Fancy an enchanting overnight hike and an unforgettable sunrise? The Mount Sinai hike in Egypt is attracting more and more visitors, both pilgrims and hiking enthusiasts, but getting there can be tricky from Mainland Egypt.
In this article, we will explain how to get from Cairo to Mount Sinai. We will outline all 5 travel routes you can take to get to the adjacent town of Saint Catherine, show you all the details you need to pay attention to and reveal how to do the actual Mount Sinai hike.
This guide is suited both for those looking to book a tour and those looking to do their trip to Mount Sinai independently.
Key Takeaways
- Group tours from Cairo to Mount Sinai cost around $200 per person and include transportation, guided hike, and sometimes accommodation.
- Flying from Cairo to Sharm El-Sheikh takes about one hour, with flights starting at $56; from there, you continue by bus or private transfer to Mount Sinai.
- Bus travel from Cairo to Mount Sinai costs about 600 EGP (~$20) and takes around 7 hours, offering a budget-friendly option.
- Private transfers cost from $180 per person, offering comfort and flexibility for the 6-7 hour drive. Rental car start from just $ 20 per day, but require good driving skills.
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Where to Stay around Mount Sinai
Planning your trip to Mount Sinai without a tour company? Check out these hotels around Mount Sinai to stay at the night before or the day after:
Saint Catherine | Sheikh Mousa Bedouin Camp | from $ 45 per night | |
Dahab | NEOM Hotel | from $ 125 per night | |
Sharm El-Sheikh | Grand Oasis Resort | from $ 227 per night |
How to Get from Cairo to Mount Sinai
Mount Sinai is a 2,285-meter-tall sacred mountain on the Sinai Peninsula in Egypt. It is a popular destination for both hikers and pilgrims thanks to its religious significance for all three Abrahamic religions. It is believed that Moses received the Ten Commandments atop of this very mountain.
Mount Sinai can be accessed via the adjacent village of Saint Catherine. To get there, you can either book a Mount Sinai tour or travel independently by plane, bus, private transfer or rental car. In the following sections, we will sketch out each travel route and share important factors you need to consider.
By Joining a Mount Sinai Tour: The All-Inclusive Option
Booking a group tour from Cairo to Mount Sinai is the most worry-free option for visiting Mount Sinai. Simply book a group tour with an agency in Cairo or directly on GetYourGuide and let the tour provider worry about the details. Prices for these all-inclusive packages start from $ 200 (176 €) per person.
The average Mount Sinai tour starts in Cairo around noon or in the afternoon, depending on the itinerary you pick. From there, a mini bus will take you to the village of Saint Catherine. The trip there covers around 450 kilometres and takes around 6 hours, with possible delays at the Suez checkpoint.
In Saint Catherine, you will do the Mount Sinai hike with a local Bedouin guide overnight to witness the sunrise the next morning and visit Saint Catherine’s Monastery after. After your visit to the monastery, the mini bus will take you back to Cairo. Some Mount Sinai tours also include an overnight stay in a hotel in Saint Catherine.
By Plane via Sharm El-Sheikh: The Fast(ish) Option
Prefer travelling independently? Skip the group tour from Cairo and travel to the Sinai Peninsula by yourself. From Cairo, you can travel to Mount Sinai by plane via Sharm El-Sheikh. Book a direct flight from Cairo to Sharm El-Sheikh and continue your journey overland from there.
A direct flight from Cairo International Airport (CAI) to Sharm El-Sheikh International Airport (SSH) with Nile Air takes just one hour with tickets costing as little as $ 56 (49 €) per person. From Sharm El-Sheikh Airport, you need to continue overland by bus or private transfer. For a cheaper bus transfer to Saint Catherine, you need transfer in Dahab. A private transfer is more expensive, but much faster.
For the time being, taking a flight to Mount Sinai is not much faster than taking a bus or taxi, if at all. In the future, though, air travel times to Mount Sinai will be drastically reduced to just one hour thanks to the expansion of Saint Catherine International Airport (SKV), though it’s not clear when it will be completed.
By Bus: The Cheapest Option
Why take a plane to Sharm El-Sheikh, if you’re not going to save a lot of time anyways? Wouldn’t you rather save a lot of money, while spending about the same time travelling? From Cairo, two bus companies currently service the Cairo-Saint Catherine route: Bus Misr and East Delta Travel.
Currently, Bus Misr operates two daily connections between Cairo and Saint Catherine, one departing around 6 AM and one departing around 9 AM. The bus ride to Mount Sinai takes around 7 hours and costs 600 EGP per person. For East Delta Travel we couldn’t find any current routes online, though the bus company claims to be serving the route.
For Bus Misr, simply book your bus tickets on the official Bus Misr website. Choose Abd El Moneim Road Station (close to Tahrir Square) as your departure station and Saint Catherine as your destine. For East Delta Travel, check for availability at El Torgoman Bus Station (close to Downtown Cairo) in person at the company’s ticket stand.
If all else fails, you can also check with GoBus, if you can drop at Saint Catherine, because they usually do a longer stop at the Saint Catherine checkpoint on some of their Cairo-Dahab connections.
By Private Transfer: The Comfortable Option
Booking a private transfer is both the fastest and the most comfortable option for travelling from Cairo to Mount Sinai. Private transfer companies offer direct rides from Cairo International Airport (CAI) or your hotel in Cairo to Saint Catherine in sedans or mini buses starting from $ 180 (160 €) per person.
If you opt for the private transfer, a private car will pick you up at your desired location, without you having to get to the bus station or airport first. The taxi ride to Saint Catherine will take around 6 hours, with only a short delay at the Suez checkpoint. In Saint Catherine, the driver you drop you off directly at your hotel or the Saint Catherine Visitor Center.
If you are looking for a cheaper option, you can search for an intercity ride from Cairo to Saint Catherine on the InDrive app. Rather than professional transfer companies, private drivers can offer their rides on the ride-sharing app, often at much lower prices than transfer companies (closer to $ 50). Make sure, though, to agree on all the details with the driver to avoid any confusion on the day of the ride.
By Rental Car: The Flexible Option
Instead of a private driver, you can also rent a private car and do the 6 hours drive from Cairo to Mount Sinai by yourself. At Cairo International Airport (CAI), you can find all the international rental car companies you know and love offering rental cars with a full insurance package and zero deductible for as little as $ 20 (or 18 €) per day.
Before renting a car in Egypt, consider that driving in Cairo is very chaotic with situational awareness being much more important than traffic rules. Outside of Cairo, driving is much more relaxed though. Egypt’s highways are in good condition and not too packed. Around Suez, you need to stop at the police checkpoint. On the Sinai Peninsula, road conditions are slightly worse and more checkpoints are possible.
From Cairo Airport, the road trip to Mount Sinai covers about 450 kilometres and takes around 6 hours without stops. There are plenty of gas stations along the way for you to refuel and stock up on drinks and snacks. In Egypt, gasoline prices are set between 20 EGP and 24 EGP depending on the fuel you choose, which converts to roughly 0.34 € per litre or $ 1.46 per gallon. Yes, you read that right.
On the IDP: Legally, you are required to have an International Driving Permit (IDP) when driving in Egypt as a foreigner. In reality, nobody seems to check it, though. If you want to be extra-sure, get one before your flight to Egypt.
How to Visit Mount Sinai and St. Catherine’s Monastery without a Tour
Most transportation options outlined above will leave you either at the Saint Catherine Visitor Centre or at the Saint Catherine Military Checkpoint some kilometres out of town. From there, you need to arrange for transport to your hotel or the Saint Catherine Visitor Centre, if you are planning to hike on the same day.
For the Mount Sinai hike itself, you will need to get a local Bedouin guide. Getting a guide to climb Mount Sinai is mandatory, both for security reasons and to provide work for the local Bedouin community. You can either reach out to local tour providers to arrange a guide for you beforehand or simply find one to guide you on the spot at the Saint Catherine Visitor Centre.
If you want to see the sunrise on top of Mount Sinai, you should start your hike around 2 AM. The hike itself takes around 3 hours and hiking groups usually do lots of stops along the way to enjoy the view. The earlier you arrive, the more money you will spend on rented blankets and hot beverages just below the summit, since it gets very cold at night. Ideally, you should reach Mount Sinai’s summit around 5 AM.
Where to Stay around Mount Sinai, Egypt
From Cairo, you can easily do the Mount Sinai hike without an overnight stay in a hotel. Simply travel directly to the Mount Sinai Visitor Center, embark on your overnight hike and travel back to Cairo the next morning. If you prefer to stay overnight, though, these are your options:
- Saint Catherine: In Saint Catherine itself, there are some hotels and Bedouin camps accommodating both hikers and pilgrims. Staying in Saint Catherine puts you closest to Mount Sinai, though, the town of Saint Catherine offer fewer amenities and other activities. An overnight stay at Sheikh Mousa Bedouin Camp, for example, can cost as little as $ 45 per night, including breakfast.
- Dahab: Staying in Dahab instead of Saint Catherine has many advantages. Dahab is still fairly close to Saint Catherine, with the transfer taking about 2 hours, but larger more accommodating to visitors and more budget-friendly. Lodging at a hotel in Dahab, such as the NEOM Hotel, is much better, if you want to spend more time on the Sinai Peninsula and do other activities like the Blue Hole, too.
- Sharm El-Sheikh: Additionally, there are plenty of tour companies offering Mount Sinai tours from Sharm El-Sheikh. You can simply book your tour online, travel to Sharm El-Sheikh one day before and stay in a comfortable resort such as the Grand Oasis Resort before embarking on your treacherous hike. On the next morning, you will be dropped off at the comfort of your hotel again.
Saint Catherine | Sheikh Mousa Bedouin Camp | starting from $ 45 per night | |
Dahab | NEOM Hotel | starting from $ 125 per night | |
Sharm El-Sheikh | Grand Oasis Resort | starting from $ 227 per night |
Watch out: During peak tourist season, the few hotels and camps in Saint Catherine can sell out fast. Book your accommodation early or stay in Dahab instead.
The Bottom Line
Getting to from Cairo to Mount Sinai is easiest, if you join a guided group tour in Cairo. However, joining a tour is not a must. If you prefer travelling independently, you can hire a private transfer for the most convenient way or simply rent your own private car for the trip to Mount Sinai to travel on your own pace.
If you are on a budget, on the other hand, a Misr Bus will take you there from Cairo for just 600 EGP each way. In Saint Cathrine, you can either join an organised group hike to Mount Sinai or simply show up at the Saint Catherine Visitor Center and find a Bedouin guide there to guide you to the top.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I take a trip to Mount Sinai from Cairo?
Yes, you can absolutely take a trip to Mount Sinai from Cairo. A Mount Sinai trip from Cairo usually takes two days, including two 5-hour rides and an overnight hike to see the sunrise at the summit of Mt. Sinai. You can easily book a Mount Sinai tour on GetYourGuide.
How far is Cairo from Mount Sinai?
In driving distance, Cairo is about 450 kilometres away from Mount Sinai, or the adjacent town of Saint Catherine. Along the way, there are multiple military checkpoint, the biggest of which being the Suez checkpoint, which is why this ride will take you around 5, if not 6 hours.
Can tourists visit Mount Sinai?
Yes, tourists can freely visit Mount Sinai. For the most uncomplicated experience, most tourists book a tour to Mount Sinai from Cairo. If you prefer travelling independently, it is possible, too. Also, note that hiring a guide for the Mount Sinai hike is mandatory.
How far is Mount Sinai from Egypt?
Mount Sinai, the sacred mountain where Moses received the Ten Commandments, is located in Egypt. The exact location of the mountain is next to the village of Saint Catherine and Saint Catherine’s Monastery on the Sinai Peninsula.
Hey! We are glad you are curious about travelling the Middle East.
We are Nancy & Elias.
Over four years of backpacking and digital nomading made us fall in love with the Middle East. We have lived on the Red Sea coast in Egypt, lived in a Bedouin Camp in Jordan and travelled 6+ Middle Eastern countries overland.
As we continue to travel, we share our battle-tested travels advice on this blog, from travel reports and transfer guides to accommodation recs and saving hacks.
