How the overnight Mount Sinai sunrise climb from Sharm El Sheikh works: the two routes up, how long it takes, what to wear, visas and St Catherine's Monastery hours.
Watching the sun rise from the top of Mount Sinai is one of the great experiences of a Sharm holiday. It is also a long night, a real climb and a cold summit. This guide explains how the trip works, so you know exactly what you are signing up for.
Where it is
Mount Sinai rises to 2,285 m in the mountains of southern Sinai, next to the town of St Catherine. Muslims know it as Jebel Musa, and the mountain is sacred to Muslims, Christians and Jews. Together with St Catherine's Monastery, it forms part of the Saint Catherine Area, a UNESCO World Heritage site since 2002. St Catherine's Monastery is about 208 km from Naama Bay, around three hours by road.
How the night works
Sunrise trips leave Sharm late in the evening. You reach the foot of the mountain after midnight and start climbing in the dark, so that you are at the top before dawn. After sunrise you walk down. Our trip then visits St Catherine's Monastery, when it is open, and returns to Sharm by early afternoon. A guide is mandatory on the mountain.
The two routes up
- The camel path (Siket El Bashait) is longer and gentler. It takes about 2.5 hours on foot, and camels can carry you most of the way.
- The Steps of Penitence (Siket Sayidna Musa) is a steep path of about 3,750 stone steps up the ravine behind the monastery.
On our trip you can take a camel for the way up.
How hard is it?
You need to be reasonably fit and comfortable walking for several hours on uneven ground in the dark. Take your time: the summit is high, and the UK Foreign Office notes that altitude sickness is a risk in parts of Egypt. If you have heart or breathing problems, talk to a doctor before you book.
What to wear and bring
- Warm layers. Nights in the mountains are cold, especially in winter, when the area can even see snow. A hat and gloves help at the summit.
- Good walking shoes with grip.
- A torch or head torch.
- Water and a snack.
- Small notes for tips.
- Clothes that cover shoulders and knees, if you will visit the monastery.
St Catherine's Monastery
Built between 548 and 565 on the orders of the Byzantine emperor Justinian, St Catherine's is the oldest Christian monastery still used for its original purpose. Its official opening hours are 8:45 to 12:45, except Fridays, when it opens only from 10:30 to 11:30. It is closed on Sundays, so check the day of your trip.
In July 2026 UNESCO asked Egypt to keep building works in the St Catherine area on hold and to speed up its visitor management plan. No closures or new entry rules have been announced.
Do I need a visa?
The free Sinai entry stamp you get at Sharm airport covers only Sharm El Sheikh, Dahab, Nuweiba and Taba, according to both the UK and German foreign offices. To be safe, get a full visa before a trip to St Catherine. Your tour company can tell you what it needs from you, and our visa checker explains the options.
Climb with Sharm Connect
- Mount Sinai overnight: sunrise at the summit
- St Catherine's Monastery: full-day cultural tour
- Egypt visa checker
- Things to do in Sharm El Sheikh
Sources
- Saint Catherine Area, UNESCO World Heritage List: whc.unesco.org
- UNESCO decision 48 COM 7B.4 (July 2026): whc.unesco.org
- Mount Sinai height, routes and guides, Wikipedia (29 September 2026): wikipedia.org
- St Catherine's Monastery, history and opening hours, Egypt's Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities: egymonuments.gov.eg
- Altitude sickness, UK Foreign Office health advice (updated 4 August 2026): gov.uk
- Sinai entry stamp, UK Foreign Office (updated 4 August 2026): gov.uk
- Sinai entry stamp, German Foreign Office: auswaertiges-amt.de
- Driving distance: OpenStreetMap routing (OSRM), measured from Naama Bay on 11 October 2026
