Wadi Jibal: the high mountain wadis

 


A moderate overnight hike in the Sinai high mountains, with the first day being a little tougher and the second more relaxing. The walk started at Abu Jeefa, descending to Islibet and Wadi Tubuq and passing the spring of Ein Shkaya along the way. A detour was made via Wadi Shaq and Wadi Mathar before returning to the main route at el-Ehded and Wadi Zawatin. The reservoir at Farsh Zaq was still quite full after the rain a couple of months earlier. 

Rather than descending back into Wadi Zawatin, the route continued via Rehebit Nada into Wadi Jibal. The hike went as far as Abu Gasaba before returning to Aswad 'Eish for the night.

The next day, the same route was followed back, with a small detour to Abu Jidda along the way.




































































































































































Popular posts from this blog

A long walk near St Catherine: the remote Wadi Tinya and the waterpools of Kharazet el Shaq

Image
  The view of Mt Katherina, Egypt's highest peak, from El Zirri.  A long walk to visit the remote Wadi Tinya, starting from the main route from St Catherine via Abu Jeefa and Wadi Zawatin. From the latter, passing El Zirri, the route leads to the high pass of Iskikriya, and on the other side descends to Wadi Tinya. Locations worth visiting but not visited this time include Wadi Abu Tuweita and Wadi Sagr. Wadi Tinya drains to Kharazet el Shaq, a series of pools at the top of the very steep and long gully known as Wadi Shaq-Tinya, which connects to the end of Wadi Itlah. Two ways exist to the village of Abu Seils, and this time the adventurous little canyon, Ubugiya, was chosen. 
Read more

A short walk near St Catherine: El Freish and Wadi Itlah

Image
  The view of Saint Catherine from the ridge of El Freish.  The nearest Bedouin garden from St Catherine is El Freish, a secluded and cute basin with a single garden, separated from the city by a small ridge. The basin is also called Farsh Shama' - or Farsh Abu Aluan, named after the family who owns the garden. The basin drains to the junction of Wadi Qweiz-Wadi Talaa-Wadi Itlah. The latter is a straight and long valley with many gardens and a little Greek Orthodox church next to the Cave of St John the Ladder. Wadi Itlah ends at Wadi Shaq-Tinya, a steep gully coming from the high mountains, and from here you can also get back to St Catherine via the village of Abu Seila. 
Read more