A former Bedouin fishing village, Sharm El Sheikh is now one of the most popular resort towns on the Sinai Peninsula. Spectacularly located where the desert, mountains and Red Sea meet, Sharm El Sheikh and its surrounding areas offer magnificent sights, world-class diving and plenty of opportunities to relax. See: St Catherine’s Monastery – In the desert near Mt Sinai, this monastery dates back to 330AD, and contains one of the oldest surviving Christian churches in the world. Surrounded by inhospitable terrain, the complex houses the remains of St Catherine the Martyr, and a tree believed to descend from the biblical Burning Bush. The on-site museum displays some of the monastery’s world-famous religious artefacts and manuscripts. Mt Sinai – One of the holiest mountains in the world, Mt Sinai is known to Jews, Muslims and Christians as the place where Moses received the 10 commandments from God. Scaling the mountain via the 3750 Steps of Repentance (or the much easier camel trail) provides some spectacular views over the desert. Many people climb up during the night to watch the sunrise from the peak. Coloured Canyon – This walls of this geological oddity are made from layers of multicoloured rock. Sheltered from the desert winds, the bottom of the canyon has an eerie, yet peaceful, silence. Old Town – If you get tired of sunbathing and scuba diving, dive into Sharm El Sheikh’s charming old town. Wandering around the traditional market will give you an insight into what this former fishing village used to be like. Experience: Scuba Diving – Sharm El Sheikh is one of the best diving spots in the world. With shipwrecks, stunning coral, fossilised coral towers, deep canyons, reef sharks and a bounty of beautiful fish, you could be forgiven for spending your entire holiday underwater. Camel Treks – Head across the desert and into traditional Bedouin villages on the back of a gently swaying camel. Some dive operators even use camels to get to normally inaccessible diving spots.
St Catherine’s Monastery – In the desert near Mt Sinai, this monastery dates back to 330AD, and contains one of the oldest surviving Christian churches in the world. Surrounded by inhospitable terrain, the complex houses the remains of St Catherine the Martyr, and a tree believed to descend from the biblical Burning Bush. The on-site museum displays some of the monastery’s world-famous religious artefacts and manuscripts.
Mt Sinai – One of the holiest mountains in the world, Mt Sinai is known to Jews, Muslims and Christians as the place where Moses received the 10 commandments from God. Scaling the mountain via the 3750 Steps of Repentance (or the much easier camel trail) provides some spectacular views over the desert. Many people climb up during the night to watch the sunrise from the peak.
Coloured Canyon – This walls of this geological oddity are made from layers of multicoloured rock. Sheltered from the desert winds, the bottom of the canyon has an eerie, yet peaceful, silence.
Experience:
Scuba Diving – Sharm El Sheikh is one of the best diving spots in the world. With shipwrecks, stunning coral, fossilised coral towers, deep canyons, reef sharks and a bounty of beautiful fish, you could be forgiven for spending your entire holiday underwater.