Long distance treks in Sinai: coast to coast II.
Originally posted on November 9, 2016
The Bedouin on the Nuweiba-Taba coast usually organise treks to nearby Coloured Canyon, and maybe a bit more inland to the oasis of Ein Umm Ahmed, Jebel Berqa and the oasis of Ein Khudra. Not many offer treks further away, but some used to do and perhaps still do. A British adventure traveller, Dave Lucas, and his Bedouin friends, Musallem Faraj from the Tarabin tribe and Nasser Mansour from the Jebeleya, developed one of the best long distance hiking trails in Egypt’s Sinai peninsula. An original idea, it is an epic trip from the coast of the Gulf of Aqaba via the St Catherine area to the coast at El Tur city on the Gulf of Suez. While this program is made up of different routes that have been used by the Bedouin for centuries, no one else joined them together before to create such a coast-to-coast hiking trail. The program first was offered by the now defunct EU-funded Sheikh Sina company in 2009, then a German operator, Wüstenwandern, was running a similar trek with the lead of Ragab Eid of Darb Sina for several years. Now the UK adventure travel company, Secret Compass, offers the program, led by the original explorers Dave Lucas and his Bedouin friends. As far as safety and security are concerned, the interior of South Sinai is safe, the troubles are located in a small well-contained pocket of North Sinai hundreds of miles away. There is no threat of terrorism or crime in South Sinai, but to be sure these days strong security measures and possibly some restrictions are in place. The best, as always, is to check with the tour operators if a particular program is organised.
From the Gulf Aqaba to El Tur via the St Catherine area
The trek starts at Ras Shaitan into Wadi Milha, then leads past the seasonal water pool of Wadi Wishwashi, before reaching the Coloured Canyon. From here different alternative routes exist, which join later on.
Route 1: The most direct route is via Wadi Ghazala to the oasis of Ein Khudra, with the possibility of making a little detour to Jebel Mileihis and/or the Closed Canyon.
Route 2: The longer route from the Coloured Canyon first leads to Bir Biriya, the Rainbow Canyon, then via Wadi Agula to Ein Umm Ahmad and Jebel Berqa. There is a shortcut via Wadi Breqa, skipping Ein Umm Ahmad. From Jebel Berqa again different routes exist to Ein Khudra – this is where route 1 also joins.
After Ein Khudra you can head to different directions again, either going via the Nawamis area and Jebel Matamir, or via Jebel Barqa (Jebel Makharum). These routes then merge at Wadi Safra, and through Wadi Matura and Wadi Fara lead to the Blue Desert near St Catherine. From here there is a direct way to Wadi Rahaba, or possibly you could go via St Catherine. This later involves more logistics, unless you do this detour without camels, but if you do it you could add Mt Sinai and even Mt Katherine, Egypt’s highest peak. From Wadi Rahaba the longer but more interesting route involves a climb to Jebel Umm Shomar, or you can head directly to Wadi Isla, the last stretch in the wadis. It opens to a wide and long sandy plain known as El Qaa, that separates the mountains from the sea. El Tur is still a day’s hike from the wadi’s mouth, or a pre-arranged car can wait trekkers at this point.
If you are interested in a coast-to-coast trek, only a few operators might offer it. The adventure company Secret Compass is one of them, and you can also ask local Bedouin guides Musallem Faraj, Nasser Mansour, or Ragab Eid (Darb Sina). Possibly you can find other operators offering a similar program – if you know any, you are welcome to make a suggestion.
Related posts: Long distance expeditions, safaris, treks | Coast to Coast I.
The Bedouin on the Nuweiba-Taba coast usually organise treks to nearby Coloured Canyon, and maybe a bit more inland to the oasis of Ein Umm Ahmed, Jebel Berqa and the oasis of Ein Khudra. Not many offer treks further away, but some used to do and perhaps still do. A British adventure traveller, Dave Lucas, and his Bedouin friends, Musallem Faraj from the Tarabin tribe and Nasser Mansour from the Jebeleya, developed one of the best long distance hiking trails in Egypt’s Sinai peninsula. An original idea, it is an epic trip from the coast of the Gulf of Aqaba via the St Catherine area to the coast at El Tur city on the Gulf of Suez. While this program is made up of different routes that have been used by the Bedouin for centuries, no one else joined them together before to create such a coast-to-coast hiking trail. The program first was offered by the now defunct EU-funded Sheikh Sina company in 2009, then a German operator, Wüstenwandern, was running a similar trek with the lead of Ragab Eid of Darb Sina for several years. Now the UK adventure travel company, Secret Compass, offers the program, led by the original explorers Dave Lucas and his Bedouin friends. As far as safety and security are concerned, the interior of South Sinai is safe, the troubles are located in a small well-contained pocket of North Sinai hundreds of miles away. There is no threat of terrorism or crime in South Sinai, but to be sure these days strong security measures and possibly some restrictions are in place. The best, as always, is to check with the tour operators if a particular program is organised.
From the Gulf Aqaba to El Tur via the St Catherine area
The trek starts at Ras Shaitan into Wadi Milha, then leads past the seasonal water pool of Wadi Wishwashi, before reaching the Coloured Canyon. From here different alternative routes exist, which join later on.
Route 1: The most direct route is via Wadi Ghazala to the oasis of Ein Khudra, with the possibility of making a little detour to Jebel Mileihis and/or the Closed Canyon.
Route 2: The longer route from the Coloured Canyon first leads to Bir Biriya, the Rainbow Canyon, then via Wadi Agula to Ein Umm Ahmad and Jebel Berqa. There is a shortcut via Wadi Breqa, skipping Ein Umm Ahmad. From Jebel Berqa again different routes exist to Ein Khudra – this is where route 1 also joins.
After Ein Khudra you can head to different directions again, either going via the Nawamis area and Jebel Matamir, or via Jebel Barqa (Jebel Makharum). These routes then merge at Wadi Safra, and through Wadi Matura and Wadi Fara lead to the Blue Desert near St Catherine. From here there is a direct way to Wadi Rahaba, or possibly you could go via St Catherine. This later involves more logistics, unless you do this detour without camels, but if you do it you could add Mt Sinai and even Mt Katherine, Egypt’s highest peak. From Wadi Rahaba the longer but more interesting route involves a climb to Jebel Umm Shomar, or you can head directly to Wadi Isla, the last stretch in the wadis. It opens to a wide and long sandy plain known as El Qaa, that separates the mountains from the sea. El Tur is still a day’s hike from the wadi’s mouth, or a pre-arranged car can wait trekkers at this point.
If you are interested in a coast-to-coast trek, only a few operators might offer it. The adventure company Secret Compass is one of them, and you can also ask local Bedouin guides Musallem Faraj, Nasser Mansour, or Ragab Eid (Darb Sina). Possibly you can find other operators offering a similar program – if you know any, you are welcome to make a suggestion.
Related posts: Long distance expeditions, safaris, treks | Coast to Coast I.
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