Al-Gabal al-Ahmar – The Red Mountain of Sinai
Among the granite giants of Sinai's high mountain region, Al-Gabal al-Ahmar — The Red Mountain — stands out for its color and its commanding views. Its slopes of iron-rich granite glow crimson at dawn and dusk, earning it a place not just in maps, but in Bedouin memory and story. The Mountain and Its Landscape Located near Saint Catherine, Al-Gabal al-Ahmar rises alongside other iconic peaks like Mount Sinai and Jebel Katherina. Its reddish cliffs and dome-like ridges mark it out from the black volcanic rock of nearby summits. From the top, hikers can see across the Sinai highlands: Mount [...]
Light Hike in Wadi Al-Arbaeen
Wadi Al-Arbaeen is a soft, generous valley — the kind of place where time loosens. The trail is gentle, woven through smooth granite, seasonal pools, and clusters of desert shrubs. It's perfect for those who want to walk without hurry and feel the presence of the mountains without the strain of a summit. Bring a light snack, good shoes, and a sense of curiosity. You may meet a shepherd, hear the wind catch in the rocks, or find a quiet corner for reflection. For families, this valley is an ideal introduction to the landscape. We can arrange a local guide [...]
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. At about 1,980 meters above sea level, this mountain is remembered less for its views and more for the legends woven into its name — tales of courage, sacrifice, and the yearning for freedom. The Mountain and Its Trail The path to Gabal al-Banat begins in the valleys near Saint Catherine. It winds past Bedouin orchards, acacia groves, and springs before rising gently into the granite domes of the highlands. [...]
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 — a natural cathedral carved over millennia by wind and water. But to the Bedouin tribes of Sinai, this canyon is more than geology. It is a passage of memory, where stories and survival are written in stone. A Natural Masterpiece Stretching about 800 meters long and rising up to 40 meters high, the canyon is the result of ancient floods and erosion that carved through limestone and [...]
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, crowned by the crumbling ruins of an unfinished palace built for an Egyptian ruler who never saw it completed. The Story of Abbas Pasha and His Palace In the mid-19th century, Khedive Abbas Pasha, ruler of Egypt, sought to build a retreat atop one of Sinai's highest peaks. Some say it was for his health—he suffered from asthma and longed for the clean mountain air. Others [...]
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. Carved by time, water, and wind, this narrow passage twists and turns through layers of colored rock, creating an experience that is part hike, part exploration, and part adventure. What is the Closed Canyon? The Closed Canyon is a narrow slot canyon, similar in feel to the more famous Colored Canyon near Nuweiba, but quieter and more intimate. Its sandstone walls rise high overhead, sometimes narrowing so much that [...]