Mt. Sinai (Jebel Musa) and the Safsafa basins - Discover Sinai

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The path from Kinist el Hmar joins a more visible path at a junction (6).To the right the path leads to Farsh Loza and then Mt. Sinai – we willcome back this way after exploring the Farsh Safsafa area first. Followthe path to the left cutting across the basin, then after a short climb anda sharp left turn descend into a little pass: all of a sudden FarshSafsafa (7) appears with a garden, buildings and trees in the middle.The garden is not open to the public and most of the basin is fencedoff, but it is still a beautiful example of the Byzantine gardeningtraditions in a beautiful setting. If you and your guide are up for it, youcould climb Ras Safsafa, as explained a bit further on, but it is difficultand tricky, and usually not part of the regular programme. As an easieroption for a great view, go back to the top of the little pass you justcame from, and where the path sharply turns south, get off thepavement and head for the gully to the north. Do not take the first wadito the left, which leads to a parallel gully, but walk some 100 metersstraight keeping left and you will reach a look-out point (8) withwonderful views on the Nabi Harun area far below. After exploring theFarsh Safsafa area get back to the main path, backtrack to thejunction (6) you started from and take the pass to Farsh Loza.Climbing to the peaks of Ras Safsafa is possible, but it’s a challengingtask – only climb with a guide and call it off if you don’t feel confident.First you have to descend to the basin of Safsafa and climb over a littlerocky outcrop that blocks the way to the south, then make your way20
around the top end of the garden. To the west a long steep gully leadsup to a narrow saddle between two peaks. From the saddle there is adramatic view on the plain of Wadi Raha. Getting to the peaks mightlook a bit scary as from the saddle you have to climb up steep smoothsurfaces above sheer drops. From the north peak you could comedown a different way and enter a gully below the garden. From thisgully you could get the same view as from the look-out point marked onthe map – the two gullies actually join further below and both are part ofWadi Shaby. To get back to the main path there are two ways: youcould either go back to the garden in Farsh Safsafa and climb over asmall hill at the corner of the garden, or take a little wadi connecting thetwo gullies and reach the paved path at the sharp turn.The garden in Farsh Safsafa is not cultivated any more, still, it is a verygood example of the Byzantine gardening and water managementpractices. As almost always the case, the garden is located in thewater’s course, protected from the occasional floods by a massive wallthat lets some water in at certain places and channels it to reservoirs,trees and a well. Excess water is let out at the bottom of the garden.The dry stone wall has to be very strong as even in a short outburst ofrain, with water gathering from a large surface area of naked granite,will finally run through a single basin or wadi with an enormous force.The main purposes of the wall is to retain the soil – thus called retainingwall – and to protect the garden from massive rocks coming with thefloods. Buildings are always found at elevated points, within the gardenor outside. Wells can also be found inside or outside, either dug in thewadi floor or in porous rock upstream from the garden. There wereoften water tanks built next to the wells, connected to stone channelsdelivering the water where it was needed. In the past shadoofs wereused to pull the water up, a wooden triangle with a pole attached to it.There is a wide variety of fruits grown in the region, many that cannotbe found anywhere else in Egypt. A few things have changed – plasticpipes and diesel pumps got introduced – but in essence the traditions,and the seeds, originally brought by the monks live on in the hundredsof Bedouin gardens found in the high mountains.21
Page 3 and 4: Table of contentsPrefaceThe Sinai t
Page 7 and 8: Organising your trekIn the Sinai, a
Page 9 and 10: • Basic accommodation in garden:
Page 11 and 12: Further informationTrekking resourc
Page 13 and 14: Famous for the Monastery of St. Kat
Page 15 and 16: The Mt. Sinai - Safsafa range from
Page 17 and 18: The TrekEl Rasis area, St. Katherin
Page 19: The path from Wadi Farah becomes st
Page 23 and 24: The path from Farsh Loza connects t
Page 25 and 26: Trek in imagesThe Rock of Moses (Ha
Page 27 and 28: Between St. Katherine, Dahab and Nu
Page 29 and 30: Ein Khudra oasis and the White Cany
Page 31 and 32: The TrekCafeteria Joma Rock of Ins
Page 33 and 34: To the south-east of the gardens of
Page 35 and 36: After a short walk the paths starts
Page 37 and 38: Bedouin-Arabic phrasebookNote that
Page 39 and 40: RelationsTribe gabiilaقبيله Fa
Page 41 and 42: Hot بارد sokhnساخن Coldbard
Page 43 and 44: Fine sandburqa' برقه Sand dune
Page 45 and 46: Rest and eatingShadow dalظل Rock
Page 47 and 48: Mosquito namuusa, ba’uudaنامو
Page 49: Trekking in South Sinai: the highli

Mt. Sinai (Jebel Musa) and the Safsafa basins - Discover Sinai

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