Header Dot Dahab



Sub Dot Key Attractions in Dahab


Sub DotMount Sinai (Gebel Musa):
Mount Sinai, just south of the Monastery of St Katherine, is of great religious importance to Jews, Christians and Muslims. According to the Old Testament this is where Moses received the Ten Commandments. Throughout the centuries the mountain has drawn thousands of pilgrims from all over the world. You can ascend to the summit (2285 m, 7497 ft) to experience the ultimate spiritual high; either by climbing some 4000 steps built by monks or by following an easier but longer path. Both lead to an open area known as Elija's Basin where you walk up the remaining 750 steps to the top. At the summit you will find the Chapel of the Holy Trinity that was built in 1934 on the site of a much earlier chapel built in 363 AD. The climb takes about three hours but the view from the top is truly breathtaking, especially at sunrise.


Sub DotColored Canyon:
One of the natural wonders of the Sinai, the Coloured Canyon is awe-inspiring. Take a walk in between dramatic sandstone canyon walls streaked with melting yellows, purples, reds, magentas and gold. In certain places the canyon walls reach up to 40 meters. You feel as if you are enclosed in a spectacular colouring book. Formed by the natural elements over centuries, the walls of Coloured Canyon cascade with colours as a result of ferrous oxide and manganese. Consequently, a natural maze has been formed that is excellent for exploring and taking photographs. A haven of tranquility, Coloured Canyon promises its visitors peaceful moments and silence. To ensure your safety, in some areas of the Coloured Canyon you will need to be reasonably fit to investigate. Day trips to the Coloured Canyon can be arranged from Dahab, Nuweiba, or Taba.



Sub DotBlue Desert:
The most amazing thing about the Blue Desert isn't the blue paint on the rocks, it is the wadi itself - against the backdrop of the legendary blue Sinai sky. Massive granite sculptures and golden boulders cover the desert floor along with beautiful pink flowers dotting the plains. The Blue Desert is a great place for climbing, taking pictures or just getting away from it all. In 1980, Belgian artist Jean Verame came to the Sinai to paint a line of peace. With the permission of Anwar Sadat and a grant of ten tons of paint from the UN, the artist managed to paint four miles of the Sinai. One year later, a stretch between Dahab and St Katherine was blue; hence, the name the Blue Desert. Located between Dahab and St Katherine, you can easily see this site in one day. However, it is a great place for camping. Make sure to take a guide.



Sub DotEin Umm Ahmad:
One of the most precious and lush desert locales in the Sinai is Ein Umm Ahmed. Translated from Arabic, Ein Umm Ahmed means "spring of the mother of Ahmed". This oasis spans along a wadi filled with life. The abundance of fruit trees bearing lemons, olives, figs and dates is overwhelming in this remote location in the desert. A complete vegetable garden with tomatoes, basil and mint is witness to the abundance of water. The oasis is bursting with flora, fauna and birds. The spring and bountiful water supply are a welcome relief for all desert travelers. The oasis of Ein Umm Ahmed is inhabited by local Bedouins, who are always interested in seeing a visitor, have a tea and show off this amazing location. It is advisable to take a guide from either Nuweiba or Dahab to Ein Umm Ahmed, as there are many interesting spots to check out along the way.



Sub DotRas Mohamed:
Ras Mohammed National Park is both a terrestrial and an aquatic nature reserve. The 480 square kilometer protected area lies where the Gulf of Suez meets the Gulf of Aqaba at Sinai's southern extremity The arid desert terrain of sand dunes, gravel plains, fossilized corals and granite mountains is home to a number of rare mammal species: Dorcas gazelle, Nubian ibex and red fox. Easier to spot are the resident birds like terns, herons, gulls and ospreys. Thousands of white storks pass through Ras Mohammed each year, heading south during September/October and back north during April/May. About 85 flora species live in the park, including mangroves. In glaring contrast to the seemingly desolate landscape above, the ecosystem underwater is a magnificent eruption of life: 200 coral species (125 of which are soft corals), 1000 fish species, 40 starfish species, 25 sea urchin species, 100 mollusk species, 150 crustacean species, and 2 turtle species: the Green Turtle and the Hawksbill Turtle.



Sub DotEin Khudra:
Tucked away between yellowish sandstone cliffs not far from the road linking St Katherine with Nuweiba and Dahab is one of Sinai's most scenic oases. Its Arabic name Ein Khudra (Green Oasis) perfectly describes this attractive locale where gushing fresh water springs nourish date palm gardens in the seemingly barren desert. When approaching from the south you'll be greeted by a splendid panorama view of the small oasis glaring brilliantly in the distance below. If you enjoy observing dramatic geological landscape, a walk through the White Canyon that flows into Ein Khudra from the southeast is surely worth the effort. More than just a pretty spot, Ein Khudra is also historically significant. It acted as an important stopover for pilgrims traveling the St Katherine-Jerusalem route. Ancient writing and drawings on the nearby Rock of Inscriptions testify that Nabateans, Greeks, Romans, Byzantines and Christians of the Crusader period passed through here. Have your camera ready



Sub DotEin Kid
One of the jewels on the Sinai, Ein Kid is a palm-filled oasis at the end of a pastel colored path. Promising shade and tranquility for every visitor, Ein Kid is the perfect remedy for the stress of urban life. The walk from Wadi Kid to Ein Kid is stunning as you spot the water flowing down from the oasis. The path is flanked by awesome granite boulders hovering, as you ascend into the oasis. You will feel so small in the shadows of these stupendous creations. When you set your eyes on the oasis, you will be amazed by the contrast of colors created by the desert landscape and the lush trees. Complete with date palms, acacias, and fruit bearing trees, Ein Kid is the ultimate place for an afternoon picnic and a hike. You can organize a day trip or camping trip from Sharm el Sheikh or Dahab.



Sub DotNawamis
Found only in southern and eastern Sinai are several mysterious prehistoric structures known as Nawamis. Between 2 to 2.5 m (6.6 to 8.2 ft) high and 3 to 6 m (10 to 20 ft) in diameter, these circular inward leaning buildings were constructed using sandstone slabs, each with a small opening facing west. Within these structures archaeologists have unearthed shell bracelets, colored beads, flint tools, tiny jugs as well as bone and copper tools. These items were most likely funeral offerings. Many have been dated to as far back as the Chalcolithic (Copper Stone Age) period (4000-3150 BC). Though the Nawamis were probably ancient burial chambers, the identity of the people buried here is still a mystery. Perhaps the most readily accessible Nawamis structures are those found to the south of Ein Khudra, not far from the St Katherine-Nuweiba road. Go explore some of the oldest man made structures in the world.



Sub DotAbu Galum Protected Area
Abu Galum Protected Area, along the Gulf of Aqaba between Dahab and Nuweiba, is a 500 km2 natural wonderland. Shell speckled gravel beaches run parallel most of the way to the splendid coral reefs below, unless rudely interrupted by plunging mountainsides. Close examination of the beaches will expose masses of Nerita splendens, a tiny snail whose decorative shell blends seamlessly into the pebble mosaic. Inland into the park, deep wadis interlace with massive granite mountains that are intermittently cut by dark dolerite dykes. Out of a total 167 species recently recorded in this environmentally unique region, as many as 44 plant species are endemic. Mammals seem to like this plant diversity. Nubian ibex, hyrax, red fox and striped hyena thrive here, as well as a variety of lizards and snakes, including the black cobra, the horned viper and Burton's carpet viper.



Sub DotMonastery of St Katherine
The Monastery of St. Katherine lies at the foot of the Gebel Musa, or Mount Moses, in the heart of the South Sinai. In 330 AD the mother of Emperor Constantine, Empress Helena, ordered the construction of a small church by Moses' Burning Bush. It was called the Church of the Transfiguration. The fortified monastery we see today was built around this church during the reign of Emperor Justinian (527-565 AD). In the 11th century the monastery was dedicated to St. Katherine of Alexandria, who had died in 310 AD. Her remains, reportedly found by monks on a mountain peak next to Mt Sinai, are buried in the monastery's Basilica. Fronted by gardens and cypress trees, the monastery is owned and run by the Greek Orthodox Church. Its rich library houses the world's second largest collection of illuminated manuscripts after the Vatican. You can see the Burning Bush and a large number of antique works of art: invaluable icons, beautifully carved doors, exquisite wall paintings and other fine religious ornaments.



Sub DotThe Museum at St Katherine Monastery
In February 2002, within the monastery's towering walls, one of the world's finest and most unique collections of Christian artifacts has been made more accessible to the public. A small yet extraordinary nine-room museum, referred to as "The Sacred Sacristy", was opened to display masterpieces of the highest artistic value. Among the tastefully displayed exhibits are exquisite 6th century Byzantine icons, delicate 9th century manuscripts written in Syriac, rare Slavonic prayer books, including splendid objects of silver, gold, ivory and precious stones. Perhaps the most valued items on exhibit, presented in a special glass case, are pages from the Codex Sinaiticus, a 4th century version of the Bible that now rests in the British Museum. Now you can see the Monastery's coveted collection, while listening to gentle Byzantine hymns in an atmosphere of splendor and reverence. The museum is open from 9 to 12 am everyday except on Fridays, Sundays and religious holidays.



Sub DotSt Katherine Protectorate
is perhaps Egypt's most picturesque national park. It encloses most of the mountainous area of central South Sinai, including the country's highest mountain Gebel Katharina (2624m). The park is a treasure trove of wild plants. Of the 317 flora species that have been recorded, 19 are found nowhere else in the world. Approximately 35 reptile species live within this unique high altitude ecosystem, many of which are endemic, including the Sinai banded snake and the Innes cobra. The 4,350 square kilometer natural park also supports many mammal species: rock hyrax, Nubian ibex, Dorcas gazelle, red fox, wild cats and hyenas. When exploring the protectorate's mountains and wadis you will probably spot a curious bird, the white-crowned black wheatear. The observant visitor may also see the colorful Sinai rose finch and the Tristam's grackle. Far less common and much more difficult to locate is the recently discovered Sinai baton blue, the worlds smallest butterfly.













 
Copyright (c) 2007 Deluxe Travel Egypt, all rights reserved. Designed & Developed by Trigon Solutions