Jabal Mousa

Jabal Mousa — known in the West as Mount Sinai — carries a weight that is hard to explain until you are standing on its summit at dawn, watching the Sinai desert unfold in every direction in shades of copper and violet.

Revered by Christians, Muslims, and Jews as the mountain where Moses received the Ten Commandments, the spiritual atmosphere here is genuinely palpable, and the landscape is extraordinary even if you set the religious history entirely aside.

Most visitors tackle the mountain overnight, departing from the village of Saint Catherine around midnight or 1am to reach the 2,285-metre summit in time for sunrise.

There are two main routes: the longer Camel Path, which winds steadily upward and is accessible to most fitness levels, and the steeper Steps of Repentance — 3,750 stone steps cut directly up the southern face — which experienced hikers sometimes take on the descent. The final 750 steps to the peak cannot be avoided either way, and they are genuinely steep.

Bring a torch, a warm layer (summit temperatures drop sharply even in summer), and decent footwear. Guides and camel hire are available at the base near the Saint Catherine Monastery trailhead.

The monastery itself, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is worth a separate morning visit — it opens limited hours and entry can feel rushed, so arrive early. The summit at sunrise draws a genuine crowd of mixed nationalities; quieter months are October through November and March through April, when the desert heat is manageable and the skies tend to stay clear.

Bring far more water than you think you need, pack a windproof jacket regardless of the season, and wear shoes with real grip — the rocky descent in pre-dawn darkness demands both.