Climbing Mount Sinai for sunrise: what to expect

Mount Sinai (Jebel Musa) rises to 2,285 metres above St Catherine. Most people climb it at night to watch the sun come up over the mountains, and almost everyone says it was worth every step.

How the climb works

You start around 1–2 am from the village of St Catherine, next to the monastery. A local Bedouin guide walks with you; this is required and it is also how you avoid getting lost in the dark.

There are two ways up:

• The camel path: a longer, gentler trail that takes about 2.5–3 hours. There are small Bedouin tea stops along the way.
• The Steps of Repentance: around 3,750 stone steps straight up. Shorter, but hard on the legs. Many people go up the path and come down the steps.

The final section to the summit is steps for everyone.

It is cold at the top

Even in summer, the summit can be close to freezing before dawn, and windy. Bring a warm jacket, a hat and gloves. Blankets can be rented near the top, but your own layers are better.

What to bring

• A head torch
• Water and a snack
• Good shoes with grip
• Warm layers, even in August

After sunrise

Walk down in daylight and you'll see the valleys you climbed through in the dark. If you time it right, you can visit St Catherine's Monastery at the bottom.

See our Mount Sinai trip, or add the monastery visit.