St Catherine's Monastery ToursFrom Cairo: Overnight Trip to Saint Catherine Monastery
The overnight trip to Saint Catherine monastery from Cairo sold by Emo Tours Egypt follows the classic route: under the Suez Canal, past the springs of Moses at Oyun Musa, six hours to St Catherine, dinner and a night at the Sheikh Mousa Bedouin Camp, the 2 am climb with a Bedouin guide, a guided monastery visit with the Burning Bush, and the drive home. Entrance fees, a welcome drink, water, dinner and breakfast are in the $370; the day-one lunch and gratuities are not. English only, rated 4.3 from 16 reviews. It sits on both Cairo trips and the Sharm St Catherine tours as the dearer Cairo option.
About This Overnight Trip
2 days; six hours each way, climb from 2 am on day two
$370 per person; fees, camp night, dinner and breakfast included
4.3 from 16 GetYourGuide reviews; transport 4.6, guide 4.4, value 4.2
Shared; a qualified guide from Cairo and a Bedouin guide on the mountain
Cairo hotels; morning of day one
Free up to 24 hours before; reserve now and pay later
Check Dates and Availability
Live dates and prices for the Emo Tours overnight trip from Cairo. Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start.
Quick answer $370 for the Bedouin camp version of the Cairo trip, with one Saturday warning from a reviewer
Emo Tours meets you at your Cairo hotel, drives about 450 km beneath the Suez Canal and past Oyun Musa, stops for a lunch you pay for yourself, and reaches St Catherine after about 6 hours. The night is at the Sheikh Mousa Bedouin Camp, or at the Morgenland Hotel or the monastery guesthouse depending on the date, with dinner included. At 2 am a Bedouin guide takes you up Mount Sinai for the sunrise; after the descent a guided visit to the monastery includes the Burning Bush, then the drive back. The $370 covers the vehicle, the night, entrance fees, a welcome drink, water, dinner and breakfast; lunch on day one and gratuities are extra. A Taiwanese reviewer who went on a Saturday in March 2026 found the Steps of Repentance closed and the monastery time short.
Key takeaways
- Avoid a Friday departure: it puts you at the gate on Saturday, and a Saturday departure puts you there on closed Sunday
- Budget the day-one lunch and the tips in pounds; reviewers say a camel to the steps is worth cash too
- English-only guiding; for other languages the Sun Pyramids trip has seven and costs $51 less
The Route from Cairo, and Why It Takes Two Days
The road is the itinerary. Cairo to the monastery is about 450 km, and the tunnel under the canal is the moment the Sinai begins.
Day one: the canal, the springs, the camp
Your guide meets you at the hotel in the morning and the vehicle heads east, under the Suez Canal through the tunnel and into the Sinai. The first stop is Oyun Musa, the springs of Moses, a cluster of brackish wells and palms near the coast that tradition ties to the Exodus. Lunch at a local restaurant is at your own expense.
A Hungarian reviewer in February 2026 timed the drive at six hours in a comfortable car with a driver she named. Check-in follows at the Sheikh Mousa Bedouin Camp, or at the Morgenland Hotel or the monastery's own guesthouse when the operator uses those; dinner is included and the evening is short.
Day two: the mountain from midnight, the monastery after
The climb starts at 2 am, the same Hungarian reviewer setting off at midnight for the gathering point at the foot of the mountain, where a security check removed prohibited items such as alcohol from everyone's bags. Camels were waiting, and her guide talked her party onto them for the ascent, which she credits with getting two women in their fifties to the top; the 750 steps still had to be climbed on foot. After the sunrise and the descent, a guided visit to the monastery includes the Burning Bush, then the vehicle heads back to Cairo.
| Emo Tours | Sun Pyramids | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $370 | $319 |
| Night | Sheikh Mousa Bedouin Camp (or Morgenland, or the guesthouse) | Hotel of the booked category |
| Meals | Dinner, breakfast; lunch at your expense | Lunch, dinner, breakfast |
| Route highlight | Suez tunnel, Oyun Musa springs | El Hez cold spring on request |
| Languages | English | Seven |
| Reviews | 16 at 4.3 | 10 at 5.0 |
What the price includes
Hotel pickup and drop-off, a welcome drink and bottled water, transport in a late-model air-conditioned vehicle, one night at the Sheikh Mousa Bedouin Camp, entrance fees, a qualified tour guide, and two meals: dinner on the first day and breakfast on the second. Not included: gratuities, and the lunch on day one. Passport and comfortable shoes are the two things the listing asks you to bring.
- Included: pickup and return, vehicle, camp night, entrance fees, guide, welcome drink, water, dinner, breakfast
- Not included: gratuities, day-one lunch
- Bring: passport, comfortable shoes; add warm layers and a headtorch
- Language: English
Before the 2 am Start
A short briefing film on the climb: what to carry, what the steps are like and why the guide sets the pace.
The Camp, the Camel and the Saturday Problem
Three things reviewers of this listing say that the description does not.
The Bedouin camp
The Sheikh Mousa camp sits in the village below the mountain. The February 2026 reviewer called the accommodation culturally acceptable even from a European perspective and the dinner delicious; an American couple in July 2024 had their own room to sleep in for a few hours before the climb. It is a camp, not a hotel: expect a simple room, a shared courtyard and an early night.
The listing also names the Morgenland Hotel and the monastery guesthouse as alternatives, so the bed depends on the date; the guesthouse's rooms and meals are described on the monastery's guest house page.
The camel, and the cash for it
Two reviewers, in July 2024 and February 2026, say the same thing: bring cash for a camel. It is not in the price, it is arranged on the spot at the foot of the mountain, and it carries you up the camel path as far as the 750 steps. The Hungarian reviewer wrote that without it, women of fifty to sixty with an average physique would have found the climb almost impossible.
Tips for the guide, the driver and the Bedouin guide are also cash; the listing lists gratuities as excluded and does not suggest a figure.
Which day you leave decides which monastery you get
A Taiwanese reviewer in March 2026 rated the trip three stars: the road was good, but the group went on a Saturday, the Steps of Repentance were blocked, the Bedouin guide was young, and there was little time for the monastery. Leave Cairo on a Saturday and you reach the gate on Sunday, when it is closed; leave on a Friday and you arrive on a Saturday, which is a normal day. The Steps of Repentance close from time to time regardless of the day, and the camel path is the route then.
The homepage hours table lists the closed days; the two-day format gives you the choice of departure date, so use it.
Two Days, Step by Step
From the operator's printed programme and reviewer accounts published in 2024 to 2026.
-
Day 1, morning
Meet your guide in Cairo
Pickup at your hotel; welcome drink and water in the vehicle.
-
Day 1, late morning
Under the Suez Canal
Through the tunnel and onto the Sinai side; a stop at the springs of Oyun Musa.
-
Day 1, midday
Lunch
At a local restaurant, at your own expense.
-
Day 1, afternoon
Check-in
Sheikh Mousa Bedouin Camp, Morgenland Hotel or the monastery guesthouse. Dinner included; sleep early.
-
Day 2, 00:00 to 02:00
To the mountain
Transfer to the gathering point; security check for prohibited items; camels for hire in cash.
-
Day 2, before dawn
The climb
Camel path, then the 750 steps on foot with the Bedouin guide.
-
Day 2, sunrise
Summit
Where Moses is believed to have received the Ten Commandments.
-
Day 2, morning
The monastery
A guided visit including the Burning Bush; breakfast; then about six hours back to Cairo.
Where the Trip Goes
Cairo to St Catherine is about 450 km through the Ahmed Hamdi tunnel under the Suez Canal and down the Sinai's western side.
Drive times from every start point are on the homepage.
Emo Tours Overnight Trip: Questions About This Listing
Where do you sleep on the Emo Tours overnight trip?
The listing includes one night at the Sheikh Mousa Bedouin Camp in St Catherine and names the Morgenland Hotel and the monastery guesthouse as the alternatives used on some dates. Dinner is included; a February 2026 reviewer called the camp acceptable and the dinner delicious.
Is lunch included on the Emo Tours trip from Cairo?
No. Day one includes a lunch stop at a local restaurant at your own expense. Dinner that evening, breakfast the next morning, a welcome drink and bottled water are included.
Does the Emo Tours trip pass under the Suez Canal?
Yes. The route from Cairo uses the tunnel under the canal and stops at Oyun Musa, the springs of Moses, before continuing to St Catherine, about six hours in all.
Why did a reviewer find the Steps of Repentance closed on this tour?
The 3,750-step route closes at times regardless of the operator, and the camel path is used instead; a Taiwanese reviewer on a Saturday in March 2026 met that closure and also had little time at the monastery. The day of departure matters more: a Saturday start arrives on Sunday, when the monastery is closed.
What language is the Emo Tours guide?
English. The listing offers no other languages; the Sun Pyramids two-day trip from Cairo has guides in seven.
What Travellers Said About This Tour
As a solo female traveler I was in defense mode before the trip, but as soon as I met my guide, Nour, and our driver, Mahmoud, I felt very safe. The hike was amazing, from staring at the multitude of stars to admiring how the Bedouins master the climbing.
We arrived safely in a comfortable car in six hours. The dinner was delicious, and after a rest we set off at midnight to the gathering place at the foot of the mountain.
Breathtaking scenery, an unforgettable experience. A great guide who took the time to explain things clearly; he even offered us drinks and snacks.
Excerpts from verified GetYourGuide reviews of this listing, with the reviewer's country and travel month. Full reviews sit on the operator's listing.
Page last reviewed September 2026. Price, rating and review count read from the listing on September 2026. Prices, availability and terms are set by the operator and confirmed at checkout.
We may earn a commission if you book through one of our links, at no extra cost to you. Full affiliate disclosure