Header Dot Sharm El Sheikh


Sub Dot Key Attractions

Sub DotMonastery of St Katherine
In the heart of South Sinai lies the Monastery of St. Katherine situated at the foot of Mount Moses “Gebel Mousa”. The current fortified Monastery is built during the reign of Emperor Justinian (527-565 AD) around the small church by Moses’ Burning Bush which was constructed by the orders of Empress Helena the mother of Emperor Constantine in 330 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 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 DotSerabit el Khadim
About 40 kilometers east of Abu Zenima is one of Sinai's most important archaeological sites: Serabit el Khadim. Pharaohs of the 3rd Dynasty (2670-2570 BC) began the long tradition of dispatching mining expeditions to this remote and desolate area to extract turquoise. Ancient Egyptians were not only fond of carving scarabs out of this opaque sky-blue gemstone, but they also used pulverized turquoise as pigment to color statues and other objects. Methodical mining for this attractive stone continued well after the 12th Dynasty (1955-1750 BC) when a temple dedicated to the goddess Hathor - the Mistress of Turquoise - was built. At the walled temple, which stands on a plateau 850 meters above sea level, you can see the ruins of Hathor's rock-cut chapel and a large number of carved stone slabs with inscriptions. Close to the temple complex at the abandoned mining shafts you can also examine well preserved ancient inscriptions.


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 DotFeran Oasis
Feiran Oasis, about halfway between the Monastery of St Katherine and the Gulf of Suez, is one of the earliest Christian centers in Sinai. Convention has it that Moses and his followers passed through southern Sinai's largest oasis. The ruins of many ancient churches testify to the importance this oasis once held as a religious hub through the centuries from as early as the 2nd century. The Seven Girls Monastery, built in the 4th century in the middle of the palm tree filled oasis, is surely worth a visit. Near the convent you can see the remnants of the old archbishopric, the seat of the archbishop of Sinai until the 6th century. A trail through ancient Byzantine churches leads up to the summit of Gebel Tehuna with spectacular views. At the western entrance to the oasis is the rock that Moses supposedly struck with his staff to draw water.


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 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 DotNabq
Nabq Protected Area embraces the Gulf of Aqaba coast and its hinterland between Sharm el Sheikh and Dahab. This unique 600 square kilometer area of wadi systems, sand dunes, alluvial plains and salt marches supports a relatively diverse animal and plant life. Gazelles, hyrax, Nubian ibex and foxes, as well as a variety of reptile and invertebrate species, have been recorded here. Birdwatchers particularly enjoy sightings of herons, spoonbills, ospreys, gulls, terns and storks. Of the 134 flowering plant species found at Nabq, six are endemic. Most impressive are the four saltwater filtering mangrove forests. These evergreen trees represent Sinai's largest communities and are reportedly the most northerly in the world. Farther inland grow the rare Arak, a bush-like plant that grows sideways along the leeward face of dunes. The protectorate's Arak specimens are the largest in the Middle East. Only local Bedouins live in the park, mostly at El Gharqana and Khereiza villages.


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.













 
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