Tour itinerary

Day 1 Depart
Depart from London. Arrive in Sharm el Sheikh. We are met at the airport by our local guide and our 4-wheel drive vehicles. We have a short drive into the desert to our campsite in a sheltered wadi (valley). Depending on the time of the flight we either have dinner or tea around the campfire. O/n under the stars

Day 2 Visit the Oasis of Ayun Khudra
A gentle start to the day with time to acclimatise to our new surroundings. We drive north towards Sinai’s beautiful sandstone desert area. We stop for tea with the family of Sheikh Hamid, head of the local Bedouin tribe and an old friend. After tea we begin our desert walk along the White Canyon, a beautiful, winding sandstone canyon that leads towards the great oasis of Ayun Khudra. We enjoy a picnic lunch and a chance to explore the oasis, before continuing our walk. We follow a wide canyon towards the Rock of Inscriptions, sandstone with carvings that date back as far as the 1st century. We have a short drive to our campsite before dinner around the fire and a chance to enjoy the desert night skies. O/n under the stars

Day 3 Mount Sinai
In the morning, we drive to Sinai’s High Mountain Region to begin our climb up Mount Sinai. We follow either the winding camel path or the ancient pilgrim steps to the garden of Elijah, a small green plateau approximately two thirds of the way up. There is a small chapel on the plateau, built over the cave where it is believed Elijah sheltered when he fled to the mountain. We enjoy a picnic lunch before continuing up the pilgrim steps to the summit of the mountain. We arrive at the top and spend time resting and taking in the stunning views of the desert and mountains that stretch away into the distance. After enjoying the magnificent scenery we descend the mountain to St Catherine’s Monastery Guesthouse and have a chance to relax and shower before dinner. O/n St Catherine's Monastery Guesthouse

Day 4 Visit St Catherine’s Monastery
We visit the great Monastery of St Catherine’s, founded in the sixth century by the Emperor Justinian. The original towering monastery walls, built to protect the monks from marauding tribes, still stand. Inside we can visit the magnificent Basilica church and see some of the many rare and beautiful icons that form part of the Monastery’s world famous collection of Early Christian art. A visit to the local Bedouin village of St Catherine’s before we return to the beautiful sandstone desert area. An afternoon desert walk before dinner around the campfire and another chance to watch the brilliant desert night skies. O/n under the stars

Day 5 – 6 Camel Trek
Late evening and early morning, members of the local Bedouin tribe and their camels arrive at our camp. The trek is a unique opportunity to travel with the Bedouin through their desert lands, experiencing desert life at first hand; the traditional pace desert travel, the ever-changing desert scenery and the warm hospitality of the Bedouin. We trek with the Bedouin through beautiful desert areas: golden sandstone cliffs; huge sand dunes; narrow winding canyons; long sandy valleys dotted with acacia trees and scattered Bedouin encampments. Along the route there are ancient sites and rock inscriptions such as the Nawamis, Bronze Age burial chambers, a testament to the many people who have travelled across Sinai through the centuries. In the evening there is time to relax around the campfire, playing games and singing songs with the Bedouin and enjoying the desert night skies. O/n each night under the stars

Note: Each member of the group has their own trekking camel. The saddles are well padded and comfortable. There are frequent stops for tea, places of interest and rest (and stretch) breaks.

Day 7 Morning Trek, and Afternoon Swim
After one last desert morning we transfer to the Gulf of Aqaba for an afternoon of swimming, snorkelling and a chance to shower! The hotel is quiet and comfortable with its own beach and coral close to the shore. O/n 4* Hotel, Nuweiba

Day 8 Swimming, Snorkelling in the Red Sea & Departure
Depending on the time of our flight, we have a final morning for swimming and snorkelling before an early lunch in Nuweiba village and our return journey to the airport in Sharm el Sheikh for the flight home.


Tour Leader(s):

Useful Information

Clothing
Men should wear long or short sleeved shirts and long trousers. Jeans are quite acceptable.

Women’s clothing must aim to disguise the shape of her body and only flesh on hands and face should be left showing. A long sleeved, loose shirt over trousers or a long skirt would be ideal. A headscarf is compulsory but it can be colourful and patterned if you wish.

Are you interested in this tour?
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	Smaug Abroad Ltd., The Lodge, Bardwell Road, Oxford, OX2 6SS