Garden of Ramadan Abu Sayyed

Very easy to reach from the town of St. Katherine, it lies just below the holy peaks of Mt. Sinai on one side and of Mt. Katherine on the other side. Mt. Sinai can be reached different ways, and the full day program is definitelly recommended. There is an ancient small Orthodox monastery next to the garden, with a big stone-walled orchard, olive groves, tall cypress trees. The rock of Moses is also in the same valley.

Ramadan, the owner of the garden, sometimes plays the traditional stringed intrument, the simsimiyya. He also breeds Rock Hyraxes, a cute hairy mountain creature. The terraced garden has many secluded areas away from Ramadan's family tent, with stone rooms for winter use and shady-windy open arishas for summer. There are clean toilets and showers. There are many fruit trees, vegetables, herbs, all grown organically.

The garden is ideal for individuals and smaller groups who want to relax on holy land but don't want to - or unable to - walk too much or too hard. It can be reached from the town easily and fast without any steep climb, but it is still far enough to provide a quite experience. The climb to Mt. Sinai is recommended, but not necessary, as from a quiet relaxing terrace you can see the summit without climbing it. There are also other nice walks of different difficulty, to various holy places and beautiful natural sights. The Chapel of St. Katherine on the highest peak in Egypt is a long, 4-5 hrs walk one way, but there are easier walks to Wadi Ferrah, Farsh Safsafa, Farsh Loza.