Egypt/Sinai: Mount Sinai – Sunrise on Top
Mount Sinai is the same mountain that is mentioned in the Bible when Moses climbed up to the top and received 10 commandments. Mount Sinai is the second highest mountain peak in Egypt at 2,285 m (7,497 ft). Coincidentally, Mount Sinai lies just next to Mount Catherine, which at 2,629 m (8,625 ft) is the highest peak in Egypt. Climbing Mount Sinai is an absolute must-do and is not a simple walk in the clouds, but a rather strenuous hike. You arrive to the start of the hike at around midnight or 1am and then spend the next 3 hour walking uphill on a good trail in complete darkness, aiming to reach the top just before sunrise (around 4:30am at this time of the year). The whole trail is about 5km long and you gain 700m vertical (so quite steep). The last half a kilometer is a nearly vertical ascent via well-cut rock stairs. But it’s worth every step as you watch the spectacular sunrise over the 360 degree panorama of mountains (freezing but awesome!). Thou shalt climb Mount Sinai!
