Egypt: +20 122 1003942 info@yallajabaleya.com

Equipment for trekking

General Information

The weather during the day is always sunny and warm, though fresher than Cairo because of the altitude, 1600 m in the village, 2300 m on Mt Sinai, and 2600 m on Mt Katrine.

In the evening, it can be cold, chilling further during the night. Yallajabaleya supplies warm bedding on Mt Sinai (duvets, blankets and clean sheet-sleeping bag), but visitors require sleeping bags for treks into the High Mountains. A certain number can be supplied by Yallajabaleya and these can be supplemented with blankets brought up by pack camels. Light foam mattresses and ground mats are also supplied.

Accommodation in the High Mountains is in tents or small stone rooms. Clean ecotoilets are available.

Accommodation in the Bedouin Camp is in very clean ensuite rooms.

The Monastery Garden on Mt Sinai has a comfortable Bedouin tent in a walled garden. Clean ecotoilets are available.

The Camel School has good rooms and warm bedding. Clean ecotoilet available.

Bottled water is used for drinking. Visitors should bring two big bottles for the first day. Yallajabaleya! will supply all further water.

Equipment

Items with an asterisk can be supplied by Yallajabaleya!

• Walking shoes or strong trainers with good grip;
• Light clothes for the day, including long sleeve shirt to protect from the sun (in the winter, a light fleece or pullover is also recommended)
• Extra warm clothing for the evening, eg. a pullover or fleece (in the winter a jacket is also recommended);
• Sleeping clothes (sweat shirt and jogging trousers are comfortable for sleeping in and can be used as an extra layer in the evening, if cold);
• Wooly hat for when sleeping outside;
• Suncream and sunhat;
• Water (a couple of bottles for the first day)
• Snacks (energy bars, dried fruit, nuts). Yallajabaleya! supplies all breakfasts, lunches and dinners;
• Torch with spare batteries (essential on moonless nights);
• Washing bag (soap, toothpaste, toothbrush, flannel, towel) and toilet paper (although Yallajabaleya! tries to keep up a supply, it has a habit of vanishing!);
• *Sleeping bag;
• *Sleeping mat;
• Camera;
• Passport;
• Personal medication (the guide always carries a First Aid kit).

Passport

A passport is essential to pass through police controls in Sinai. If you do not have a passport with a valid visa, you will be sent back before you ever arrive in St Katrine. Please don’t forget it!

Bags

To make the trip as pleasant as possible, visitors should bring a small day bag to carry their walking essentials: water, camera, torch, one warm pullover, snacks, suncream. The torch and the pullover are in the unlikely circumstance that we are delayed in our walks.

Other equipment and clothes should be put into a small soft bag for transport by pack camel.

Road

Coming from Cairo

The turn off to St Catherine is situated about 35 km after Abu Rudeis. The turn off is now signposted and occurs at a conspicuous police check point. However, the road markings are confusing and there is a danger of driving straight through. Please confirm at the checkpoint the direction to St Catherine.