1 day
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Unlimited
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The St Catherine Monastery tour from Sharm El Sheikh is a full-day trip into the high mountains of South Sinai to visit one of the oldest working monasteries in the world, followed by lunch and free time in the seaside town of Dahab. Pickup is around 05:30, you’re back at your hotel at about 17:00, and there’s no prepayment: you pay in cash on the day.
The tour runs Monday to Saturday, prices start from €35 per person, and children under 6 join for free. It’s a daytime trip with no night climb, so it works for families, older travelers and anyone who wants to see the monastery properly without losing a night’s sleep.
St Catherine’s Monastery sits at 1,570 meters at the foot of Mount Sinai, in a narrow valley between Mount Sinai (2,285 m) and Mount Catherine (2,629 m), the highest peak in Egypt. According to tradition, Empress Helena had a small chapel built here in the 4th century at the site of the Burning Bush. Between 527 and 565 AD, the Byzantine Emperor Justinian surrounded it with the massive granite walls that still stand today.
Greek Orthodox monks have lived and prayed inside those walls ever since, which makes it one of the oldest continuously working monasteries in the world. It’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a sacred place for Christians, Jews and Muslims alike, all of whom connect this valley with the story of Moses.
The drive is part of the experience. You leave the Red Sea coast behind and climb into a landscape of red and grey granite mountains, wide sandy wadis and small Bedouin settlements, a side of Sinai most beach holidays never see.
Local tip: at 1,570 meters, the monastery is much cooler than Sharm, especially in the early morning. From November to March, bring a warm jacket even if it’s hot on the coast.
Inside the walls grows a bush traditionally believed to descend from the Burning Bush, where God spoke to Moses. It’s one of the most visited spots in the complex. The Chapel of the Burning Bush, built over its roots, is the holiest part of the monastery.
The main basilica dates from Justinian’s time. Look up above the altar for the Mosaic of the Transfiguration, one of the finest early Byzantine mosaics in the world, then take in the carved wooden doors and the hanging lamps that fill the nave.
The monastery holds one of the most important collections of Byzantine icons anywhere, including some of the oldest surviving examples. Its library is one of the oldest in continuous use, and it’s where the Codex Sinaiticus, one of the oldest known Bibles, was kept for centuries.
Inside the walls is the well where, according to tradition, Moses met his future wife Zipporah. It’s still in use today.
Within the monastery grounds stands a small Fatimid-era mosque, built for the Bedouin who worked with the monks. The monastery also keeps the memory of a letter of protection attributed to the Prophet Muhammad, a symbol of centuries of coexistence in Sinai.
The monastery is named after Saint Catherine of Alexandria, a young Christian scholar martyred for her faith in the 4th century. According to tradition, monks later found her remains on the mountain that now carries her name, and brought them here.
After the monastery, you drive down to Dahab on the Gulf of Aqaba, a laid-back town with a long seafront promenade lined with cafés and small shops. Lunch is at a local restaurant, followed by free time to walk along the water, shop for souvenirs or take a short look around town before the drive back to Sharm.
| Group Size | Price per Person |
|---|---|
| 1 Person | €90 |
| 2–3 Persons | €60 |
| 4–6 Persons | €45 |
| 7+ Persons | €35 |
Send us a message via:
WhatsApp / Viber: +20 120 290 5255
Email: info@hurghadaexcursion.com
Provide your hotel name, tour name, number of persons, and date.
Receive an instant confirmation without prepayment.
Payment is made in cash on the day of the tour (in EUR, USD or EGP).
Free cancellation up to 12 hours before pickup.
Our representative collects you from your hotel in Sharm El Sheikh in an air-conditioned vehicle. The road heads north and then inland into the mountains. It's a good moment for your breakfast box while the landscape changes outside the window.
After 2.5 to 3 hours on the road, including a police checkpoint where passports are checked, you arrive in the valley of St Catherine.
Your guide takes you through the fortified walls to the Burning Bush, the Church of the Transfiguration, the icons and the Well of Moses, explaining the history of the site and its monks.
From St Catherine you continue to Dahab for lunch at a local restaurant, followed by free time by the sea for a walk or some shopping.
The drive from Dahab back to Sharm takes about an hour and a half, and you're at your hotel around 17:00.
Dress modestly. Shoulders and knees must be covered to enter. A light scarf or long skirt in your bag solves this if you're wearing summer clothes.
Keep your passport at hand. You'll show it at checkpoints on the road, so don't pack it deep in your bag.
Respect the silence. The monastery is a living religious community. Voices stay low inside the church, and some areas are reserved for the monks.
Ask before taking photos. Photos are fine outside, but some interior areas, especially inside the church, may have restrictions.
Bring small change. Cash in small notes is easiest for drinks in Dahab and small purchases at the shops.
Opening days: the monastery is closed on Sundays and religious holidays, and the tour doesn't run on those days.
Physical level: easy walking on uneven ground. No climbing is included, so the tour suits most ages.
Children: children under 6 join free, and children aged 6 to 11 pay 50%.
Guide language: English is standard. German, French, Italian, Polish and Russian are available subject to availability, so ask when you book.
Best season: October to April is the most comfortable, with cool mountain air and clear views. In summer the valley is warm by midday but still pleasant in the morning.
Payment: cash on the day in EUR, USD or EGP. No prepayment.
Cancellation: free cancellation or date change up to 12 hours before your pickup time.
| Group size | Price per person |
|---|---|
| 1 person | €90 |
| 2 to 3 persons | €60 |
| 4 to 6 persons | €45 |
| 7+ persons | €35 |
Children under 6 are free, and children aged 6 to 11 pay 50%.
To book, send us your hotel name, the tour name, the number of persons and your date by WhatsApp or Viber at +20 120 290 5255, or by email at info@hurghadaexcursion.com. You'll receive an instant confirmation without prepayment.
About 220 km. The drive through the Sinai mountains takes 2.5 to 3 hours each way.
10 to 11 hours, from pickup at 05:30 to return around 17:00.
From €35 per person for 7 or more people, up to €90 for a single traveler. Children under 6 are free, and children aged 6 to 11 get 50% off.
No. There's no prepayment. You pay in cash on the day in EUR, USD or EGP.
No. It's closed on Sundays and religious holidays, so the tour runs Monday to Saturday.
Yes, the entrance fee to St Catherine's Monastery is included.
Yes. Lunch at a local restaurant in Dahab is included. Drinks are paid separately.
Yes. Your passport is required at police checkpoints and at the monastery.
Modest clothes that cover shoulders and knees, comfortable closed shoes, and a warm layer in winter.
Yes. Children under 6 go free, and children aged 6 to 11 get a 50% discount.
No. This is a daytime tour of the monastery and Dahab, with no mountain climb.
This tour leaves at 05:30 and focuses on the monastery and Dahab. The sunrise tour leaves at night and includes a 3-hour climb to the summit.
The Byzantine Emperor Justinian built the fortified monastery between 527 and 565 AD, around an earlier chapel linked to Empress Helena.
Saint Catherine of Alexandria was a Christian martyr of the 4th century. The monastery was named after her once her remains, according to tradition, were brought here from nearby Mount Catherine.
A bush inside the monastery, traditionally believed to descend from the bush where God spoke to Moses.
Yes. It's one of the oldest working monasteries in the world, with a unique collection of icons and manuscripts and a dramatic mountain setting.
About 1,570 meters above sea level, which is why it's much cooler than Sharm El Sheikh.
English, German, French, Italian, Polish and Russian, subject to availability.
Yes. Cancellation and date changes are free up to 12 hours before your pickup time.
Send your hotel name, date and number of persons by WhatsApp or Viber to +20 120 290 5255, or email info@hurghadaexcursion.com.
Member Since 2023
