GUNUNG · Mesir

Gabal Sha'ib El Banat

جبل شايب البنات (Jabal Shāyib al-Banāt) — 'Gunung Rambut Uban Para Gadis'

Information

Elevation: 2.187 m
Country: Mesir (EG)
Location / Range: Perbukitan Laut Merah (Red Sea Hills) / Gurun Timur, Kegubernuran Laut Merah — hub utama Red Sea Mountain Trail
Mountain type: Puncak masif granit/batuan dasar Prakambrium (Perbukitan Laut Merah / Gurun Timur), non-vulkanik
Volcanic?: No (non-volcanic)
Coordinates: 26.9774, 33.4895
Difficulty: Berat non-teknis→scrambling mountaineering (pendakian 2 hari dengan bagian curam & terekspos; wajib pemandu Bedouin)
Best Season: Musim sejuk (± Oktober–April) — hindari panas ekstrem musim panas gurun
Permits & Rules: Wajib pemandu Bedouin dari suku Ma'aza (klan Khushmaan) yang mengelola Red Sea Mountain Trail; perlu izin/koordinasi bermalam
Hazards: Gurun terpencil, panas ekstrem & air terbatas, scrambling terekspos di tebing-tebing tajam (unta tak bisa lewat), butuh navigasi & logistik mandiri

Description

Gabal Sha'ib El Banat (2,187 m) is the highest peak of mainland Egypt — the highest outside the Sinai Peninsula, where Mount Catherine is higher — and the highest point of the Red Sea Hills in the Eastern Desert. It rises about 40 km from the Red Sea coast, between the cities of Hurghada and Safaga, in the heartland of the Ma'aza Bedouin. The mountain is the first hub of the Red Sea Mountain Trail, mainland Egypt's first long-distance hiking route (~170 km), designed and guided by the Khushmaan clan to preserve their nomadic heritage. Reaching the summit is no gentle walk: the route demands continuous scrambling with several steep, exposed steps, so it is usually done over two days and suits only fit hikers used to rocky terrain. From the top, views stretch to the tablelands of the Nile Valley and, far off, the summits of the Sinai. Despite its prominence, it remains seldom climbed.

Gallery

Foto bersumber dari Wikimedia Commons — klik untuk memperbesar & lihat sumbernya.

Routes

Akses dari Hurghada / Safaga menuju Gurun Timur

Berat (ekspedisi gurun berpemandu)

Multi-hari (termasuk perjalanan darat ke titik awal)

The usual approach begins from the coastal cities of Hurghada or Safaga (~40 km from the summit), driving inland into the Eastern Desert to start the trek. It is best timed for the cool season to avoid extreme heat; all water, camping and navigation logistics are handled with the local Bedouin guides.

Source

Pendakian 2 hari via hub Jebel Shayib (Red Sea Mountain Trail)

Berat — scrambling berkelanjutan, beberapa langkah curam & terekspos

~2 hari (bermalam di kaki gunung, serangan puncak sehari penuh)

The main route starts from the Jebel Shayib hub on the Red Sea Mountain Trail: approach and camp at the mountain's foot, then a full day tackling the summit's sharp crags up and down while carrying your own water and food, since camels cannot negotiate the terrain. It demands continuous scrambling and suits only fit hikers; a Ma'aza Bedouin guide is required.

Source

Climbing Experiences

Because Gabal Sha'ib El Banat is rarely climbed, its real sources are major travel-media coverage, the official Red Sea Mountain Trail site, operator notes and personal travel blogs — all describing a two-day, Bedouin-guided scrambling ascent.

References

The summary above is compiled from the following sources. Click to explore them yourself.