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Mount Moses (Mount Sinai, Mount Horeb) is the main place of faithful pilgrims on the Sinai Peninsula and one of the most popular and most affordable sightseeing trips for holidaymakers in Sharm el–Sheikh and other resorts of Sinai: it is inexpensive and you will not need to apply for a full-fledged visa for it, but you can do without free Sinai stamp. This is both a natural and a cultural attraction, because in addition to the mountain during the trip you will also visit The Monastery of St. Catherine. But the excursion is not easy and requires considerable physical effort to climb to the top of the mountain, because you can only get there on foot. But if you overcome this path of pilgrims, you will receive not only spiritual satisfaction, but also a "bonus" magnificent views of the dawn. But let's tell you about everything in order:
Christians, Muslims, Jews, Mount Moses has been revered since VI as the place where God sent 10 divine commandments to the prophet Moses. At the foot of the peak of Moses in the same period was built the Christian monastery of St. Catherine, which is considered one of the oldest functioning Orthodox churches in the world.
On the territory of the monastery complex there is also a chapel of the Virgin, a Muslim Mosque with a minaret, a well of Moses, monastic buildings, a hotel for pilgrims. A bush of Burning bush grows here - a plant that, according to legend, can burn and not burn. It was in this burning bush that God descended to Moses and ordered the Israelites to be brought out of Egypt.
From the monastery begins a difficult 7-kilometer climb up the mountain to a height of 2 285 meters. To climb, choose one of two paths: a more gentle and long one or a short one, but steep and difficult. Closer at the top, they join into one. Pilgrims and believers always choose a short path, as it symbolizes a difficult sinful burden that needs to be lifted to the top for the remission of sins and blessings on good thoughts. But this place attracts not only believers, but also numerous tourists who come here to meet the dawn and feel unity with the outside world. And if you choose to climb a long road, then you can alleviate your fate by using a "transfer" on a camel, of course for an additional fee from $ 15 to the cost of the excursion.
Nevertheless, both climbing options, even if they are in good physical shape, are not suitable for everyone, because the way to the top takes at least 3 hours, in some places the stone steps are very high, and you have to literally crawl on them. In addition, there is a very strong and penetrating wind at the top, so be sure to take warm clothes, up to gloves and hats, a blanket while waiting for dawn at the top. For an additional fee (from $ 3) they offer to rent a blanket. Do not forget about sports shoes, slippers and shoes will not work here. In general, we advise you to prepare and take with you a small tourist backpack for 20-30 liters, where to put drinking water, something to eat (you can order a breakfast-box at the hotel), warm clothes, a first-aid kit.
On the rise to the top there is another small mosque, and at the very height, where the dawn is greeted, there is the Orthodox Church of the Holy Trinity.
The Monastery of Moses and the Monastery of St. Catherine are located on the Sinai Peninsula and are visited together, so a full-fledged visa to Egypt will not be needed, and the free Sinai stamp received at the airport will do.
🕐 Working hours: Excursions with a climb to the mountain to meet the dawn depart from Charm in the evening at about 20 o'clock, simple trips to the monastery start in the early morning at about 6 o'clock.
💵Entrance fee / ticket price: excursions cost from $ 35, in low season you can buy from $25 at a discount.
🚶 How to get there: Mount Moses and the monastery of St. Catherine are almost 200 kilometers from Sharm el-Sheikh, it's almost 3 hours on the road (Mount Moses and St. Catherine's Monastery on the map). It makes no sense to go here on your own by taxi or rented transport, it will be more expensive than an excursion. If you do not want to participate in a large group excursion, then you can easily choose an individual excursion or a trip by a small group. You can buy excursions from hotel guides, but in our experience they offer prices 2-3 times higher than can be found in travel agencies on the street or book online. You can pick up on these trusted sites for searching and booking excursions:
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- 📷 Excursions to Mount Moses and the Monastery of St. Catherine on Sputnik8.com
- 📷 Excursions to Mount Moses and the Monastery of St. Catherine on Tezeks.com
There are two types of excursions: with an ascent to Mount Moses and a dawn meeting, and a trip to the monastery and the foot of the mountain without climbing to the top. We have already written about the rise above in the main text above. Let's just add that in order to meet the dawn, you will have to leave the hotel in the evening at about 20 o'clock, and after several hours on the road by bus, start an hour-long hike. Therefore, we advise you not to abuse alcohol in the evening before departure, otherwise it will be very difficult. Well, if you don't want to walk, then you can hire a "transfer" on a camel almost to the top from $ 15 on the spot. Initially, they may ask for $ 30 or more for a camel, but you need to bargain to the real price of $ 15-20.
💥 We remind you that it is much more interesting to get acquainted with the sights of Sharm el-Sheikh with the help of excursions, and therefore we advise you to look at online booking options on these proven search and price comparison sites: