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| Main places: 1. Town of St. Katherine; 2. Gebel Guna; 3. Zigzag Canyon; 4. Arada Canyon; 5. Gebel Matamir - Nawamis; 6. Gebel Birqa - Haduda sand dune; 7. Ein Khudra - White Canyon - Closed Canyon; 8. Gebel Mileihis; 9. Nuweiba; 10. Ras Abu Gallum; 11. Dahab. |
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| The area east of St. Katherine is a very diverse region, with rocky mountain wadis, sandy desert plains, sand dunes, sandstone rock formations and secluded oases. The area is home to the Muzeina Bedouin, the biggest South Sinai tribe. Here there is no tribal system and you can choose your operator, guide and camels freely. The exceptions are Arada Canyon and the White Canyon where taking a guide is required, unless your trek is part of a longer one and you already have a Bedouin guide. Several places are quite popular and many companies and individuals offer treks, but to have a good experience make sure you are going with a Bedouin-run operator or one that works closely with them. Along the main St. Katherine to Nuweiba/Dahab road there are cafeterias and camel stations from where you can get a guide and camels straight from the community. Coming from St. Katherine, the first is at Wadi Arada, then there is a new camel station at the Nawamis settlement, a bit further down is Cafeteria Joma, and, after the UN outpost at Ras Ghazala, is Sheikh Hemeid and a few independent cafeterias. It is possible to walk from St. Katherine all the way to the sea, although the first and last stretches of the trek might not be as spectacular as some other places. The main routes are going either north or south of the asphalt road and if you want to see all the best places you will have to criss-cross it a number of times. Wadi Zagra and Wadi Nasb would take you straight to Dahab but the more interesting locations are a bit further away. An interesting route would be to start at Faranja or Shegera some 20-30 kms after St. Katherine, visiting the Guna plateau and the canyons at its base, then the ancient Nawamis site and the magical fine sand desert dotted with sandstone formations and dunes further east. You could finish at the hidden oasis of Ein Khudra, or go on from here to the Ras Abu Gallum protectorate located just north of Dahab on the coast; or, you could carry on to the territories of the Tarabin tribe to the north and reach the coast around Nuweiba and Taba via another spectacular way. |
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Gebel Guna
A long, flat mountain range separating
two main wadis, from which gullies
descend to all directions. From the rim
of the plateau there are stunning views
of the sand desert around dotted with
sandstone outcrops and distant rugged
ranges, including Mt. Katherina. Several
canyons are located at its base. |
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Zigzag Canyon
A narrow sandstone canyon zigzags
between vertical sandstone walls, at
the foot of the Gunna range. Not as
spectacular as many other canyon, but
very easy and accessible - no climbing
is involved and it is located close to the
main road. |
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Naqb Arada (Wadi Arada)
A wadi running from the Gunna range
and leading to a settlement and camel
station along the main road. There is a
maze of sandy wadis and surrealistic
sandstone rock formations, ancient
inscriptions as well as Arada Canyon in
the area. Confusingly there is Wadi
Arda on the other side of the Gunna
range. |
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Arada Canyon
There are actually two canyons,
branching off from the same entrance
and connected via a small plateau,
forming a circuit. It involves some
climbing and little help might be
needed at tricky parts. Its entrance is
located in a secluded sandy stretch of
a gully. |
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Bier Safra
A well, with clean water, in the desert at
the crossing of main routes connecting
many sights. The rock formation and
sand dune at the Duna are a short
distance away and clearly visible. A
new garden is being developed to
provide a pleasant stop. |
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Nawamis Site
Mysterious prehistoric stone buildings,
dating back to the Copper Stone Age
(4000-3150 BC), which are only found in
South Sinai, in several areas. They are
believed to be ritual burial chambers,
always located at elevated points and
facing west. This is the biggest and
best-preserved site. |
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Gebel Matamir
A group of elongated sandstone hills, rising
from a sandy plain and separated by wadis.
There are steep sand dunes running from
some parts of the mountains. From the
peaks of Gebel Matamir there are farreaching
views of the sand desert and
distant high mountain ranges. |
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Gebel Barqa – Gebel Maharum
The popular sandstone formation of
Gebel Maharum, with a hole cutting
through it, is only one of the many
curious rock formations and hills that
the sandstone range of Gebel Barqa
offers. There are also many small caves,
sand dunes and rock formations
offering stunning views from the top. |
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Haduda Sand Dune
The high sand plateau around Gebel
Barqa suddenly comes to an end at
Haduda Sand Dune, where it drops
steeply about 150 meters to a rocky
wadi running towards the coast.
Magnificent views, but also a place to
have fun and get sand all over you! |
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Wadi Rum
The bigger stretch of the wadi, located
between the Nawamis site and Wadi
Khudra, is wide, long and sandy, with
many interesting outcrops. The other
part is narrow and winding, descending
between vertical walls over dry rock
pools filled with sand. There is a short
pass leading to a look-out point over
the oasis of Ein Khudra and a gully
descending to it. |
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Ein Khudra
Ein Khudra, meaning Green Spring, is a
picturesque oasis with gardens and
date palms, encircled by steep
mountain ranges and vertical cliffs. It is
very easy to reach from the main road.
There are springs here - one of them is
in a small cave, another overflowing
from a fountain - which sustain a
number of gardens. There are also ruins
of archeological interest in the area. |
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White Canyon
Starting as a crack at the edge of a
sand plateau, it is a narrow sandstone
canyon, opening to a wider wadi and
leading to the oasis of Ein Khudra. A
little climbing is involved. |
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Wadi Khudra – Closed Canyon – Mushroom Rock
A long and sandy wadi leading to Ein
Khudra, the way for 4WDs coming from
Ras Ghazala or Nuweiba, with the
Closed Canyon branching off from it at
one point and a large mushroom
shaped rock at another end. The
Closed Canyon is very impressive,
running extremely narrowly between
very high walls. |
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Gebel Mileihis – Wadi Disco
Gebel Mileihis is a flat sandstone
mountain towering over the desert, with
views as far as the sea at Nuweiba.
There is a spring with date palms, Moyat
Mileihis, at its foot in a tranquil setting.
Wadi Disco, named after the Bedouin
parties held here, is a small settlement
close to the mountain. |
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Ras Ghazala
A sandstone hill with camel stations and
cafeterias along the main road, shortly
before the Nuweiba and Dahab fork - it
is easily recognizable by an upturned
rusty truck with a smiley face painted
on it, on the top of a rock formation. |
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Wadi Risasa – Bier Uqda – Ras Abu Gallum
A long wadi with a spectacular ending
at the sea at the national park of Ras
Abu Galum. It is one of the main ways
from the interior to Dahab. Bier Uqda is
an abandoned settlement with fresh
water, shortly before the wadi becomes
narrow and winding. |
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