Saint Catherine's Monastery and Mount Sinai: hours, climb and visit from Hurghada
Saint Catherine's Monastery, at the foot of Mount Sinai (Jebel Musa, 2,285 m), is one of the oldest Christian monasteries still in use: it dates from the 6th century and is a UNESCO site. It can only be visited in the morning (usually 9:00 am to noon, closed on Fridays and Sundays according to guides), and the climb is done at night to see the sunrise. From Hurghada there is no direct excursion: you have to cross to the Sinai, and the trips on sale leave from Sharm el-Sheikh (13 to 15 hours, from about 146 dollars, seen in October 2026). Plan it as a two-day escape, see Hurghada or Sharm el-Sheikh.
Highlights
The climb up Mount Sinai
Start around 1:30 or 2:00 am to reach the summit before dawn; allow two to three hours on foot or partly by camel, then about two hours down. Bring warm layers: it is cold at the top.
The monastery and its church
Founded under Emperor Justinian, it keeps a 6th-century basilica, a much-praised library of manuscripts and the chapel known as the Burning Bush. Part of the rooms (narthex and icons) charge a fee according to guides.
Practical info
Tips
- For the sunrise, the trip from Sharm el-Sheikh is the most practical: about 146 dollars and up for a group trip, more for a private one (seen in October 2026; this is a reseller offer, check what it includes). A two-day trip from Cairo also exists from about 370 dollars. Guides mention registering at a tourism police post before the climb, so keep your passport on you. Modest dress for the monastery. Since it only opens in the morning, it is best seen at the end of the descent. If you only want the sea, stay in Hurghada; see also Ras Mohammed, the other big Sinai trip.
How to get there
From Hurghada there is no direct day trip: you have to reach the Sinai (by sea, on a crossing whose current service we did not confirm, or by plane) then about 2.5 to 3 hours by road from Sharm el-Sheikh. The simplest is to book the trip leaving from Sharm.
Opening hours
Nearby
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