Middle East - Anthony Ham [162]
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CLIMBING MT SINAI Mary Fitzpatrick
Rising out of the desert and jutting above the other peaks surrounding the monastery is the towering 2285m Mt Sinai, known locally as Gebel Musa. Although some archaeologists and historians dispute Mt Sinai’s biblical claim to fame, it is revered by Christians, Muslims and Jews, all of whom believe that God delivered his Ten Commandments to Moses at the summit. The mountain is beautiful and easy to climb, and – except at the summit, where you’ll invariably be overwhelmed by crowds of visitors – it offers a taste of serenity and mountain magnificence.
There are two well-defined routes – the camel trail and the Steps of Repentance – that meet about 300m below the summit at a plateau known as Elijah’s Basin. Here, everyone must take a steep series of 750 rocky and uneven steps to the top. Most people make the climb in the predawn hours to take in the magnificence of the sun rising over the surrounding peaks, and then arrive back at the base at 9am when the monastery opens for visitors.
The camel trail is the easier route, and takes about two hours to ascend at a steady pace. En route are several kiosks selling tea and soda, and vendors hiring out blankets (E£10) to ward off the chill at the summit. It’s also possible to hire a camel at the base, just behind the monastery (E£85 each way), to Elijah’s Basin. Note that it’s easier on the anatomy to ride a camel up the mountain, rather than down.
The alternative path to the summit, the harsh 3750 Steps of Repentance, was laid by one monk as a form of penance. The steps are made of roughly hewn rock and are steep and uneven in many places, requiring strong knees and concentration in placing your feet.
During the summer, try to avoid the heat by beginning your hike by 3am. Although the trail is wide and clear, it can be a bit difficult in parts and a torch is essential. Bring sufficient food and water, warm clothes and ideally a sleeping bag. It gets cold and windy, even in summer, and light snows are common in winter. The start of the camel trail is reached by walking along the northern wall of the monastery, past the end of the compound. The Steps of Repentance begin outside the southeastern corner of the compound. Be prepared to share the summit with up to 500 other visitors, some carrying stereos, others Bibles and well-worn hymn books.
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Information
In the village of Al-Milga, about 3.5km from the monastery, there’s a post office, telephone central, and a handful of hotels as well as a few shops and cafés. The Banque Misr ( 10am-1pm & 5-8pm Sat-Thu) here will change cash and give Visa and MasterCard advances. The only ATM machine is found near the entrance to St Katherine Monastery.
Sleeping & Eating
Monastery Guesthouse ( /fax 347 0353; s/d half board US$32/55) Definitely the most atmospheric place to bed down, this guesthouse lets you sample monastic life. Adjacent to the monastery, the hotel has spartan rooms, all with sanitary private bathrooms, comfortable beds and plenty of blankets for cold mountain nights. There’s a reasonable restaurant that serves beer and wine as well as an outdoor café with primo mountain views.
Fox Desert Camp ( 347 0344; faragfoxsi@hotmail.com; r without bathroom per person E£20-25) In Al-Milga, this rudimentary camp can’t be missed at night thanks to the brash neon signage. Rooms here offer little more than a bed, some heavy blankets and four walls. Several rooms share clean bathrooms between two, while the cheaper options share the more whiffy communal toilets. Still, there’s a neat Bedouin-style setup, with friendly management and camp