Sights in the Sinai High Mountain Region · Sheikh Location named after local holy man, usually...

Sights in the Sinai High Mountain Region www.sheikhsina.com

Images courtesy of www.st-katherine.net P. 2 dddd

Sights in the Sinai High Mountain Region St. Katherine, South Sinai Egypt © 2009 Sheikh Sina Bedouin Treks www.sheikhsina.com Written by Zoltan Matrahazi and Andy Killey Cover photos by Mike Nelson (FPA Egypt) and Zoltan Matrahazi. Images of sights are courtesy of www.st-katherine.net. This publication can be downloaded as pdf file from the following location: www.sheikhsina.com/downloads/sights.pdf Financed by the EU and the South Sinai Regional Development Programme (SSRDP).



YOUR GUIDLENES FOR

RESPONSIBLE TREKKING

1. Look after water • Do not pollute water sources with soap, food scraps

or anything else • Do not camp within a 100 m of water sources – wildlife

needs to drink too and will be disturbed by your presence • Do not go to the toilet within a 100 m of water sources

2. Manage your waste

• Crush tin cans and plastic bottles and any other waste; you brought it in so CARRY IT OUT with you

• If there is no toilet, BURN YOUR USED TOILET PAPER and then burry your bodily waste

• You may burn paper items and you may feed vegetable waste to the camels with the owners’ permission

3. Respect Bedouin culture and traditions • Ask permission before using wells, as these are usually private

property • Only enter private gardens if invited to do so by the owner • Ask permission before taking photographs of local people • Do not burn local firewood, use only gas stoves or fire

wood bought in the village for cooking

4. REMEMBER – It’s the LAW! St. Katherine Protectorate was declared by the Prime Ministerial Decree under Law 102 of 1983; illegal activities can result in prosecution

• It is prohibited to remove any object from the Protected Area including rocks, plants and animals

• It is prohibited to disturb or harm animal or birds • It is prohibited to paint or carve graffiti, cut trees or uproot plants

YOUR HELP

CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE

The information above is based on the publication by the St. Katherine Protectorate.



Spelling of names of places and sights is based on the spelling of the only locally available map to South Sinai, pictured below, for easier location. Where we feel it is necessary other spellings are added in brackets. The map is available from better bookshops.

Common words used in geographic names: Arabic English meaning Gebel (Jebel) Mountain Wadi Valley (dry riverbed) Naqb Gully Sharafa Saddle Farsh Basin Ein Spring Bier Well Kharaza/Kharazet Natural granite water pool/s Galt Natural water pool Sid/Sida Waterfall, water cascade, dam (m/f) Seil Flash flood, narrow mouth of valley where flashfloods often occur Sheikh Location named after local holy man, usually with a shrine



Gebel Musa (Mt. Sinai) The Visitors Centre, Nabi Harun, Wadi El Dier, Golden Calf, The Monastery of St. Katherine, The Camel Path, The Stairs of Repentance, Farsh Eliyas, Gebel Musa (Mt. Sinai), Farsh Loza, Farsh Safsafa, Kinesa Homar, Wadi Ferrah, Wadi Sharig Although Mt. Sinai is one of the main attractions in St. Katherine, most visitors do not realize how much more even this single mountain has to offer. It has a complex system of connected mountain top basins – small secluded ecosystems – in which there are many ancient churches and ruins of monastic life. From the top of the gullies, leading steeply down to all directions, there are breath taking views to surrounding wadis, the Monastery and parts of the town. Mass tourism is focused on two single objects, and luckily in one sense at least, the negative impact of the bus loads of tourists arriving for a single night is only felt there. The Visitors Centre, at the roundabout before town, has excellent displays on the Protectorate, natural history, archeology, Bedouins and the Monastery. The beautiful buildings of the Centre are located next to the hill housing a chapel and Muslim shrine, both dedicated to Aaron – Prophet Harun (Nabi Harun) according to Islam. Further up in Wadi el Dier, the short valley leading to the Monastery, you can see a rock formation what locals believe is the mould which was used to make the Golden Calf. The two common ways to the summit of Mt. Sinai start after the fortified building of the Monastery of St. Katherine, either via the camel path or the Stairs of Repentance. They meet after Elija’s Basin (Farsh Eliyas), where there are ancient cypress trees and an olive in a small Monastery garden. On the peak, visited up to a thousand people every night, there is the Church of the Holy Trinity and a small mosque. From Elija’s Basin you can reach Farsh Loza, harbouring a peculiar almond tree and two chapels, Farsh Zaharur which occasionally fills up with water and has views on the Monastery from right above, Farsh Safsafa which has a small orchard and a permanent well, or the chapel known as Kinessa Homar, where donkeys delivered supplies in the past. From here you could even descend to Wadi Ferrah, and then either make your way back via Wadi el Arbain or Wadi Sharig (Wadi Shraij). Wadi el Arbain (Wadi Leja) Wishing Rock, Hajar Musa, The Monastery of Forty Martyrs, Ramadan’s Garden and Rock Hyraxes Wadi el Arbain provides an alternative to head for Gebel Musa (Mt. Sinai) from the town of St. Katherine, and is also on the route to Gebel Katharina. At the beginning of the walk there is a Bedouin Wishing Rock, where locals throw a pebble on the flat top of a big boulder to make a wish. If it stays on top the wish will be granted they say. Halfway in the valley is The Rock of Moses (Hajar Mousa), with the Chapel of the Birth of the Holy Virgin built right next to it. The rock with 12 clefts is believed to be the rock from which Moses fetched water. Locals believe the twelve clefts on it represent the twelve springs mentioned in the Quran (Sura 2:60). It is also mentioned in the Exodus as the rock which sustained the children of Israel (1 Cor. 10:4). According to Swiss orientalist Johann Ludwig Burkhardt the Jebeliya



Bedouin believe that by making female camels crouch down before the rock the camels will become fertile and yield more milk. At the upper end of the valley is the Monastery of the Forty Martyrs with a big garden, olive groves and cypress trees. The Monastery was constructed in the sixth century in honor of the forty Christian martyrs who died in Sebaste (central Turkey). Monks relate that forty Christian soldiers from the Roman Army in the third century were commanded to worship pagan gods. They refused and were put to death by being exposed at night to the bitterly cold winds off a frozen lake. Those who survived until morning were killed by the sword. In the grounds of the monastery is a chapel dedicated to the hermit Saint Onuphrius. Coming from Upper Egypt, he was said to have lived for seventy years in the rock shelter at the northern end of the garden, until he died in AD 390. Ramadan’s garden, located above the Monastery garden, offers a pleasant tea or overnight stop, with views to Mt. Sinai. Ramadan grows rock hyraxes, a fury guinea pig like creature, which is, strangely, related to the elephant. He also plays the stringed Bedouin instrument, the simsimiya. Please do not take pictures of the women. Gebel Katharina Wadi Shagg Musa, Ein Shanir, Farsh Umm Sila, Gebel Katharina, Wadi Ahmar, Wadi Umm Sila Gebel Katharina (Jebel Katherine) is the highest mountain in Egypt at 2642 meters, with a small Orthodox church, dedicated to the saint, on the summit. According to tradition this is the place where monks, after a dream, found the missing body of the martyred St. Katherina. Gebel Musa (Mt. Sinai) is right below, and the views onto it and the whole high mountain area are stunning, especially at sunset and sunrise. Just below the church there is a small room with wooden floor built by the Monastery for visitors, as temperatures here, even is summer, can get quite low. In winter there is often snow. There is another peak right next to the peak of Gebel Katherine, but it is off limits to visitors. The most common routes to the peak are from either Wadi el Arbain or Wadi Shagg. From Wadi el Arbain, after the garden of Ramadan, the zigzagging path leads in Wadi Shagg Musa. At the beginning there is a spring called Ein Shanir, and the steep but good path will continue on to a ridge and a flat area, called Farsh Umm Sila, from where the peak of Gebel Katharina becomes visible. Coming from Wadi Shagg you can either go via Wadi Ahmar or Wadi Umm Sila, both leading to Farsh Umm Sila and then towards the peak. Abu Giffa – Wadi Tubug Leopard Trap, Islibet, Ein Shkaya, Mulberry Tree Abu Giffa (Abu Jeefa) is one of the main gateways to the high mountains, starting in the town of St. Katherine at Ein Tufaha to the South-West. Reaching the top after a relatively short, but steep, zigzagging path, you will find a leopard trap. On the other side of the pass a massive stone path will descend to Wadi Tubug, at a location called Islibet. A narrow canyon, on one side, would take you to Sid Daud and then descend deeply to the lower Wadi Tilah (Wadi



Tala). On the other side Wadi Tubug continues on passing many stone walled Bedouin gardens, a natural spring called Ein Shkaya and an ancient mulberry tree. Leopard trap (Nosret al-Nimr) Leopard traps were built in many parts of the high mountains, usually at high passes where there is always wind, so the smell of the bait went far. It is easy to pass a trap without noticing it, as it looks like a pile of rocks. If you look at it more carefully, there is a tunnel inside it which was closed by a sliding stone door when the leopard entered. Today leopards are probably extinct in the Sinai. The Bedouin often call leopards tiger, as the Arabic word nimr means both. It is confusing for foreign visitors, as they think about the big Asian tiger. “The Sinai leopard is very much smaller than the African leopard and has a preferred diet of birds, mice, and rock hyrax (a rabbit-like creature). It will eat goats and other small livestock if available, and it was this and a fear for human safety which led to its persecution and demise; however it should not be considered as dangerous to people.” (SKP) Ein Shkaya (Ayn Shkaiya) “Ayn Shkaiya is a shallow water trough constructed on a rock shelf. Ayn means eye and is often used to refer to springs, as they have a likeness to an eye. Here water trickles down from a crevice above, marked by an overhanging clump of rushes. This has long been a water collection point for both people and animals; you should treat the water before drinking.” (SKP) Mulberry tree There are only a few mulberry trees in the whole high mountains (Wadi Tubug, Wadi Mathar, Abu Gasaba, Abu Tuweita, Wadi Itlah, Bustan el Birka) and they are always planted outside of garden walls. They are the dark variety. Mulberry trees do not belong to one single person or family, although fruit trees usually are, but to everyone, and the fruit is for all people passing by. It is ripe around June. “The giant mulberry tree with its multiple trunks” in Wadi Tubug “possibly dates back to Byzantine times (7th century AD) and is protected by Bedouin tribal law.” (SKP) Wadi Quweiz – El Freish – Wadi Tala Another common way to the mountains is via Wadi Quweiz, a very short wadi just after the town of St. Katherine to the North-West. From the pass of Quweiz you can see down to Wadi Tilah (Wadi Itlah) running towards the lowlands in the distance. Above Wadi Quweiz, hidden in a secluded granite basin, is located the ancient



garden of El Freish, which has been developed to serve as an eco retreat and base camp to the mountains. Opposite a smooth boulder stained by floods, the only drainage of the basin, is Wadi Tala, and to the right is Wadi Tilah (Wadi Itlah). At the beginning there is a steep cliff and a dripping spring, then a number of Monastery gardens. In the wide part of the valley lies the Monastery of Cosmas and Damianos, and then the only Bedouin garden at the end, below the steep and tricky gully of Sid Daud, leading to higher wadis. Wadi Tala can also be reached from the town via a pass known as Naqb el Rahab, which offers nice views to the town on one side and the wadi on the other. Dier Rahab (the Monastery of Cosmas and Damianos) The Monastery of Cosmas and Damianos is named after the martyred brothers who were doctors and treated locals for free in the 3d century AD. The Bedouin call it Dier el Rahab, meaning the Monastery of the Priest. Giant boulders dot the huge garden and the gracious stone monastery building is set in the middle. The garden, looked after by a Bedouin family, has a long olive grove, tall cypress trees, other fruit trees and vegetables. Monastery properties are traditionally looked after by Bedouin families, who live or used to live in the area. They are unfortunately not open to the public. Sid Daud Sid Daud, meaning David’s Dam, is a steep and tricky gully blocked by huge boulders along the way. They were brought down by the enormous force of occasional flash floods sweeping through the valleys after heavy rains. Several of the wadis in the higher mountains, collecting run off water from a large area, drain through Wadi Tubug to Sid Daud and then into the lower lying Wadi Tala. It is dry most of the year, but following good rains a small creek might be running along the wadi floor. At the bottom there is a small spring dripping to a rock tank. The path disappears time to time, leading through a little hole under the boulders at once place. Some climbing is involved, but with little help any reasonably fit person can do it. The trek through Sid Daud looks adventurous, but it is perfectly safe. Even younger Bedouin remember how much more water was in the wadis only a few decades ago. “The water was running in the wadis, you could here it.” Older people would say there was rain every 40 days – the number forty is often used meaning “many”, so this would roughly translate to every month or so. Global climate change has a serious impact on Sinai, with prolonged droughts since the late 1990s. “Allah does not give rain, because people’s hearts are not clean today, they became greedy” – believe the Bedouin. Looking at the roots of climate change, this is possibly true both ways.



Wadi Shagg Wadi Shagg, Wadi Mathar, Kharaza, Mulberry Tree, Hermit Cell, El Hrezi, Wadi Ghazana Wadi Shagg is a short, narrow wadi branching off Wadi Tubug, but the name is often used for a larger area. At the end of the wadi, Oda’s beautiful garden offers a nice stop over. After the garden there is a low pass, and beyond starts the wide and sandy Wadi Mathar. Parallel to the main path there is a hidden canyon with interconnected granite pools, known as Kharaza, where usually there is water in the pools. Further up in Wadi Mathar there is a mulberry tree, once again, outside a garden on communal land. A little up from the mulberry, on the slopes of a small ridge, there is a Byzantine hermit cell. Hidden beyond the ridge is an area called El Hrezi, with the garden of Farhan Abu Karsh. In the widest part of Wadi Mathar, where it joins Wadi Ghazana (Wadi Rhazana), there is the garden of Sbail Taya, a real striking green island in a dry riverbed of stones. Kharaza A small canyon carved by water in the granite massif, with water pools keeping water usually throughout the year. It is parallel to the main path in Wadi Mathar, but is hidden, and guides often walk pass without drawing the attention of visitors to the sight. It is definitely worth the short detour. It is technically in Wadi Mathar, but people often refer to the area as Wadi Shaq. Byzantine hermit cell and monastic settlement Close to the mulberry tree of Wadi Mathar, on the slopes of a smaller granite ridge is located a very characteristic hermit cell, under a protruding boulder. Further up there is a cluster of stone buildings, one of them is a circular room. In Byzantine times thousands of monks and settlers lived all around the high mountains in small settlements. Some of the monks were so devoted they lived very ascetic lives, often for decades, in total isolation in caves and hermit cells. Wadi Zuweitin El Ehded, Wadi Zuweitin, Farsh Zag, El Ziri The name Wadi Zuweitin (Wadi Zawatin) is used for a number of adjoining wadis, and it is a major junction with many beautiful gardens. At the lower end is El Ehded, with two well looked after gardens, belonging to Saad Mahmoud and Mohammed Hashash. Further up, after a narrow pass, is Wadi Zuweitin where most of the gardens are located, with a number of well developed gardens. It has got its name after the many ancient olive trees found here. Umm Saad is one of the last few people who still live in the mountains most of the year, and she is the only woman looking after her garden and goats alone. From Wadi Zuweitin, opposite Umm Saad’s shaded resting place, a steep but short pass will take you to the higher lying Wadi Gibal. Carrying on straight would take you to the pass of Sharafat el Iskikriya, passing a



group of gardens called El Ziri, and then either to Gebel Abbas Basha or Wadi Tinya. Above Wadi Zuweitin, on both sides, there are hidden basins with old Bedouin houses – both are called Farsh Zag. There are a number of less traveled paths from the Wadi Zuweitin area to Farsh Abu Mahshur, Gebel Abbas Basha and Wadi Gibal via Farsh Gdemiyet. From either part of the area there are magnificent views to the dark massif of Gebel Katharina towering in the distance, with the white chapel on top standing out against the blue of the sky. Sharafat el Iskikriya After Wadi Zawatin “you come to a massive stone construction, some of which was washed away by the floods which once surged down here. This was to be a road to take Abbas Pasha in his horse-drawn carriage to his palace, but was never completed as the ruler died a year after building commenced.” From the pass of Iskikriya “you can enjoy superb views northwards into Wadi Tiinya and south to Jebel Katrin. To your left, on the west, rises Jebel Sumera, from the top of which were cut some of the red granite building blocks for the palace. To your right, the stone walls you see winding up the mountainside are in fact a reinforced road to the summit which was used by donkeys to transport materials. There are also remains of some of the workers’ houses.” (SKP) Gebel Abbas Basha Gebel Abbas Basha, Gebel Abu Mahshur, Farsh Abu Mahshur

Located in the centre of the high mountains, offering stunning views all around, to the high mountains and the lowlands, to the village of St. Katherine with Gebel Musa (Mt. Sinai) towering above it, to Gebel Katharina and the gardens in the wadis. The unfinished palace of Abbas Pasha is on top.

“Abbas Pasha suffered from tuberculosis and planned to build a palace where he could recuperate in the healthy mountain air. He finally settled on this 2383m mountain then called Jebel Tiinya, apparently after placing meat on several summits and observing that it decayed slower on this mountain than on others. Another version of this story is that the monks told him that meat spoiled least here, in order to keep him away from Mount Sinai where he had originally intended to build his palace. Construction began in 1853, but in 1854 Abbas Pasha died. Work stopped, and the incomplete palace now stands abandoned on the summit, it is about 45 metres square and was to have been two stories high.

Unused granite blocks and fired bricks lie around and the unfinished doorways are framed by beautifully squared lintels. The red granite blocks were cut from Wadi Zawatiin and Jebel Sumera; the bricks were made on site from granite sand. The walls are 1-2m thick and contain the remains of wooden joists, many of which have been removed for firewood in the intervening years. Inside the palace you can see the layout of the cellars, and an area covered by white chalky material where mortar was prepared.

Abbas Pasha had a lasting distrust of foreigners. He strongly opposed many of the western inspired change introduced by his grandfather Mohammed Ali Pasha (1805-1848) and he is remembered as a traditionalist and reactionary who undid many of his grandfather’s modernizing reforms. His secretive and suspicious nature has led to much



speculation over his death; it is uncertain whether he was murdered or died of a stroke.” (SKP)

Farsh Abu Mahshur A secluded basin high above Wadi Zuweitin, in the side of the smooth granite massif of Gebel Abu Mahshur. It is surrounded by massive granite walls which harbor a cradle of lush vegetation. There were a Byzantine monastery here, its ruins are still visible, and a well. An opening in the granite wall leads out to the smooth boulders from where there are beautiful views of the gardens below and onto Wadi Jibal in the distance. There is a kharaza, a natural granite water pool, under the basin. It can be reached from Wadi Zuweitin, El Ziri or from the top of Gebel Abbas Basha, via Jebel Abu Mahashur. It can be an alternative route to climbing Gebel Abbas Basha, although the terrain is more difficult and there are deep depths. Wadi Gibal Rehebit Nada, Abu Jidda, Wadi Buleia, Gebel Umm Loz, Farsh Gdemiyet, Aswad ‘Eish, Abu Gasaba, Shilela, Farsh Rummana The name Wadi Gibal (Wadi Jibal) is often used for the whole High Mountain Region, but it is actually one long wadi, starting at Rehebit Nada, then taking a turn at Abu Gasaba and ending at Farsh Rummana. Rehebit Nada Rehebit Nada, the sandy, flat plain above Wadi Zawatin, has nice views of the valley running towards distant mountains. There is an old Bedouin cemetery here. Bedouin graves are usually very simple, the head and foot only marked with two rocks or two small piles of rocks. A little down from the cemetery there is a big white stone, which is called Marazza. The rock is often found at a different place, as carrying it is a traditional way of showing off someone’s strength. In the past men before marriage had to carry the rock for a distance. Rehebit Nada was also a meeting place, where people from the lower wadis and the upper wadis met and held traditional Bedouin parties, called dahiya, singing and clapping hands. Abu Jidda There is a beautiful garden hidden in a small basin above Wadi Gibal, a little down from Rehebit Nada. It has been developed by owner Farhan Abu Zidan to offer a secluded retreat for visitors. A porous volcanic intrusion, also called dyke, is cutting through the basin, and this is where run off water from the impenetrable granite collects and the wells are built. Abu Jidda, meaning the Father of Dykes, has a unique, rich, very red soil.



Wadi Buleia Further down from Abu Jidda down in the wadi floor a long stretch of gardens begins. At the mouth of adjoining Wadi Buleia there is the Abu Hebs’ garden, and a small plateau above the wadi floor with a cluster of beautiful Bedouin houses. Gardens were usually built in the wadi floor where there is water, and although there might be houses and rooms attached to them, additional buildings were built at higher elevations because of the regular flash floods. As there is not much vegetation to slow down the flow of rainwater in the barren mountains and water gathers over a large area leading to narrow valleys, short outbursts of rain can result in devastating flash foods, destroying rock walls and buildings, carrying away livestock, burying wells, uprooting trees. Wadi Buleia itself is off the main Wadi Gibal path, approachable either through the plateau or from the Abu Hebs’s garden. There are a couple of well looked after gardens and some stone buildings. From here you can climb Gebel Umm Loz, either from the steep South face or the more accessible ridge, separating Wadi Bulia from the rolling plains of Er Raiyan Spring, further up in the wadi to the North. The smooth granite mountain is also called Ras el Jibal or the Head of the Mountains. From the gardens of Wadi Buleia there is also an alternative route to Sharafat el Iskikriya and Gebel Abbas Basha, via a long, oval granite basin, called Farsh Gdemiyet. Aswad ‘Eish The garden of Salem Faraj, after several other gardens and buildings in the wadi floor and on the banks, is a well looked after place in the lower part of Wadi Gibal below the Aswad Eeish pass. It is a shortcut to Farsh Rummana starting above the garden, a steep climb at first, but on the other side it is a gentle slope descending towards the plains. Abu Gasaba There are more gardens along the way till an area called Abu Gasaba, where Wadi Gibal turns North towards Farsh Rummana. Most of the gardens are abandoned due to drought, but the name, gasab meaning bamboo, suggests there were wetter times in the past. One of the few mulberry trees of the high mountains is found here, but it dried out in 2007 after a very dry winter. There is a ruined Byzantine church where Wadi Maza joins in, and a little spring below a boulder in the adjoining garden. Straight ahead there is a steep rocky gully with Bedouin rock shelters; it is Naqb Umm Siha, one of the main routes to Bab el Dunya.



Shilela and Farsh Rummana After the turn there are more abandoned gardens and at one point Wadi Gibal splits into two. The area is called Shilela, but often mentioned as Farsh Rummana, which is a little further down. Farsh Rummana is a large flat basin with many gardens, Bedouin stone buildings on hills, huge boulders and curious looking rock shelters in small caves and under rocks. It is a favorite overnight stop, either to or from Bab el Dunya via Naqb Bahriya, or Galt el Azraq via Wadi Talla (Wadi Tala Kibira). Once well looked after and developed, due to lack of water most of the gardens are now abandoned or semi-abandoned, with the exception of Hussein Abu Ghalaba’s garden. Long Wadi Gibal ends here. Bab el Dunya – Gebel Bab Wadi Umm Siha, Masb Abu Gharun, Ras Abu ‘Alda, Farsh Zatar, Ein Nagila, Bab el Dunya, Gebel Bab, Naqb Baharia, Wadi Zuweitar Bab el Dunya and Gebel Bab are two peaks of a longer mountain range, which stands on the perimeter of the high mountains and the Jabaleya territory. On one side the range runs above Wadi Gibal, between Abu Gasaba and Farsh Rummana. On the other side there are steep and very long valleys descending to lower mountain ranges and the territory of the Ulad Said tribe. There is a complex system of interconnected wadis and basins at the top, and several other peaks including Gebel Umm Gasba and Ras Abu ‘Alda. Close to the later is Masb Abu Gharun, a dramatic look-out point. The name refers to the mountain goat’s horns, as there is a boulder split into two resembling it. It is a balcony with a huge rock stuck above a cliff and steep gullies. The range is usually climbed from Naqb Umm Siha or Naqb Bahariya, but there is another way from Galt el Azraq via Berry Canyon and then Wadi Zuweitar. Bab el Dunya means Door to the World, and refers to the views you get from the top. To the East there are spectacular views of the Gulf of Suez and in clear weather you can see to the other side of the gulf. The dark triangular shape of Gebel Tarbush dominates the view to the North. To the West you can see Gebel Katharina and to the South distant Gebel Umm Shaumar. They are a short climb from Ein Nagila, a spring located just below the peaks, in Wadi Za’tar. Ein Nagila (Ain Najila) It is a spring dripping from the mountain to a stone fountain, then overflowing from it, forming a little creek running through a series of shallow granite pools and disappearing in the sandy wadi floor. There is a ruin of a Byzantine church a little down from the spring in the wadi. Its elongated shape is different from most other Byzantine buildings.



Wadi Talla (Wadi Tala Kibira) Tbeg, Wadi Tala Kibira, Berry Canyon, Galt el Azraq, Farsh Umm Sila Wadi Talla is a long, steep and lush valley leading from Tbeg, right after Farsh Rummana, to Sheikh Ahmed and eventually to the settlement of Sheikh Awad. As one of the main outlets of water from the high mountains, there are many ponds and creeks along the way with water disappearing under rocks and resurfacing at other locations. Wadi Zuweitar joins in through the narrow Berry canyon, where a huge boulder is stuck between the two rock walls. The water pool of Galt el Azraq is around two thirds up in the wadi. Further down, after Naqb Abu Tuweita joins in, the wadi becomes wider and sandy and there are many Bedouin gardens with date palms. The valley finally joins Wadi Ginab at the tomb of a local holy man, Sheikh Ahmed, and then continuing in Wadi Madman (Wadi Madaman) to the settlement of Sheikh Awad and the beginning of the lower plains. Galt el Azraq Galt el Azraq is the biggest granite pool in the High Mountain Region. Its name, despite azraq is blue in Arabic, actually means Black Pool in the Bedouin dialect, as black, aswad, has negative connotation and is not used as a color. It is located under massive boulders and surrounded by lush vegetation. A narrow and very steep path starting right above the pool will lead to the basin of Farsh Umm Sila and then descend to Wadi Abu Tuweita on the other side. In the basin visitors and local Bedouin left a forest of piled up rocks behind, called rojom. Rojoms are used to mark the trails, but in this place people just built them as a mark of their visit. Wadi Abu Tuweita Located above Wadi Tinya, it consists of a flat, sandy upper part with Bedouin gardens, and a long, steep and narrow gully. The later part of the wadi, often called Naqb Abu Tuweita, is rarely visited, although there are a seasonal water fall and granite pools at the top and beautiful views towards the lowlands. Further down there are some date palms holding on the steep and rocky terrain. The gully eventually leads to Wadi Tala Kibira, below the pool of Galt el Azraq. The upper part of Wadi Abu Tuweita, where the gardens are located, is on the usual trekking circuit, connecting Galt el Azraq to Wadi Sagr and Wadi Tinya. Saad Salah’s place is the only garden which is looked after. There is a mulberry tree outside of a garden on communal land, below the path coming from Farsh Umm Sila.



Wadi Sagar It is a spectacular little canyon, a crack in the granite range, between Wadi Abu Tuweita and Wadi Tinya. The sighting is more dramatic approached from above, from the direction of Wadi Abu Tuweita, when the wadi suddenly drops deeply into the narrow gorge. Some climbing is involved but with little help virtually anybody can do it. There are some trees and bushes in the canyon, including a grafted fig tree and rose bushes, and a water fountain, similar to Ein Shkaya, where water drips from a small crack in the rock to a fountain. Donkeys cannot reach the place and the water is safe to drink. Wadi Tinya Wadi Tinya, Gebel Na’ga, Kharazet el Shagg, Wadi Shagg Tinya Wadi Tinya is a long wadi, wide at the beginning then getting narrower, which leads down from the pass of Sharafat el Iskikriya and ends at the pools of Kharazet el Shaq. Wadi Abu Tuweita can be reached via a pass from the upper part of the wadi after Sharaha’s garden, or through Wadi Sagr further down, next to Shob’s gardens. Gebel Na’ga, towering over Sheikh Ahmad and offering magnificent views to the plains in the North, is a relatively short detour starting from the lower part of the wadi, just before the water pools. Kharazet el Shaq At the end of Wadi Tinya the wide and sandy high mountain wadi comes to the edge of the massif, and disappearing through a narrow gorge, it drops into the long, narrow and steep gully of Wadi Shagg Tinya. At the very top, below a date palm and a pleasant resting place, there are a number of connected water pools. They were carved and are sustained by water gathered over a large area, which flows through here, one of the main drainages of the high mountains. The biggest pool is large enough to have a refreshing swim in it in the hot summer months. None of the pools is as big as Galt el Azraq, but the setting is perhaps more dramatic and the water is clearer. After the pools Wadi Shagg Tinya will take you down to the junction of Wadi Tilah (Wadi Itlah), Wadi Ginab and Naqb Abu Sila. Wadi Tilah (Wadi Itlah) Wadi Tilah (Wadi Itlah) starts at the junction of Wadi Quweiz, Wadi Tala and the water cascade of El Freish, and finishes at the junction of Wadi Shagg Tinya, Wadi Ginab and Naqg Abu Sila. A huge boulder marks the start of the wadi. There is a stone road in the upper part of the valley leading to the Chapel of Saint John Klimakos, passing a plateau with the ruins of a Byzantine monastic settlement.



After the chapel there is a short and steep descent into the wide and sandy lower part of the valley. There are many stone walled gardens from here on, one of them is the El Halwa Garden run by traditional herbalist, known as hakim, Haj Ahmed. In the wadi there are many date palms indicating there is a fair amount of water underground. Galeli Max The Chapel of Saint John Klimakos, or St. John of the Ladder, was built in 1979 in Wadi Itlah to commemorate his devotional work in the 6th century AD. Also spelled Climacus or Climax, and the Bedouin name, Galeli Max, comes from here. The saint is said to have spent forty years in solitude in a cave above the existing chapel. Like all chapels, churches and religious sights, it is closed for the general public. "During this time, Klimakos was elected Abbot of Sinai and asked to write a spiritual guide. He composed The Ladder of Divine Ascent which likens spiritual life to the ladder seen by the Patriach Jacob extending from earth to heaven (Genesis 28:12-17)." According to the book the ladder "consists of 30 rungs, each step corresponding to a spiritual virtue. Through silence and solitude hermits and monks sought to climb the divine ladder. The first rung instructs the renunciation of all earthly ties and the next 14 relate to human vices such as talkativeness, anger, despondency and dishonesty. The final 15 rungs relate to virtues including meekness, simplicity, prayer, holy stillness and humility. The crowning virtue is love." (SKP) Naqb Abu Sila A narrow gully connecting the settlement of Abu Seila to Wadi Itlah. There are granite water pools and a seasonal water cascade about halfway, from where the valley becomes sandy and continues between the walls of a narrow canyon before reaching Wadi Itlah. The walk in the gully floor involves some climbing and balancing at one point, but there is an easier path above the canyon for camels. Wadi Ginab Starting where Wadi Itlah and Wadi Shaq Tinya meet, the dried out sandy riverbed of the valley is full of date palms and Bedouin gardens all along the way. There are seasonal water falls and pools at some places. The wadi ends at Sheikh Ahmed and continues on in Wadi Madaman. Sheikh Ahmed There is the simple tomb of Sheikh Ahmed where Wadi Talaa Kibira and Wadi Ginab meet. You can see similar tombs in Sheikh Awad, at Nabi Salah and Nabi Harun. They are built to commemorate people Bedouin regarded as holy men. The conical shape of Gebel Naja towers over the junction.



Wadi Madaman A wide, dry and sandy-stony riverbed leading from Sheikh Ahmed to the lowland settlement of Sheikh Awad. Shortly after Sheikh Ahmed there is a valley leading to Gebel Tarbush. There is a medicinal plant garden run by a local Bedouin, Oda Abu Huder, at the end of the valley before reaching the plains. Wadi Raha – Abu Sila – Naqb el Hawa Wadi Raha is a wide, open sandy plain starting at the Shamiya area of St. Katherine opposite Wadi el Dier and the hotels, which leads to the settlement of Abu Sila. The Israelites are believed to have camped here while Moses climbed Mt. Sinai. There is now a tarmac road until Abu Sila. From Abu Sila settlement you can descend to Wai Tilah (Wadi Itlah) via Naqb Abu Sila, climb to Farsh Faria (Wadi Freah) or descend to the settlement of Sheikh Awad via Naqb el Hawa. This later was part of the traditional caravan route connecting el Tur city to the Monastery of St. Katherine. Sheikh Awad – Wadi Gharba Sheikh Awad is a small settlement of 20-30 households at the foot of the high mountain region. Because of its lower elevation it has more pleasant weather in the winter months, but is hotter in summer. The settlement is named after a local holy man who is buried in the local cemetery and a small, simple shrine is erected above his tomb. Bedouins gather here at certain occasions. Wadi Gharba, starting after the water fall of Sida Nogra in the mountains, ends close to the settlement. There are some smaller granite pools along the way. In the last, flat and sandy part of the valley is El Karm Eco Lodge. There are the ruins of a Nabatean settlement close-by. Wadi Nugra – Sida Nugra Wadi Nugra (Wadi Nogra) is a narrow valley starting at the confluence of wadis, Milam el Widya, after the Bustan el Birka area, and ending at the granite pools of Sida Nogra waterfall. There is a curious looking, huge flat boulder reclining against the wadi wall, providing a natural shelter, close to the waterfall. Sidda Nogra is a small round basin surrounded by massive vertical granite walls after Wadi Gharba, with a seasonal waterfall of about 40 meters. Even when dry, the way the water cut out of the granite wall is impressive. There is usually water in the granite pools on the top of the waterfall. From the basin below you have to go back a little, and a steep climb would take you to the upper part.



Gebel Banat Gebel Banat is a smooth, round granite peak, the highest of several other peaks surrounding a basin. It stands on the outer perimeter of the high mountains, above Wadi Nugra. There are magnificent views the North, to the hills of the lowlandsw with Gebel Serbal and the Tih plateau in the distance, to Wadi Gharba below, as well as the central high mountain region to the South. Farsh Faria (Wadi Freah) – Bustan el Birka – Wadi Abu Zaituna Wadi Freah is a wide, open plateau after a pass from the settlement of Abu Seila, with sparsely located granite peaks along both sides. It connects to Wadi Abu Zeituna at Milan el Widya, passing the garden of Bustan el Birka. There are many Byzantine buildings in the area. It is also popular with meditation groups and a camel school operates from a small garden-camp. A big stone walled Bedouin garden, called bustan, with a water tank, called birka, under a massive granite cone, close to where Farsh Faria and Wadi Abu Zeituna meet. There is a mulberry tree next to the garden and a rock shelter under a rock. Above the garden there is an old Bedouin cemetery. There are many Byzantine ruins, many of them in excellent condition, in the area. Wadi Abu Zeituna starts from the pass above the settlement of Abu Zeituna, at a wide open sandy plateau dotted with massive boulders. There is a huge stone walled garden before the plateau drops into a long, narrow valley running between granite walls. There are many gardens and beautiful stone buildings down in the valley floor and up on the rocky banks. The lower end of the wadi is wider with more Bedouin gardens, and eventually it leads to the big, open plain around Bustan el Birka. Wadi Anshil el ‘Ala starts at the mountain top basin of Farsh Sana (Gebel San’a) and runs down to Wadi Abu Zeituna. There are well preserved Byzantine churches along the way, one close to the top and another two about halfway of the steep, narrow valley. Farsh Sanaa is a large basin at the top of Jebel Sanaa, with an abandoned Bedouin garden. The basin is clearly visible from Mt. Sinai. Jebel Sanaa standing over the plains of Wadi Raha and Nabi Harun, there are excellent views from the top to the village of St. Katherine, the Raha Plain, Wadi el Dier with the Monastery of St. Katherine and Mt. Sinai (Jebel Musa). There is a wide open plateau on the top, Farsh Sanaa, from which there are narrow valleys running down to Wadi Abu Zeituna. Gebel ed Dier – Gebel Muneiga – Wadi Isbaiya – Wadi Sdud On the other side of the Monastery of St. Katherine and Wadi el Dier, opposite the Mt. Sinai massif, is the smooth granite mount of Jebel el Dier. Above the Monastery of St. Katherine, accessible via a path, are the Monastery of St. Galaktion and St. Episteme and the Chapel of Theodore of Tyre and St. Theodore the Recruit. It is possible to climb to the peak of Jebel el Dier from this side. You can ascend on the other side to Wadi Isbaiya or to Wadi el Sheikh at Nabi Harun.



Wadi Isbaiya is a long valley starting at the town of St. Katherine at Abu Zeituna and leading to Wadi Sdud and the Ulad Said Bedouin territory of the Blue Desert and the Umm Shomar area. It was the first settlement in the area as the soldiers brought by Emperor Justinian were settled here. You can reach the Monastery of St. Katherine through a low pass at Jethro's Hill (Gebel Muneiga), or climb Jebel el Dier. There is a new Eco Lodge here, built by Sheikh Sina. Blue Desert The Blue Desert (Blue Valley or Blue Mountain) is an open desert plain, encircled by rugged mountain ranges, made famous by having several outcrops and rock formations painted blue by Belgian artist Jean Verame to commemorate the peace agreement between Egypt and Israel. The Blue Desert is usually approached from the main road, on a day trip or as part of a Bedouin sunset dinner, but it can also easily be visited on foot or camel in a long day via a more scenic route. It is a large, open sandy plain at the start of several long wadis leading to lower ground. It is already far below the High Mountain range, and the views from the passes of Farsh Umm Qasyum or Wadi Abu Khseib are stunning. Boulders painted blue are scattered around a large area and you could spend hours to walk around the basin. It is also a nice starting point for longer treks: towards the South-West to Wadi Rahaba, Gebel Umm Shaumar, Ein Kid and eventually to El Tur City or Sharm el Sheikh; or towards the East to Dahab or Nuweiba via a sandstone desert passing oases and canyons. Nature, culture, history One of the best local resources actually is the Visitors Centre at Nabi Harun. It gives you a very good general idea of all relevant aspects of the region. The four walking trail guides produced by the Protectorate are available here as well as from the Protectorate HQ, and they contain, in addition to the excellent walking guide, notes on nature, culture and history. They are as follow:

• Mt. Sinai, A Walking Trail Guide • Wadi Talla and Wadi Itlah, A Walking Trail Guide • Wadi Arbaein & Wadi Shrayj, A Walking Trail Guide • Jebel Abbas Pasha, A Walking Trail Guide

Joseph Hobb’s “Mt. Sinai” is arguably the best, and easily available, book about the area – it deals with all relevant aspects, from an academic point of view but in a very digastable way for the general public. It is usually on amazon.com. The book by Semi Zalat and Francis Gilbert, “A walk in Sinai: St Katherine to Al Galt Al Azraq”, is only available locally and out of print. If you can get it it has good info about flore and fauna. It is, along with other relevant books, available as a pdf file on: http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/~plzfg/. A good resource about the orchard gardening tradition of the Jabaleya and more flora and fauna by the same author pair is “Gardens in a sacred landscape: Bedouin heritage and natural history in the high mountains of Sinai”, and it is available from the American University in Cairo (AUC) bookshop and other better bookshops in Egypt.



Environmental Issues There are many stressing issues and there have been several comprehensive studies conducted by the UNDP Global Environment Facility, including the followings:

• Agriculture, Animal Husbandry & Fisheries • Bedouin Consultation • Challenges Facing Tourism • Community Consultation Findings • Cost-Benefit Analysis Infrastructural Projects • Cosultation • Cultural Heritage Sites • Demographics & Population • Development Profile • Dumpsite Case Study • Ecotourism Priciples, practices and policies • Environmental & Development Profile • Environmental Action Plan • Environmental Management Workshop • Geology & Mineral Resources • Institutional Framework • Istitutional Issues • Manufacturing Industry Profile • Marine Pollution • Poverty Impacts • Public Consultation • Solid Waste Management Baseline • Tourist Survey Findings

These files can be downloaded from www.st-katherine.net/en/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=36&Itemid=70 References National Parks of Egypt Protectorates Development Programmes, Mt. Sinai, A Walking Trail Guide National Parks of Egypt Protectorates Development Programmes, Wadi Talla and Wadi Itlah, A Walking Trail Guide National Parks of Egypt Protectorates Development Programmes, Wadi Arbaein & Wadi Shrayj, A Walking Trail Guide National Parks of Egypt Protectorates Development Programmes, Jebel Abbas Pasha, A Walking Trail Guide Joseph Hobbs, Mount Sinai UNDP Global Environment Facility Perelovsky Semi Zalat – Francis Gilbert, A walk in Sinai: St Katherine to Al Galt Al Azraq Semi Zalat – Francis Gilbert, Gardens in a sacred landscape: Bedouin heritage and natural history in the high mountains of Sinai. R. A. Nicholson, A Literary History of the Arabs, Cambridge 1930

Sights in the Sinai High Mountain Region · Sheikh Location named after local holy man, usually...

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