Tour itinerary

Day 1 Arrive
Fly from London to Sharm el Sheikh. We are met at the airport by our guide and modern coach. We drive north to Sinai’s beautiful sandstone desert area, to a sheltered valley where we spend the first night. Enjoy supper or sweet Bedouin tea and biscuits or around the camp fire, depending on what time we arrive. O/n under the stars.

Day 2 Acclimatisation in the desert
A relaxed start to the day, with time to adjust to your new surroundings. We have tea with the family of Sheikh Hamid, an old friend and sheikh of the local Bedouin tribe. There is an optional desert walk along the beautiful White Canyon towards the lush green oasis of Ayn Khudra. The oasis lies on the ancient pilgrim route from Jerusalem to St Catherine’s Monastery, many early pilgrim rock inscriptions are still visible along the way. O/n under the stars.

Days 3-5 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 at first hand the way of traditional desert travel, the ever-changing desert scenery and their warm hospitality. We visit the Nawamis, early Bronze Age burial chambers dating from before 3,000 BC, and trek through Gebel Matamir, a beautiful area of soft golden sandstone hills eroded over time into delicate patterns. Each day we discover more of this area, as we trek with the Bedouin along desert valleys and canyons, over hills and sand dunes, and past scattered Bedouin encampments and oases. The views changing constantly. In the evening there is time to relax around the camp fire, enjoying the remarkable desert night skies and cups of hot, sweet tea with the Bedouin. O/n each night under the stars

Note: Each member of the group has their own trekking camel which also carries their luggage. The saddles are well padded and comfortable.

Day 6 Mount Sinai
We drive to the mountains and have the day to explore Mount Sinai and the surrounding area. We walk gently up the mountain, following the old camel path for two thirds of the way and then climb the ancient pilgrim steps to the summit. The summit is marked by a small chapel and mosque. There are panoramic views of the surrounding desert and mountains. Beneath the summit lies Elijah’s Plateau with its small Byzantine chapels and hermitages found around Mt Sinai. We rest here before following the pilgrim steps all the way down the mountain to the great Byzantine Monastery of St Catherine’s at its base, where we will spend the night. O/n St Catherine's Monastery Guesthouse

Day 7 St. Catherine's Monastery
In the morning we visit the Monastery, built by the Emperor Justinian in the sixth century. Its original towering walls, to protect the first Christian communities from marauding desert tribes, still stand. Today the Monastery houses one of the world's most famous collections of Early Christian art and some of the most rare and beautiful icons are on view within the Basilica Church. We then visit the local village of St Catherine for lunch, before travelling to the coast and our hotel on the Red Sea. The hotel is quiet and comfortable with its own beach. O/n 4* hotel on the Red Sea

Day 8 Red Sea Coast
A final morning to relax at the hotel and we then depart to the airport.


Tour Leaders: Will and Liz Van Tromp

Picture gallery
Camel Trek	'Listen' to the quietness	Getting ready for the trek
Visit St. Catherine Monastery	Walk the sand dunes	Camel trek

Are you interested in this tour?
	+44 1865 315 441
	info@smaugabroad.com
	Smaug Abroad Ltd., The Lodge, Bardwell Road, Oxford, OX2 6SS
	Fill in booking form and post it.