Climbing Mount Sinai: Our Sunrise Hike Experience

Climbing Mount Sinai for sunrise was one of the most physically challenging experiences of our month in Egypt. It was also one of the most meaningful.

The journey began with a long drive from Sharm El Sheikh, followed by hours of walking through the darkness over rough and uneven ground. Then came the final 750 rocky steps to the summit, freezing winds and a race against time to get back down the mountain.

It wasn’t an easy climb and we certainly weren’t the fastest people in our group. But standing together near the top of Mount Sinai as daylight arrived became about far more than completing another hike.

For us, this one was personal.

Why We Wanted to Climb Mount Sinai

Mount Sinai had been the main reason we’d included Sharm El Sheikh in our Egypt itinerary.

Traditionally believed to be the mountain where Moses received the Ten Commandments, it’s a place we’d heard about since our school days. The opportunity to climb it through the night and reach the summit for sunrise sounded like an incredible way to finish our month in Egypt.

But the timing of our climb gave it another meaning entirely.

Our climb fell on the anniversaries of both of our fathers passing away on 6 March. My dad had passed away 20 years earlier and Toni’s 22 years earlier.

There was something incredibly moving about climbing through the darkness for all those hours. It felt as though we were getting just that little bit closer to the heavens.

We couldn’t have planned a more meaningful way to remember them.

Table of Contents

• Why We Wanted to Climb Mount Sinai
• Getting to Mount Sinai from Sharm El Sheikh
• Walking Mount Sinai in the Dark
• Walking or Taking a Camel
• The Final 750 Steps to the Summit
• How Fit Do You Need to Be?
• Waiting for Sunrise
• Sunrise on Mount Sinai
• Getting a Head Start on the Descent
• What We’d Recommend Taking
• Final Thoughts on Climbing Mount Sinai

Getting to Mount Sinai from Sharm El Sheikh

We booked our Mount Sinai sunrise tour from Sharm El Sheikh, with transport included.

Before we even started walking, we had quite a journey ahead of us. It took around four hours to reach Mount Sinai after collecting the other people joining our tour.

Security is also a noticeable part of travelling through this area. On the drive there, we were stopped at around six checkpoints.

Those checkpoints would become important again later because our return journey had to be carefully timed.

By the time we arrived at the mountain, it was dark and the real adventure was about to begin.

A Little About Our Fitness Level

Before we make this climb sound like one long struggle, we should probably put it into perspective. We’re both reasonably fit and used to walking, but we’re also very happy to take our time.

We’re not interested in racing up a mountain just to keep up with someone else. We’d rather find a comfortable pace, stop when we need to catch our breath and actually enjoy the experience.

Our group was younger than us, and most of them were considerably taller. One of their strides sometimes felt like three of ours.

We didn’t try to keep up with them, but we didn’t hold them up either. We simply walked at our own pace, using the coffee huts and toilet stops along the way as handy opportunities to catch our breath.

And despite all my moaning about the climb, we walked the entire way up and back down again. 😂

Walking Mount Sinai in the Dark

The climb to the summit took us around 4½ hours.

Most of the walk is over barren, rocky terrain. There isn’t much vegetation, yet somehow the landscape is absolutely stunning.

Of course, for much of the climb we couldn’t see very far beyond the light from our headlamps.

That made the walk considerably harder.

Instead of looking around at the scenery, much of our attention was focused on the uneven ground directly in front of our feet. Step after step, you’re watching where you place your foot while steadily climbing higher.

Don’t Worry About Keeping Up

The best thing you can do on Mount Sinai is settle into your own pace. It’s a long climb, and there’s no prize for getting to the top first.

A few things helped us along the way:

• Walk at your own pace: Don’t exhaust yourself trying to keep up with faster walkers.
• Watch your footing: The ground is rough and uneven, especially difficult when you’re walking in darkness.
• Use the rest stops: Coffee huts and toilets along the route provide handy opportunities to stop and catch your breath.
• Save some energy: The toughest part is still ahead, with 750 rocky steps between you and the summit.

We found the hike challenging but manageable. Taking it steadily made all the difference.

Walking or Taking a Camel

You don’t necessarily have to walk the entire route.

There are camels available to take you part of the way up Mount Sinai. The camel ride takes you to the base of the final steps, but it can’t take you all the way to the summit.

From there, everyone has to tackle the 750 steps on foot.

The camel handlers refer to the camels as a “taxi”, something we became very familiar with during our climb.

Unfortunately, perhaps a little too familiar.

No Thanks, We Really Don’t Need a Taxi

Because Toni and I occasionally fell behind our younger group, the camel handlers seemed to decide we were ideal potential customers.

“Taxi?”

“No thank you.”

A little further…

“Taxi?”

Still no.

They continued walking beside us, talking and repeatedly asking if we wanted a camel.

Eventually it became frustrating. The climb was difficult enough without someone constantly talking in our ears while we were trying to concentrate on our footing, get some air into our lungs and enjoy the peace of the mountain.

In the end, we asked our guide to tell them that we weren’t interested and to please leave us alone.

The Final 750 Steps to the Summit

Then came the part we’d been warned about.

The final 750 steps.

Calling them “steps” might create an image of a nice staircase winding its way towards the summit.

They aren’t.

These are rough rocks of completely different shapes and sizes. Some are relatively small steps, while others feel more like climbing over boulders.

And they go up.

Very much up.

This final section feels almost vertical in places and was easily the toughest part of the climb for us.

How Fit Do You Need to Be?

We would definitely recommend having a reasonable level of physical fitness before attempting the Mount Sinai climb.

You don’t need to race up the mountain, and there are places to stop along the way. But you’re walking uphill for several hours before tackling those final 750 uneven rocky steps.

Then you have to come all the way back down again.

If you have knee problems, mobility issues or struggle on uneven ground, don’t underestimate this hike.

Waiting for Sunrise

We eventually reached the area near the summit with around 20 minutes to wait before it became light.

And it was freezing.

The wind was blowing, we were tired from the climb and suddenly sitting still made the cold feel even worse.

Thankfully, there was coffee.

We bought ourselves a hot drink and hired some blankets while we waited.

Were those blankets freshly laundered?

Let’s just say we chose not to think too deeply about that.

At that point, they were warm and that was all that mattered.

When it was finally time, we made the last push to the summit.

Sunrise on Mount Sinai

We’d imagined reaching the summit and watching one of those spectacular sunrises you see in photographs.

The weather had other ideas.

It was cold, extremely windy and the conditions obscured much of the sunrise we’d climbed all night to see.

But strangely, it didn’t matter.

By then, the perfect sunrise wasn’t really what the climb was about anymore.

We stood together on Mount Sinai thinking about our dads, the significance of the date and everything that had brought us to that moment.

It’s one of those travel experiences we’ll never forget.

It really is the luck of the weather, though. Our niece climbed Mount Sinai at around the same time of year, in March, just one year after us. She had beautiful conditions and a perfect sunrise.

So don’t let our cloudy, windy experience put you off. You could climb at almost exactly the same time of year and be rewarded with the spectacular sunrise we’d been hoping for.

Getting a Head Start on the Descent

We could have spent around 30 to 45 minutes at the summit, but there was another issue we needed to think about.

Our transport had to pass back through the security checkpoints at particular times. If we didn’t make it back down within roughly 2½ hours, we faced the possibility of waiting another four hours before we could continue through the first checkpoint.

We also knew those 750 steps were going to be difficult for Toni’s knees.

So after around 20 minutes at the summit, which was enough as it was blowing a gale, we told our guide we were going to start making our way down ahead of the rest of the group.

By this stage, it was daylight, which made it much easier to see where we were going. But it also meant we could finally see the track we’d climbed in complete darkness only a few hours earlier.

Looking at the rocky terrain in daylight, we felt incredibly proud of ourselves for making it all the way up.

By the time we reached the bottom of the 750 steps, the rest of our group had caught up with us.

That meant we could continue the remaining descent together without feeling like we needed to race to keep up.

The entire journey back down took us around two hours.

What We’d Recommend Taking

A few things made a big difference during our overnight climb:

• Headlamp: Essential when you’re walking over uneven ground in complete darkness.
• Walking Poles: We would recommend taking them if you have them. They can provide extra stability on the uneven ground and are particularly useful when tackling the 750 rocky steps, especially on the way back down
• Warm layers: Don’t underestimate how cold and windy it can be near the summit.
• Good walking shoes: You need decent grip and support for the rocky terrain.
• Water: It’s a long climb and you’ll need it.
• Small amount of cash: Handy for coffee, toilets, blankets and anything you might want along the route.
• Patience: Walk at your own pace and don’t feel pressured by faster members of your group.

Most importantly, don’t underestimate the physical challenge. Mount Sinai is achievable for many people, but this is still a long overnight hike followed by a steep rocky climb to the summit.

Final Thoughts on Climbing Mount Sinai

Climbing Mount Sinai was physically challenging, cold and tiring. There were moments when we were concentrating so hard on where to put our feet that we probably wondered what on earth we’d signed ourselves up for.

But would we take back the experience?

Not for a second.

Mount Sinai gave us something we hadn’t expected. Yes, we climbed a mountain we’d heard about in bible studies at school. Yes, we reached the summit after walking through the night.

But the memory that stayed with us wasn’t really about reaching the top.

It was about two dads, one very special date and two daughters climbing through the darkness feeling just a little closer to them.

Sometimes the experiences that stay with you longest aren’t the easiest ones.

They’re the ones that mean something.

🌍 Travel Planning Resources

These are the tools we personally use and trust when planning our travels from finding a place to stay to booking activities, transport and insurance. Let your “Tohu” guide you “Trust the Journey” and follow what feels right for you.

• ✈️Flights – Compare great deals with Trip.com then Kiwi.com for flexible, affordable options.
• 🚐 Campervans – Compare rental deals with Motorhome Republic across Aotearoa and beyond.
• 🛏️ Stays – Compare hotels on Trip.com and TripAdvisor or Booking.com.
• 🚐 Rental Cars – Compare prices and book through Airport Rentals by Motorhome Republic for trusted brands and easy airport pickup.
• 🎟️ Activities – Browse tours and experiences on Viator, Get Your Guide, or TripAdvisor
• 🚆12Go Asia – Compare and book trains, buses, and ferries across Asia in one place with 12Go.
• 🛡️ Travel Insurance – Get flexible short-term coverage with Insubuy for your next holiday.
• 💳 Travel Money – Send, spend and manage money internationally with Wise, with easy currency conversion and a handy option for travellers.
• 🔒 Protect Your Privacy with a VPN – We recommend Surfshark VPN for secure and private browsing while travelling. It’s fast, affordable and works worldwide, perfect for public Wi-Fi at airports, cafes and hotels.
• 📱 Travel eSIM – Stay connected with Airalo
• 💼 Lounge Access – Treat yourself with Priority Pass for UK or US
• 🎶 Events & Concerts – Book tickets worldwide through Ticketmaster.

🧭 Note: Some booking links can be a bit shy when you’re using a VPN. If one doesn’t open, try pausing your VPN or switching to a different server location or secure Wi-Fi network to get things flowing again.