Day 1.
Wadi Quez – Wadi Talaa – Sid Daud – Wadi Tubuq – Wadi Shaq

Starting from the town of St. Katherine via Wadi Quez, we will pass beautiful orchards and gardens. In Wadi Talaa we will see the Monastery of Cosmas and Damianos, an ancient Greek orthodox monastery, with olive groves and tall cypress trees. After a beautiful Bedouin garden, we will climb Sid Daud, a narrow and steep gully with huge boulders. After reaching the top, there are more gardens, and a dripping spring in Wadi Tubuq. The short Wadi Shaq is our final destination for the day, and we will camp in a beautiful Bedouin garden.

Day 2.
Wadi Mathar – Jebel el Ahmar – Mt. Katherina – Wadi Mathar

First we visit a narrow canyon in Wadi Mathar, where there are granite pools containing water most of the year. We will then pass massive stone walled gardens built in the middle of open sandy valleys, a mulberry tree and Byzantine ruins. From here we start the climb to Jebel el Ahmar, a smooth granite peak. We will walk along the ridge to get to Mt. Katherine, a black volcanic mountain. Its peak is the highest in Egypt, and there is an orthodox chapel on top. There are beautiful views to the whole Sinai range from here, and especially to Mt. Sinai. We will descend another way back to Wadi Mathar, where we will camp in another garden.

Day 3.
Wadi Zawatin – Farsh Abu Mahashur – Jebel Abbas Basha – Farsh Gdemiyet – Wadi Bulia

We will go next to many smaller gardens in Wadi Zawatin, from where we will climb to a secluded, lush granite basin harbouring an enclosed ecosystem. There are the ruins of a monastery, and fine views over Wadi Zawatin, where we just came from. The trek leads from here to the unfinished palace of Abbas Basha, viceroy of Egypt. We can see the village from here, as well as Mt. Sinai and Mt. Katherine. We will descend to Farsh Gdemiyet, an open and wide sandy plain surrounded by granite ridges. Our camp will be in a garden in Wadi Buliya.

Day 4.
Wadi Jibal – Masba Abu Gharun – Ain Najila – Jebel el Bab – Naqb Baharia – Farsh Rummana

Wadi Jibal is a long valley with many gardens along the way. At the end there is a ruined Byzantine church. From here we will start a climb to Jebel el Bab, passing by the lookout point of Masba Abu Gharun and the spring of Ain Najila. In clear weather you can see the Gulf of Suez from the peak, and across to mainland Egypt. A steep gulley will lead us down to the open plain of Farsh Rummana, where we will camp.

Day 5.
Wadi Talaa Kibira – Galt el Azraq – Farsh Umm Sila – Wadi Abu Tuweita

The steep and long Wadi Talaa Kibira is one of the main valleys of the high mountains, and there is usually water flowing all along through ponds and under rocks. Galt el Azraq, half way in the valley, is the biggest water pool of the region. In summer we can have a refreshing swim in it. From here we will climb to the mountain top basin of Farsh Umm Sila, where there are many rock cairns, left behind by Bedouins and hikers. A short descent will take us to Wadi Abu Tuweita, where our camp will be set up.

Day 6.
Wadi Sagar – Wadi Tinya – Jebel Naja – Wadi Tinya

Wadi Sagar is a short and very narrow canyon, with some grafted fig trees and a spring dripping from the rock face in the middle. It will lead to Wadi Tinya, where our night camp will be. We can leave unnecessary items in the garden camp, and continue on to Jebel Naja through a series of basins. From its peak there are spectacular views to the lowlands, including Sheikh Awad, our final destination. We will return to our camp passing a spring.

Day 7.
Kharazet el Shaq – Wadi Shaq Tinya – Wadi Itlah – Dr. Ahmed’s Herbal Garden – Chapel of St. John

At the end of Wadi Tinya there are a number of connected granite water pools with crystal clear water. In summer we can have a refreshing bath in it. From here we descend the narrow, long and steep Wadi Shaq Tinya, leading to Wadi Itlah, a wide and sandy valley. We will camp at Dr. Ahmed’s Herbal Garden, which has a number of local medicinal and aromatic herbs. Dr. Ahmed also runs a school here for local kids to preserve Bedouin culture and traditional knowledge. We will have the chance to stay back in the garden and relax, or we can explore the area further up. There is the Chapel of St. John built next to the cave where the hermit spent 40 years of his life.

Day 8.
Naqb Abu Seila – Wadi Freah – Bustan el Birka

A narrow canyon branching off from Wadi Itlah will take us next to the settlement of Abu Seila, before we climb to the wide and open sandy plains of Wadi Freah. Continuing on we will reach Bustan el Birka, an abandoned garden under a conical granite peak in the middle of the plains. There are many well preserved Byzantine ruins scattered around on small hills. We will set up camp in the area.

Day 9.
Jebel Banat – Milan el Widya

We will carry on passing some abandoned gardens, before reaching the base of Jebel Banat. It actually consists of a number of smooth and round granite peaks encircling a secluded basin. From the highest peak there are spectacular views down to the lowlands in the distance on one side, and the whole high mountain range on the other. We will descend to Milan el Widya where our night camp will be set up.

Day 10.
Wadi Nogra – Sidda Nogra – Wadi Gharba – El Karm Ecolodge or transfer to St. Katherine

We will pass under a huge flat boulder reclining against the valley walls in Wadi Nogra, before reaching the top of the seasonal water fall of Sidda Nogra. There are some granite pools at the top, from where there is a 40 meter vertical drop to the valley below. We can have a look down, and after descending another way, we will see the falls from another perspective. From here we will walk in Wadi Gharba, passing smaller water pools and seasonal falls, before reaching the plains. El Karm Ecolodge is located here, and you will have the chance to stay for the night or transfer back to St. Katherine by car.