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

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This is an easy day-trek starting and finishing at Cafeteria Joma (1);it’s a circuit that you could do either way. If you don’t have a guide dothe oasis first, as described, and get a guide there. Otherwise,depending on the time you start and taking the heat factor into account,it might make sense to do the circuit in reverse. We start from CafeteriaJoma in the morning, have a few hours to explore and rest in the oasis,then return in the afternoon via the White Canyon. From the cafeteria,passing the Rock of Inscriptions (Hajar Maktub) (2), we reach theEin Khudra pass (3) from where there is a beautiful view on the oasisdown below. (The ruins of an ancient church known as Deir Khudra,north of the path, are not much more than two piles of rocks, but it isstill worth a mention.) From the pass descend the zigzag path andcross the sandy basin to reach the gardens.Stop at any of the gardens and have a tea with your host. Explore thegarden and walk around the oasis. There is a spring in a cave (4) justoutside the first gardens, and another one above ground at the lastgardens, dripping into a fountain (5). There is a lookout point abovebut it is difficult to reach – don’t try to do it alone. The basin is almostclosed, but there is a narrow gap (6) at its bottom leading out to a longand wide wadi. This is Wadi Khudra, from where the 4x4s approach theoasis.32
To the south-east of the gardens of EinKhudra is the mouth of the WhiteCanyon (7). Start walking in the sandywadi floor, soon reaching a point wherethe correct path goes up (8) to theright hand side, towards a crack in therock wall. The wadi further onotherwise comes to a point whichcannot be accessed. Reaching the topof the climb in the crack you can havea last look back on the oasis, beforethe climb down (9) on the other sideinto the narrow upper part of the samewadi. The White Canyon really startsfrom here, first in a straight stretchbetween vertical walls. After some verynarrow winding part you will reach theend of the canyon.At the end of the canyon there is a ladder (10) and rope to help you getup to the very same plateau you started your walk from. There is ashelter (arisha) (11) at the top where you can have a rest in shade.From here you can head back to Cafeteria Joma, or continue on toJebel Mileihis or Wadi Ghazala via Majaza.33
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 and 20: The path from Wadi Farah becomes st
Page 21 and 22: around the top end of the garden. T
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: The TrekCafeteria Joma Rock of Ins
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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