GUNUNG · Mesir

Mount Sinai

Mount Sinai (Jabal Mūsā / جبل موسى — "Gunung Musa")

Information

Elevation: 2.285 m
Country: Mesir (EG)
Location / Range: Southern Sinai Mountains — Saint Katherine Protectorate, near Saint Catherine's Monastery
Mountain type: Granite/metamorphic rock peak in the southern Sinai Mountains (non-volcanic)
Volcanic?: No (non-volcanic)
Coordinates: 28.5394, 33.9754
Difficulty: Moderate; a non-technical night climb via the Camel Path, or the steeper Steps of Repentance
Best Season: Year-round; busiest for watching the sunrise. Nights are very cold at the summit, especially in winter (Nov–Mar)
Permits & Rules: Within the Saint Katherine protected area; climbers are generally required to be accompanied by a local Bedouin guide and often go in night tour groups
Hazards: Cold & wind at the summit before dawn, dark trail, steep slippery stone steps, large crowds, dehydration, falling rocks on the stairs section

Description

Mount Sinai (Jabal Mūsā, "Mount of Moses") is a roughly 2,285 m peak in the south of Egypt's Sinai Peninsula and one of several places that the three Abrahamic traditions associate with Moses receiving the Ten Commandments. It rises within the Saint Katherine Protectorate, next to Mount Catherine (mainland Egypt's highest point) and Saint Catherine's Monastery at its foot. The draw is less the altitude than the ritual of climbing through the night to meet sunrise from the summit. Two classic routes serve it: the gentler, winding "Camel Path" (Siket El Bashait), used by most night tours and rideable in part by camel before the final ~750 steps; and the "Steps of Repentance," some 3,750 monk-hewn stone steps that are steeper but offer the finest views. Cold summit temperatures, crowds and a dark trail mean a local Bedouin guide almost always accompanies the hike.

Gallery

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

Routes

Camel Path (Siket El Bashait)

Sedang; jalur lebar berkelok, non-teknis (sebagian dapat ditempuh dengan unta)

~2,5–3 jam (naik)

The most popular route for the night ascent to sunrise. A gentle, winding track from behind Saint Catherine's Monastery; part of it can be done on camelback before joining the final ~750 stone steps to the summit. Cold and dark before dawn, so a head torch and warm layers matter.

Source

Tangga Pertobatan (Steps of Repentance / Siket Sayidna Musa)

Berat; sekitar 3.750 anak tangga batu yang curam (tidak disarankan dalam gelap)

~1,5–2,5 jam (naik)

The original direct route, a monk-hewn stone staircase of about 3,750 steps behind Saint Catherine's Monastery. Steeper and more tiring than the Camel Path but with the best views; safer climbed in daylight. Often used for the descent after sunrise.

Source

Climbing Experiences

Climbing Mount Sinai is almost always done before dawn to reach the summit for sunrise. Most hikers take the gentle Camel Path from Saint Catherine's Monastery, then the final ~750 steps; some ascend the steeper Steps of Repentance. The sources below include first-person vlogs of the night ascent to sunrise, footage of the trail and steps, and written trip reports with practical tips and Bedouin-guide logistics.

References

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