Mt. Sinai

Mount Sinai — known in Arabic as Jabal Musa, meaning the Mountain of Moses — rises to 2,285 metres in Egypt’s southern Sinai Peninsula and carries profound religious significance for Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. According to Biblical and Quranic tradition, this is the site where Moses received the Ten Commandments from God, and the mountain has drawn continuous pilgrimage from all three monotheistic faiths for well over 1,500 years.

• St. Catherine’s Monastery at the mountain’s base has operated without interruption since the 6th century CE.
• A small mosque and a Greek Orthodox chapel both stand at the summit, reflecting the mountain’s multi-faith significance.
• Two distinct ascent routes exist: the longer camel path and the steep Steps of Repentance (approximately 3,750 stone steps).

Most visitors time their ascent to arrive at the summit at dawn — a profoundly atmospheric experience as the rocky Sinai wilderness gradually illuminates with extraordinary light in every direction. The camel path takes two to three hours at a steady pace, while the Steps of Repentance provide a shorter but more demanding direct climb from a junction point. Cold winds at the summit can be severe even during summer nights, requiring warm layers regardless of valley temperatures below. St. Catherine’s Monastery, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, houses a remarkable collection of early Christian icons, manuscripts, and what tradition identifies as the original burning bush of Exodus, still flourishing in the monastery garden.