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Egypt-Gebel Musa-Mount Sinai 2285m

strelec19547. 12. 2012 21:55:26

Mount Sinai, interesting for both hikers and pilgrims; there are always plenty of both on this mountain. With its height 2285 m it is not so inviting but all the more so with its history. The starting point where we drive to is St. Catherine's Monastery, which has beginnings somewhere in the 4th century, extremely interesting and worth seeing with interesting history. The monastery is at height 1570 m; here the road ends too.
As befits any desert, there are also big temperature swings from morning -3°C to midday +50°C.
So a colorful group of people from all over the world usually sets off shortly after midnight around 2 a.m.; below at the parking headlamps light up and the bustle starts like with us in Vrata valley in full season.
Locals offer camels to those for whom three hours' walk is too much effort. First wide stone path after one and a half hours turns to quite steep path; here those on camels must dismount and join others.
On the path there are quite a few refreshment spots where we can treat ourselves to drinks.
A little below the summit there are three refreshment spots; here those more summer dressed can borrow blankets and go slowly to the very summit where still in the dark pilgrims and hikers gather and together wait for sunrise.
The cold goes to the bones but soon the sunrise warms us with wonderful view and in wonderful colors.
Descent on other path which is a bit shorter but steeper: 3000 rock steps and already before the monastery