Mount Sinai and St. Catherine's Monastery | St. Catherine's Monastery

Mount Sinai and St. Catherine’s Monastery are two of the most visited places in the world.

Mount Sinai and Saint Catherine’s Monastery, both located in Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula, are without a doubt the most beautiful places on the planet.

It is just beautiful to be here, since it is situated spectacularly among this diversified environment, with boundless vistas and powerful sunsets and sunrises.

If you want to enjoy a memorable trip in Egypt, check out our Egypt Excursions with our certified Egyptologist and Egypt travel guide.

Location:

There are only a few spots in the world where you may be in such an awe-inspiring portion of the earth as this one, which is located only a short distance from Egypt’s lovely the Red Sea and all of its magnificent features.

Even before recorded history, oral traditions greatly favored this location as the true location, and oral history has been passed down to us to this very day.

Certainly, the sheer majesty of these mountains, as well as their seclusion from the rest of the world, has inspired individuals of all religious backgrounds.

Fascinating facts on the subject:

The traditional Mount Sinai is the name of a cluster of peaks known as the Holy Mountains, which are located on the Sinai Peninsula. Mount Musa (the mountain of Moses) is located at the southern extremity of the plateau, and it is historically thought to be the location where Moses talked with God and received the Ten Commandments.

Mount Musa (Moses Mountain) is the highest point in Sinai, however, it is not the highest mountain in the country.

Mount Catherine, located nearby, has the distinction of being the tallest peak in Egypt, standing at more than 2500 meters above sea level.

Climbing:

The paths to these great altitudes are many, and you may choose from a variety of options.

You should make sure that you are in a respectable condition of fitness before embarking on this adventure since the climbs are lengthy and exhausting.

The quickest (but steepest) path is known as Siket Syidna Musa, and it is a staircase consisting of 3,750 steps, also known as the Steps of Penitence, that leads to the top of the mountain.

These were carved out of the rock by the monks of St Catherine’s Monastery, which is situated at the foot of the mountain on the north-eastern side.

Many people choose to climb through the night, partially to escape the heat of the day and, more importantly, to get to the peak in time to see the spectacular dawn beneath them as it unfolds below them.

This way (El Bashait), which is longer and more difficult, may be ascended at night, either on foot or on the back of a camel.

The climb takes around two and a half hours, and there are several little booths along the route where climbers may purchase food and drink to refuel.

An example of a travel itinerary:

Climbing Moses Mountain (Moses Mountain Climb):

A typical excursion would include leaving Sharm-el-Sheikh in the evening and traveling for around 2 hours to the foot of Mount Sinai, where the journey would end.

We paused after the climb to take in the stunning dawn with sunlight over this biblical valley and the surrounding Mountains.

After that, it’s time to descend and take advantage of the opportunity to visit St Catherine’s Monastery.

Between 527 and 565 CE, the Roman Emperor Justinian had this magnificent holy site built on his orders, and it is still standing today.

Buildings have been constructed around the location where Moses is said to have seen the Burning Bush, as described in the famous Biblical chapter.

The Monastery of Saint Catherine:

Once you have entered the Monastery, you will be witness to some amazing and old pieces of art that are regarded precious both in terms of monetary value and in terms of age, which are housed inside.

Mosaics from Arab countries, icons from Greece and Russia, European oil paintings, and a wide variety of other religious artifacts are among those on display.

It is also renowned for having one of the world’s largest collections of illuminated manuscripts, second only to the Vatican in terms of size.

There are around 5,000 books in a diverse variety of languages from all over the globe.

Even though it is still a functional monastery, visitors are required to show courtesy and respect while they are there.

This simple edifice, which has enormous religious importance, serves as the monastery’s spiritual core. It is the Chapel of the Burning Bush.

The supposed bush itself, a rare variety of the rose family known as Rubus Sanctus, may be seen only a few feet away from the Chapel.

It is also fundamentally a fortress, with massive granite walls erected to safeguard the Monks and their possessions during more violent periods of history.

The most noteworthy aspect of the monastery’s history is that despite the many stormy events that have occurred in its immediate vicinity, both military and religious officials have consistently granted it particular protection and assistance.

Note * Always double-check opening hours before visiting St Catherine’s, since the church is closed on some days of the week.

Additional Attractions in Sinai include:

The Church of St. Catherine’s Monastery is a religious structure in the city of St. Catherine.

A fascinating region that encompasses the monastery and supports an incredible variety of plant and animal life, including species that are found nowhere else on the planet, the St Catherine’s National Park is located nearby.

The Sinai Rose Finch, which originated in Asia, the Ibex, which originated in Europe, as well as the striped Hyena and Tristram’s Grackle, which originated in Africa, all call the mountains home.

Several species are found only in the National Park, including two types of snakes and around twenty plant species, including a lovely local primrose that is found nowhere else in the world.

The Park can maintain its own identity while also enabling people to see its beauties thanks to intelligent management.