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DIFFICULTYModerateDISTANCE19.5 kmASCENT↑ 750 mELEVATION1,652–2,335 mDURATION3 days, 2 nightsREGIONHigh Mountain Region

Three days in the high mountain gardens behind St. Katherine, with a climb to the unfinished Ottoman palace on Jebel Abbas Basha.

Wadi Zawatin to Abbas Pasha palace

Route Map

19.5km
750mascent 2335mhigh point 1652mlow point 3 days, 2 nights
Ein Tufaha, St. Katherine town
Route data: Zoltán Mátraházi (sinaimaps.com, 2014)
Base map: MapTiler · OpenStreetMap contributors
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  • Camels carry the heavy gear while you hike with a light pack. Best of all, they always know the way home
  • Explore at your own pace on a private adventure. Take it slow, skip a leg, or climb that peak over there
  • Adventures are available the next day and included in your daily rate. Just text your guide, and it’s done.

Key Information

Day 1 — Ein Tufaha to Wadi Zawatin

The walk starts in the town of St. Katherine. The Abu Jeefa pass is the only steep section of the first day — about half an hour of climbing on a winding path before the saddle. From the top you see town below for the last time on the trek. The descent leads into Wadi Tubuq, past the first of the walled orchards. The path passes Ein Shkaya, where water drips from the cliff face into a small pool. The mulberry tree of Wadi Tubuq stands on common land, fruit ripening red in June. From Wadi Shaq junction the path turns sharper and steeper for a short stretch, then opens into Wadi Zawatin. Overnight in a Bedouin garden.

Day 2 — Abbas Pasha palace summit

From the garden the path runs to the upper end of Wadi Zawatin and into El Ziri — a ruined garden with its spring still working, the irrigation channels still cut into the rock. From El Ziri a wide path supported by a massive stone wall climbs to the saddle of Sharafat el Iskikriya. The wall was built by the Ottoman governor to enable work on his palace. From the saddle the path turns right onto Jebel Abbas Basha. The unfinished palace sits on the summit. The walls are roughly waist-high. The staircase reaches the top of the walls, then stops. From here you see St. Katherine and Mount Sinai together. Descent back to the garden in Wadi Zawatin for the second night.

Day 3 — Farsh Abu Mahashur, return to St. Katherine

A morning walk into Farsh Abu Mahashur, the secluded granite basin below Jebel Abu Mahashur. Through a small gap in the rock you enter a basin enclosed by smooth granite walls. At the trees in the centre, a Byzantine chapel ruin. An observation point above the basin gives a view down. Then back through the gap and down through Wadi Zawatin and Wadi Tubuq, over the Abu Jeefa pass to Ein Tufaha and St. Katherine town.

Two nights are spent in a Bedouin garden in Wadi Zawatin. The gardens are working orchards — the same Jebeleya families have walked the wells and pruned the trees for generations. Sleeping arrangements are mattresses laid on the ground inside the arisha, the open-sided shelter built from acacia and palm fronds. Blankets and pillows are provided. Toilets are pit latrines at a discreet distance from the arisha. Water for washing is drawn from the garden's well. Meals are cooked over the fire by the Bedouin guide and the operator. Bread is fresh, made on the fire each day. Tea is heavy black tea with sugar and a sprig of habak — desert mint, Mentha lavandulacea, which grows along the wadis on the route. Breakfast is bread with foul, tahina, jam, or olive oil and zaatar. Lunch is on the move — dates, nuts, bread, tinned cheese or canned tuna. Dinner is the longer meal: a vegetable and meat stew over rice, or pasta, or noodles depending on what the group prefers.
The High Mountain Region is the territory of the Jebeleya (الجبالية), one of the oldest tribes in Sinai. They descend from approximately two hundred families sent by the Byzantine Emperor Justinian in the sixth century to guard the newly-built Monastery of Saint Catherine. The families came from Wallachia, in what is now Romania, and from Alexandria. They are the only Sinai Bedouin tribe whose roots are not in the Arabian Peninsula. They converted to Islam in the seventh century, but until the eighteenth century some Arab Bedouin still refused to marry them, calling them "ruumi" — Byzantine. Today the tribe numbers around 4,600 people, divided into four Roba (quarters) descending from Selim, Emb, Hement, and Ntzinti. They are the only Sinai tribe who farm the land — the walled orchards in Wadi Zawatin, Wadi Tubuq, Wadi Itlah, Wadi Jibal, and Farsh Rummana are theirs. The system of trek guiding in this region is allocated by the sheikhs through a rotating cooperative — the guide for any trek is assigned through this system, not chosen by the operator. A Bedouin guide is on every trek, always from the controlling tribe, always with us from start to finish.
The High Mountain Region is granite — the same uplifted block of basement rock that forms the rest of South Sinai. The peaks are between 2000 and 2600 m, sliced by deep wadis. Wadi Zawatin runs between Mt. Katharina (2629 m, the highest in Egypt) to the south and Mount Sinai (2285 m) to the north. The most striking feature on this trek is the farsh — the high-altitude granite basin. Farsh Abu Mahashur, visited on Day 3, is the textbook example: a level green floor enclosed on all sides by smooth granite walls, accessed only through a single narrow gap. Flat ground at high elevation in a landscape of nothing but steep mountains. The Abbas Pasha palace sits on the summit of Jebel Abbas Basha. Built of dressed granite blocks cut from the mountain itself. The walls are roughly waist-high. Inside there is a staircase that goes up four steps and stops. The pasha died before the building was finished.
Best from late September through early May. The summit day on Jebel Abbas Basha sits at 2335 m — nights are cold by November, and the rock holds ice into March on the shaded sides. Summer is possible but the midday hours on the climb are exposed. June and September are shoulder seasons — hot but workable for early starts.

What to bring

  • Hiking shoes that have already broken in your feet — not new ones. The Abu Jeefa pass on day one tests boots.
  • A 30–40 litre daypack. The operator, the guide, and the camel carry the camping gear and food.
  • A warm layer for the evening — fleece or light down. Even in October the wadi cools quickly after sunset.
  • A windproof shell. The Abbas Pasha summit is exposed.
  • Long trousers and a long-sleeved shirt for the day. Sun is the bigger problem than cold on the walking hours.
  • Sun hat with a brim, sunglasses, and high-SPF sunscreen.
  • A wide cotton scarf — useful for sun, dust, and warmth in the evening.
  • A reusable water bottle (1.5 L minimum). Water is refilled from the garden wells along the route.
  • A small head torch with a red-light setting.
  • Personal toiletries. Toilet paper. Wet wipes if you want them.
  • Any personal medication. The nearest pharmacy is in St. Katherine town.

What to leave behind

  • Cotton socks. Wool or synthetic only.
  • Heavy jeans. They take days to dry if they get wet at a well.
  • Anything you can’t carry comfortably for five hours.

Peace of Mind in the Wild

Comfort & Hygiene

Clean Water: We provide ample bottled mineral water for drinking. Mountain springs are reserved for washing only to keep your stomach safe.

Nature’s Bathroom: We practice Leave No Trace. Privacy is found in nature, and some garden stays feature eco-friendly dry latrines.

Fresh Food: All meals are cooked fresh over the fire—no processed trail rations.

Solo & Social Safety

Respectful Distance: Bedouin hospitality is rooted in honor. Your guide is trained to respect your privacy—giving you solitude when you want it, and company when you ask.

Private by Default: Unlike mass tourism, you set the pace. You don't have to worry about strangers or large groups in your camp.

Safety & Connection

Signal Spots: Mobile reception is available at specific high points. Your guide knows exactly where to check in.

Emergency Link: We maintain direct contact with the tribe in town. In the rare event of an emergency, camel or 4x4 rescue reaches extraction points within 90 mins.

The Network: You aren't alone; local gardeners and herders form a living safety net around you.

Driven by Community, Rooted in Dignity

Booksinai is a community-led movement with deep roots in the desert. We operate without outside investors or corporate influence. Our entire team comes from the local community, sharing the beauty of their home through honest hospitality.

Investing in the Next Generation

Your journey creates a lasting impact far beyond the trail. We pledge 25% of all profits to educational initiatives for Bedouin children. These funds support the brightest young minds in our community, providing the tools they need to thrive. By trekking with us, you directly invest in the future of Sinai’s hereditary knowledge.

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