St Catherine's Monastery Day Trip from Sharm El Sheikh

Sightseeing  :  Egypt  :  South Sinai Governorate  :  Sharm El-Sheikh  :  Cultural Tours

A must see for all historians, one of the oldest Christian monasteries in the world. A world heritage center through it's importance to three major religions. So much to see and to do here and as the monastery closes daily at 12 noon for prayers an early start is necessary. A little reading in advance of this trip is well recommended to ensure that you get the best out of your limited amount of time here. Collection from your hotel in an air conditioned vehicle will be from about 06.30am. You will then travel to St Catherine's that normally takes around 2.5 hours. On the way our guide will brief you on the tour and what to expect and the main points of interest. Obviously the main point of interest here is the "Burning Bush" which is the holiest part of the monastery, and it is a site that is embellished in centuries of history. Included in the visit is a look inside the church of St Catherine's, which has many artworks and mosaics. In the library of the monastery (second largest only to the Vatican) there are many manuscripts and scrolls, something that you will never experience anywhere else in the world.

You will also see the bell tower housing 9 bells and the well of Moses that is connected to an underground spring. You will see the "Monks cells" on the inside of the defensive wall of the monastery, the Fatimid mosque and then outside the walls you will see the well tended gardens and the cemetery.

Lunch is taken in the restaurant area of the monastery before you start your return. On the way back to Sharm you will stop of in Dahab, a small town that is so different to Sharm. A little time is spent here for shopping and sight seeing before your return to your hotel at around 4pm.