St. Catherine

The town of St. Catherine (also spelled as St. Katherine) is famous for the Monastery of St. Katherine, built on the believed site of the Burning Bush at the foot of Mt. Sinai (Jebel Musa). This is the only site most people visit in the Sinai interior, so it can get crowded. The best way to avoid the crowds, at least on Mt. Sinai, is to go for the sunset instead of the sunrise and descend to town before total darkness sets in. Mt. Katherina is the highest mountain of Egypt, accessible via Wadi Arbain, and there are many other treks in the region.

Egypt Sinai - Saint Catherine
The view on the town of St. Katherine from the top of the Naqb el Raheb pass.

Getting there and around

St. Catherine is connected to Cairo by a daily public bus service, as well as private micro-buses and taxis. St. Catherine is connected to Nuweiba and Dahab twice a week by a microbus service provided by Bedouin Bus, but there is no public bus. Also you might be able to get on a microbus to the coast at the Monastery around 10-11 AM when the groups are returning. St. Catherine is also connectd to El Tor via Wadi Feiran by regular microbuses.
 
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Orientation

St. Catherine consists of a small town center and a few little settlemets around town. The main attraction, the Monastery of St. Katherine, is before town in a short wadi, and the main route to Mt. Sinai starts from here.

Main locations: 1. Visitor Centre; 2. The Golden Calf; 3. the Monastery of St. Katherine; 4. Mt. Sinai; 5. town center; 6. the Rock of Moses; and 7. the Monastery of the Forty Martyrs.
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Information 

Useful link:
Information about St. Katherine and the Sinai High Mountains Region – www.st-katherine.net
Accommodation

There are a few places in St. Catherine, ranging from international luxury hotels through mid-range hotels to simple camps. There are also a number of eco-lodges and nature retreats around town.
Food and drinks

There are only a few simple restaurants in St. Catherine, serving traditional Egyptian food. The hotels have buffet dinners when they have groups, and the Monastery guest house 3 meals a day. They welcome visitors not staying at their establishment. There are also a few cafés in town offering non-alcoholic drinks. Alcohol is only available at some of the hotels and the Monastery cafeteria.
 
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Activities

To climb Mt. Sinai you have to have a Bedouin guide from the Monastery. The rate is 115 LE and non-negotiable. There are a number of operators offering hiking and trekking in the region, as well as safaris to other destinations of Sinai. There are a few operators offering alternative programs.

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