Experience

Short, beautiful reads to guide your time in the valley and beyond.

A Slow Lunch on Sacred Land

The Dar Katrine Sufra

There are experiences that fill you, and others that settle into you. The Dar Katrine Sufra belongs to the second kind. It is a long, unhurried lunch served in the heart of the house, in the courtyard where sunlight lingers on natural stone.

Sacred Heritage

Saint Catherine's Monastery – A Sacred Place and Its Bedouin Guardians

In the valley beneath Mount Sinai, the stone walls of Saint Catherine's Monastery rise like a fortress against the desert. For nearly fifteen centuries, monks have prayed here, copied manuscripts, and guarded relics.

Natural Gateway

Bab al-Dunya – Walking Through the Gate of the World

In the heart of Sinai's high mountains lies a trail that feels like a passage between worlds: Bab al-Dunya. Meaning 'The Gate of the World' in Arabic, this hike offers sweeping views and a profound sense of stepping into a landscape shaped by time and legend.

Pilgrimage and Sunrise

Mount Mousa (Mount Sinai) – Hiking the Sacred Mountain

Rising above the rocky highlands of South Sinai at 2,285 meters, Mount Mousa is not just a peak; it is a pilgrimage, a journey woven with history, spirituality, and breathtaking natural beauty.

Coastal Heritage

Dahab – Between Sea, Desert, and Bedouin Soul

Where the rugged Sinai mountains meet the deep blue of the Gulf of Aqaba lies Dahab, a town whose name means 'gold' in Arabic. Once a quiet Bedouin fishing village, Dahab has become a global hub for divers, backpackers, and desert travelers.

Tribal Heritage

Meeting the Jebeliya: How One Act of Kindness Shaped My Relationship With Saint Catherine

The Jebeliya tribe, whose name means 'the people of the mountain', have lived for more than fourteen centuries in the highlands of Sinai. This is also the story of how I came to know them, and how the kindness of one man showed me the true heart of this tribe.

Desert Oasis

Al Galt al-Azra' – The Blue Pool of Sinai

Tucked deep in the high mountains of Saint Catherine lies Al Galt al-Azra', or 'The Blue Pool.' Hidden among granite cliffs, this small natural pool glows with shades of turquoise and sapphire, a rare oasis in the heart of the desert.

Natural Wonder

The Closed Canyon – Sinai's Hidden Labyrinth

Far from the crowded paths of Mount Mousa, hidden among the sandstone mountains north of Saint Catherine, lies a natural wonder that feels like stepping into another world: the Closed Canyon.

Historic Ruins

Jebel Abbas Basha – The Mountain of a Forgotten Palace

Perched high above Saint Catherine at 2,381 meters, Jebel Abbas Basha is more than just another summit in the Sinai highlands. It is a mountain with a story: a tale of ambition, struggle, and mystery.

Natural Art

The Colored Canyon – Sinai's Painted Passage and the Bedouin Who Walk It

Not far from the laid-back coastal village of Nuweiba, the desert opens into a hidden wonder: the Colored Canyon. Its twisting sandstone walls shimmer in layers of red, gold, violet, and amber.

Legends of Freedom

Gabal al-Banat – The Mountain of the Girls

Rising quietly in the high mountains of Sinai, Gabal al-Banat (Mount of the Girls) is not the tallest peak, nor the most famous. But it may be the most storied.