Things To Do In St. Catherine
Major Activities In St. Catherine
Do Mountain Trekking
Treks involve 3-4 hours, 5-6 hours or 7-8 hours of walking per day. Either camels carry the equipment, food, water, and other supplies or they are carried by the trekkers and water is obtained at wells and natural springs along the way.
The treks can last from 1 day up to 15 days and we can tailor-make a trek for you if you wish. Accommodation is either in the open or in tents, Bedouin houses or shelters, and caves, depending on the season and your preferences.
Village Tours
St. Catherine is a little town with a unique culture, history and very diverse nature. There are a number of interesting ways to learn about and experience this land.
Visitor Center and The Monastery
The National Park’s Visitor Center is located close to the Monastery, opposite the Bedouin cemetery with the shrine of Nabi Harun and the Chapel of Aaron next to each other.
The exhibitions in the six buildings are excellent and it is definitely worth a look. It has geological, geographical, natural and cultural displays, short films and sound-shows characteristics of the area.
After the Visitor Centre we still have time to see a rock formation which locals believe is the mold of the Golden Calf, and then we will take a guided tour of the Monastery.
Medicinal Plants Project and Fansina Handicrafts
There are many different medicinal and aromatic plants in the region which are not found elsewhere. There are a number of projects which aim to reserve this bio-diversity in different ways.
We will visit one of the projects, learn about these herbs and taste them. You can then walk over to the Fansina women’s handicraft project, the most successful and best known of its kind in Sinai.
There are displays about the old traditional Bedouin items as well as beautiful modern pieces which blend this style with more recent fashion elements.
Hike & Handicraft in St. Catharine
Learn the local handicraft from the Bedouin women, discover the culture and traditions and create your own small bag.
Trips usually start around 10 am, walk through a beautiful valley and stop for tea at the local herbal doctors garden. Lunch will be served at a Bedouin family house, in the afternoon we will have a creative handicraft workshop with the women of the family.
Around 4 or 5 a car takes us back to the village of St. Katharine. Please bring good solid shoes for the rocky terrain of Sinai and some basic fitness for a 3-hour walk.
Mountain Garden Retreats
There are several hundred gardens in the high mountains, a tradition which goes back to early Byzantine times. Some of the gardens have been upgraded to provide better facilities for visitors.
Although all the gardens are beautiful, we have selected the most beautiful, tranquil and secluded places in spectacular natural settings for people who want to take it easy and relax. You can stay in a selected garden or take a walk to discover other places.
Our garden walks will take you from one garden retreat to another at an easy pace, along the way seeing other sights of interest as well.
