| The Egyptian
Sinai Whilst the palm trees above you shade your
tropical fruit juice and beer from heating up in the mid day sun you will
begin to relax as the hypnotic sounds of the lapping  waves
wash onto the shores of the Sinai Coast. The only thing left on your mind
is what activities you will choose to do next - snorkel, dive, windsurf,
horse ride, quad bike or simply order another drink.
The Sinai Peninsula forms a rocky limestone plateau intersected by rugged
gorges, and in the north comprising the extensive desert of Et - Tih that
ascends southwards. The Southern most tip made up of the massive volcanic
highlands cut into huge cathedrals of stone watching over the wadis deep
below. Here the land derives its grandeur and peculiar charm from the very
nakedness of the rocky heights. In some of the wadis the hillsides are
scored by countless seams of the brightest hues, their fantastic designs
producing an indescribable pictorial effect. What is seemingly the mere
outline of a distant landscape reflects a charming and almost magical vista
as if the bare rocks were clothed with woods or vineyards, or their summits
capped with eternal snows.
Arabia Petræa, Asia, A. H. Keane, 1882
In my mind the main draw to the Sinai Peninsula is for the adventurous
travel that the desert provides, there is world class trekking and rock
climbing lurking behind every twist and turn in the maze of wadis and mountains.
Back in 2001 I was leading a rock climbing expedition. On one of the
endless sunny days we were climbing by the sides of St Katherine’s
Monastery, I was about to start climbing again when I felt a tap on my
shoulder. I turned around to see a stick of a man with a broad black-toothed
grin. He told me how he would love to learn to climb, I peered over his
head and saw a train of camels all either chewing, spitting or shitting,
or the clever one was doing all three. I told him I would teach him if
he would teach me all there is to know about the trusty steed, the camel.
From that moment Mohamed and myself have built a great friendship and
both of us have remained true to our words. Mohamed has shown me that the
Sinai desert is truly spectacular; he too can show you these wonders. It
is a simple case of tying your bags onto a camel and venturing off into
the labyrinth of paths in search of adventure or untouched rock to climb
upon.
The routes around the Sinai Desert are well trodden, many being thousands
of years old. They weave past well-protected gardens that  have
been meticulously cared for passed down by generation to generation of
Bedouins. In the spring months the fruit trees are in blossom and the roots
of the trees often spiral down into the deep wells. The other blossoms
to be seen during these months are that of the opium poppy. It would be
rare to go on a trek without seeing an opium plantation. As you approach
the plantations the workers will keep a good distance, but you would be
careless to stop to take photos or harvest your own opium. For interests
sake the fields are replaced with hashish in the summer months.
As the canyon sides close in around you, the ground becomes steeper and
you would need to be prepared to scramble amongst boulders, crawl down
potholes and abseil down dry waterfalls. As the sun sets on a great day
in the desert the colour of the rock will turn from orange through to a
deep shade of pink. It is then you will need to start looking for a camp
for the night. Your bed will be laid out under the stars and on the ground
that you’ve been walking on, and a fire will be lit to keep away
the night’s chill. The early riser would be rewarded with another
display of colour as the sun rises from over the hills of Saudi Arabia.
One of the best places to see this is on the summit of Jebel Musa (8536
feet).
As your trek comes to an end you would be advised to go back to the coast
to soak your desert soaked skin and tired toes in the Red Sea or within
the local Turkish bath, and then feast upon a platter of fresh sea food.
I hope from what you have read you are already on the phone to your travel
agent booking a flight into Egypt. You will not be disappointed.
Dave Lucas is an experienced climber and expedition leader. Dave runs
The Vertical World which is one of the world’s leading authorities
on remote climbing expeditions to some of the globe’s most far-flung
corners.
Links:
 www.verticalworld.co.uk
VERTICAL WORLD
TOURIST BOARD
www.egypttourism.org EGYPTIAN
TOURIST AUTHORITY
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