am
• Visit St. Catherine's Monastery
• Lunch and shopping in Dahab
• Return to Sharm El Sheikh hotel

The experience

The tour starts with a late-night pickup from your hotel at 10:30 pm in a private air-conditioned vehicle. The three-hour drive takes you south through the desert to the base of Mount Sinai, where you arrive around 1:00 am. At 2:00 am, the actual climb begins. You ascend the mountain in darkness with your Bedouin guide, timing the route so you reach the summit just as light breaks. The climb itself is the centerpiece: you're walking uphill for hours in cool night air, watching the landscape gradually emerge below you, and standing on the peak as sunrise floods across the desert and the Red Sea in the distance.

The descent takes about an hour after sunrise, and you're back at the base by 7:00 am. From there, the tour moves to St. Catherine's Monastery, one of the oldest continuously operating Christian monasteries in the world, built at the foot of the mountain centuries ago. You walk through its ancient stone courtyards and see the chapel dedicated to Saint Catherine, an early Christian martyr. The monastery sits in a remote desert valley, and the visit gives the pilgrimage its spiritual anchor after the physical effort of the climb.

By mid-morning, you head to Dahab, a small seaside village on the Red Sea about an hour's drive away. Lunch at a local restaurant is included, and you have time to walk through the village, shop at small stalls, and rest before the return journey. The drive back to Sharm El Sheikh takes another three hours, with your hotel arrival in the early evening. Bottled water is provided throughout, and your guide speaks English, Spanish, Italian, French or German.

What’s included

• Private air-conditioned vehicle pickup from your Sharm El Sheikh hotel at 10:30 pm and return the same evening.
• Bedouin desert guide for the entire climb up and down Mount Sinai.
• bottled water throughout the day.
• lunch at a local restaurant in Dahab with free time to explore the village.

Before you book

Days and timesMonday to SaturdayDeparts at 22:30

Book up to12h before

AgesAdult (11 and older) · Child (4 to 10 years): free · Under 4: can't be booked

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish, Spanish, French, German and Italian

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 36 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 15 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effort

Operated by Egypt Wonderful Tours

Is this one for you?The overnight departure and 2:00 am start mean you're climbing in darkness and cool air, which is why the timing works. The mountain is manageable at night and you reach the summit exactly at sunrise. If you're arriving in Sharm El Sheikh with an afternoon or evening free, this tour uses that time to get you to the mountain, so you don't lose a full day of beach time to the journey.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Spanish, French, German and Italian.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (4 to 10 years): free. Children under 4 can't be included in the booking.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What time do I actually start climbing Mount Sinai?

The climb begins at 2:00 am from the base of the mountain, after the three-hour drive from Sharm El Sheikh. You ascend through the night and reach the summit around sunrise, roughly four to five hours after starting.

Is this tour suitable if I'm not very fit?

The tour is listed as suitable for all physical fitness levels. The climb is steady uphill over several hours, but the pace is set by your guide and you can move at your own speed. Many people of varying fitness complete it each day.

What is St. Catherine's Monastery and why do we visit it?

St. Catherine's Monastery is one of the oldest Christian monasteries in the world, built at the base of Mount Sinai. It's dedicated to Saint Catherine, an early Christian martyr, and the visit completes the spiritual journey after the mountain climb.

How much time do we spend in Dahab?

You have time for lunch at a local restaurant and shopping in the village. The exact duration isn't fixed, but it's a rest stop between the monastery visit and the return drive to Sharm El Sheikh.

What's included in the tour price?

The tour includes hotel pickup and return transport in a private air-conditioned vehicle, a Bedouin desert guide for the climb, bottled water throughout the day, and lunch at a local restaurant in Dahab.