Spiritual · South Sinai
Mount Sinai
A granite peak of about 2,285 m near Saint Catherine, sacred to Muslims, Christians and Jews and traditionally identified as where Moses received the Ten Commandments.
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The story
Jebel Musa is the most widely venerated candidate for the biblical Mount Sinai, though scholars still debate the exact location of the scriptural mountain. Many Christians have identified it as the place since about the third century, and hermits gathered in the area in early Christian times. In the sixth century the Byzantine emperor Justinian ordered Saint Catherine's Monastery to be built at its foot, among the oldest continuously inhabited monasteries in the world. In 2002 UNESCO inscribed the Saint Catherine Area, including the monastery and the mountain, on the World Heritage List. Today a small chapel and a mosque stand on the summit.
Good to know
- The summit stands about 2,285 m (7,497 ft) above sea level.
- The stone Steps of Repentance number roughly 3,750 (some sources say closer to 4,000) and are traditionally said to have been laid by a single monk as penance.
- An easier camel trail also leads up; both routes meet at Elijah's Basin, roughly 300 m below the summit.
- Saint Catherine's Monastery at the foot dates to the sixth century under Justinian and is regarded as one of the oldest continuously inhabited Christian monasteries.
- The Saint Catherine Area joined UNESCO's World Heritage List in 2002 and is sacred to all three Abrahamic faiths.
Visiting tips
The classic plan is to start climbing around midnight so you reach the summit for sunrise; allow roughly two to four hours up depending on the route, and about two hours down. Go with a licensed Bedouin guide, wear warm layers and sturdy footwear, and carry a torch, as the summit is cold and windy and temperatures can approach freezing. Camels help only on the easier part of the trail, so the final steps are on foot; keep the mountain clean and quiet out of respect for pilgrims. Afterwards you can visit Saint Catherine's Monastery in modest dress covering shoulders and knees; its visiting window is short and in the morning, so check before visiting.