Sharm El Sheikh

However, the Sinai is much more than its coastline. Comprised mostly of barren desert mountains, the incredible stark scenery of the region is punctuated by lush oases, and is home to a rich variety of birds and wildlife, as well as local Bedouins who still live simple lives in the heart of the desert, with their traditional customs mostly intact. The region has a rich Biblical heritage from the time of Moses, and dozens of local Bedouin legends recall the stories of the Old Testament and offer clues as to the possible locations of key Exodus encampments. Lawrence of Arabia once trekked through the Sinai mountains. A desert safari is a true highlight of any visit to the Sinai, combining stunning views of mountains and barren valleys with the surprise of stumbling across hidden oases or waterfalls, or reaching secluded beaches and Red Sea vistas inaccessible except by camel. 

Today, the Sinai is both the ideal place for a beach holiday, and also the natural home for adventure vacations in Egypt, offering an endless variety of walking, biking and climbing opportunities, as well as camel trekking or 4x4 safaris. 

 

 

While many small towns and resorts dot the eastern coastline, most visitors will stay in Sharm El-Sheikh on the southernmost tip of the peninsula. With its combination of pristine sandy beaches, lively nightlife and wide range of hotels, Sharm El-Sheikh offers the perfect starting point for almost all tours in the Sinai. The centre of the resort area is Naama Bay, where most of the early hotels were built; however, today there are many superb hotels all along the coast between the airport and the small town of Sharm El-Moya, most with private beaches and excellent facilities.

 

 

Nestled in the foothills of Mount Moses, in the heart of the Sinai, St Catherine's Monastery was constructed by order of the Emperor Justinian between 527 and 565AD, and is one of the oldest continuously inhabited monasteries in the world. The central chapel is dedicated to St. Catherine, the legendary martyr of Alexandria, who was tortured for her faith. The monastery's spiritual heart is the Chapel of the Burning Bush, an unassuming structure of tremendous religious significance. According to the oldest monastic tradition, this chapel sits atop the roots of the same Biblical bush that burned when God spoke to Moses for the first time. The reputed bush itself is a rare species of the rose family called Rubus Sanctus. This species is endemic to Sinai and extremely long-lived, a fact that lends scientific credence to the site. The sprawling bush is said to have been transplanted in the 10th century, when the chapel was given a roof. Today it is very large in size, and many monks and scholars agree that the bush's presence is the very reason St. Catherine's Monastery developed in the first place. For energetic visitors, Mount Moses itself can be climbed from St. Catherine's to the summit, with part of the way accessible to camels but the last section, comprised of more than 700 stone steps carved into the mountain, needing to be climbed on foot. An overnight climb to watch the sun rise from the summit is a truly exhilarating experience.

 

The Coloured Canyon is an incredible natural desert valley of layered, multicoloured rocks, reminiscent of the famed valley of Petra in Jordan. Situated in north eastern Sinai, it can be visited in a day-trip from Sharm El-Sheikh. The strange rock formations and deep canyon walls are dramatic, and a walk through the canyon itself is one of the most stunning of desert safari options available in the Sinai.

 

Declared a National Park in 1983, the Ras Mohamed protected area includes both a desert peninsula and underwater coral reefs. The Egypt Protectorates Programme seeks to establish equilibrium between development activities, tourism and the natural resource conservation measures needed to achieve sustainable economic development. Coral reef ecosystems found in the National Park are recognized internationally as among the world's best, due to their diversity of flora and fauna, clear, warm water devoid of pollutants, their proximity to shorelines and their spectacular vertical profile. The reef exists as an explosion of colour and life in stark contrast to the seemingly barren desert adjacent to it. In reality, the desert itself is rich in fauna such as desert foxes and the Nubian Ibex, as well as birdlife such as white storks, herons, gulls, terns and osprey. 

 

Nabq is the largest coastal Protectorate on the Gulf of Aqaba, extending over an area of 600km2. Here, a natural desert "wadi", or watercourse, joins the Red Sea in a fan of sand dunes and beaches, creating a unique environment where clusters of mangrove trees flourish and wildlife abounds. Foxes and even gazelles can be spotted here.

 

The Sinai is home to an extensive range of dive sites, with literally scores of spectacular dives to be made. The coastline is home to not only an abundance of reef life but also hundreds of wrecks, including the famed WWII army boat, the Thistlegorm. One of the most beautiful of all dive sites is the area of Ras Mohamed National Park, where Manta Rays, sharks and turtles can sometimes be seen. Dozens of boats set out to various dive sites every morning.