The hook
The mountain where, by tradition, Moses received the Ten Commandments, climbed through the night by pilgrims and travellers to watch the sun rise over a sea of bare peaks, with one of the world's oldest monasteries at its foot.
01Why it's worth it
Mount Sinai holds deep meaning for Jews, Christians, and Muslims alike as the place where Moses is said to have received the law from God, and climbing it has been a pilgrimage for many centuries. The usual way is to set out in the small hours, up the camel path or the steep "steps of penitence," to reach the summit for dawn, when the sun breaks over an ocean of jagged desert mountains, cold, quiet, and genuinely moving whatever your beliefs. At the base sits St Catherine's Monastery, built in the 6th century around the traditional site of the burning bush and among the oldest continuously operating Christian monasteries in the world, its fortress walls guarding priceless ancient icons and manuscripts. The Bedouin of the region guide the climbs. The Sinai's security situation has varied, so current travel advice is worth checking, but the St Catherine area is the traditional heart of the pilgrimage.
02How to experience it
Climb overnight with a Bedouin guide to reach the summit for sunrise, dressing warmly for the cold and dark, and descend to visit St Catherine's Monastery and its icons in the morning. Check current travel advisories for the Sinai before planning. Treat it as the sacred pilgrimage site it is for several faiths.