Wadi Mukattab and Wadi Maghara

Trek 23

Wadi Mukattab is also known as the Valley of the Inscriptions since it is covered with ancient scripts on the rock faces for about two kilometres. Wadi Maghara, further north at Sheikh Suliman’s tomb, is where turquoise was mined from Pharaonic times. The area is connected to Serabit el Khadim and the Forest of Pillars via Wadi Sieh. From Abu Rudes, the old British mining route known as Tariq Hamsa Arbain (Rd. 45) is a direct route to the site.

Other names/spellings: Valley of Inscriptions – Wadee, Wady, Vadi, Ouadi – Mukatab / Magara


  • Wadi Mukattab: the Valley of Inscriptions, with the mouth of the wadi is at the main asphalt road between the Sharm-Suez road and Wadi Feiran. A dirt road leads all the way to Sheikh Suliman, and the inscriptions are found about half way.
  • Sheikh Suliman: the tomb of a local holy man, at the mouth of Wadi Maghara.
  • Wadi Maghara: a little valley with caves on the hill side, carved by miners searching for turquoise. There is a Pharaonic carving above the main group of caves.
  • Wadi Sieh: the main thoroughfare to Ramlat Hmeyer, and then either to Serabit el Khadim or the Forest of Pillars. On foot you can make a shortcut in a branch of the wadi to Serabit el Khadim, going over a pass and reaching the Umm Ajraf area.

See: Trek 23 


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