Sinai Trail - article on the BBC website

[Bradypus]

I have recently read Guy Stagg's new book "The Crossway" which is an account of a long and occasionally dangerous pilgrimage from the UK to Jerusalem through Europe, Turkey and Lebanon. It left me reflecting quite how little I have gone beyond my own comfort zone in my own pilgrimage journeys. With Guy Stagg's journey still very much in mind this morning I read an intriguing article from the BBC about the development of a long walking trail in the Sinai desert - taking in St Catherine's monastery and Mount Sinai itself. A daunting but fascinating prospect. For fairly obvious practical reasons this is only being promoted as a route for groups with the support of local guides.

http://www.bbc.com/travel/story/20180626-the-egyptian-hike-thats-rewriting-history

 

[Deleted member 73892]

Looks and sounds amazing. I wish.... one day..... the ultimate pilgrimage for me, perhaps many others.

 

[chinacat]

I have recently read Guy Stagg's new book "The Crossway" which is an account of a long and occasionally dangerous pilgrimage from the UK to Jerusalem through Europe, Turkey and Lebanon. It left me reflecting quite how little I have gone beyond my own comfort zone in my own pilgrimage journeys. With Guy Stagg's journey still very much in mind this morning I read an intriguing article from the BBC about the development of a long walking trail in the Sinai desert - taking in St Catherine's monastery and Mount Sinai itself. A daunting but fascinating prospect. For fairly obvious practical reasons this is only being promoted as a route for groups with the support of local guides.

http://www.bbc.com/travel/story/20180626-the-egyptian-hike-thats-rewriting-history

My daughter went to the Sinai when she was 17, in 2008, with a small group from her college.
They helped the Bedouin create gardens for a week or two, and then walked through the desert to Mount Sinai and slept on the summit. They walked down to St Catherine’s monastery as the sun rose.
There was an organisation that arranged a few small group visits every year. I can’t remember their name at the moment ... nor can I find them on-line ... but I’m sure it began with an ‘M’.

 

[chinacat]

PS I’ve sent her your link. Thank you!

Edit: She’s just sent a message saying she wants to go back

 

[MichaelC]

I've done the sunrise hike from St. Catherine's to Mount Sinai, and it truly is incredible. No one is truly certain if this is the Mount Sinai ... but it was a sublime experience nonetheless. You used to be able to arrange the guides from any of the Red Sea towns, and the Bedouin in the area offered longer multi-day hikes. You absolutely needed a guide, but there was definitely no need to arrange an expensive group tour from the US or England.

The area was off-limits to casual tourists last time I looked, though that might have changed. I'd love to go back one day.

 

[chinacat]

My daughter’s visit wasn’t organised by a business as such.
It was a small non-profit organisation dedicated to helping the Bedouin. The costs of the group of 7 that went were relatively low and all profits went to the Bedouin themselves. The couple of visits a year for other small groups were more expensive .... but I don’t think they took part in any work.