Climb Jebel El Deir in South Sinai

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Wed, 03 Jan 2018 - 08:30 GMT

BY

Wed, 03 Jan 2018 - 08:30 GMT

Sinai landscape with Jebel El Deir – Wikimedia/Carl Scheme

Sinai landscape with Jebel El Deir – Wikimedia/Carl Scheme

CAIRO – 3 January 2018: Climbing Jebel El Deir in South Sinai is a unique challenge for the real adventurer.

El Deir Mountain (Jebel El Deir) is one of South Sinai’s most fascinating mountains located above Saint Catherine’s Monastery, and its summit is reached by impressive hiking trails with beautiful scenery.

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Saint Catherine from Jebel El Deir – Egyptian Tourism authority official website

On the way to Jebel El Deir’s summit, it is recommended to pay a visit to the ancient monastery and the old Byzantine dams, and visitors can admire some of South Sinai’s oldest monasteries, including St. Galaktion and St. Episteme, on the way down.

Jebel El Deir is a part of a high mountain region located around the town of St. Catherine, which is described as a mass of rugged crags, big rounded pinnacles and little trodden peaks scattered with Byzantine ruins. The hiking trails are challenging and require a good physical condition. The best route going up is a ravine on the west side.

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Tress surrounded Jebel El Deir Sept.12, 2013 –Wikimedia.com/ Mohamed Mossa

There are many olive plants and medium-sized palm trees that cover the mountain, while on the higher side of Jebel El Deir is a 2,000-meter stairway that descends directly to the great Saint Catherine Monastery.

Although the area is very dry, there are several clear water wells situated near the trails, providing people and animals living in the desert with the essential source of life.

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Visitors Hiking Jebel El Deir, April 21,2014 – Wikimedia.com /Mohamed Mossa

There are local Bedouins living in the area and some of them work as tour guides organizing transportation with cars or camels.

Climbing Jebel El Deir is not an easy trek, but it is worth the effort, as you can climb it from the monastery in Nosra Settlement, where you can continue to Mount Sinai or finish the trek at the monastery.




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