38 Days in Egypt - Travel Egypt - Egyptian Travel Blog - Visiting Egypt on a Budget - Egypt off the Beaten Path - Cairo Dahab Luxor Siwa Alexandria Red Sea Sinai Peninsula

A video of our experience in Egypt. 

Welcome to 38 Days in Egypt: A Travelogue. 

My wife and I created this blog to create a travelogue of our visit in Egypt.  We wanted to have a way to remember the journey and share it with others who were interested in what Egypt is like.

We also built this site to show that, although Egypt is seen to many as a dangerous place to visit, that tourists have little to worry about when visiting Egypt.  Overall, for tourists, the country is quite safe.  The military and police to go extraordinary lengths to make sure that tourists are out of harms way.  There are huge penalties in place for assaulting a tourist and locals are very warm and caring for those.  While there is a great amount of hassle to tourists in Egypt, salespeople will generally help you out in the end, even if you do not purchase items from them.  As far as countries that I have visited, both of us would say that the people of Egypt have been some of the most friendly in the world.

Lastly, I created this website to help others who are visiting Egypt.  While there are a lot of good guidebooks available.  We used the The Rough Guide to Egypt and found that it was very helpful.  With that being said, sometimes guides do not have enough space to tell everything, and I wanted to answer some of the questions and show some of the places that the guide books do not have room to go into in great detail.  I would recommend this book, however, if you are planning on visiting Egypt. 

As students, we did not go to Egypt with a large budget.  One reason we visited Egypt was due to the low cost of traveling at the current time.  Egypt is considered a bargain right now, and flight prices from the United States, Europe, and other parts of the world are at an all time low.  Also, the Egyptian Pound (LE or EGP) is at a very favorable exchange rate at the moment.  With that being said, Egypt can still be a very expensive country to visit.  There are touts and unforeseen expenses here, just as there is anywhere.  As this blog was geared towards the budget traveler, I have taken the time to review hotels and hostels in various cities that cost around $10 a night and under. 

This blog is still a work in progress, and I have a lot to add in the coming weeks.  Thank you for reading. 

Here are some recent updates to this blog.  This post will stay on top for the time being so that readers can see what has been updated.

1.  Video of The Catacombs in Alexandria: July 3, 2013
2.  Video of the Blue Hole: July 3, 2013
3.  Map of our Travels: July 3, 2013
4.  Review of Sindbad Camp in Dahab: July 7, 2013

Interested in seeing where we are traveling now? Check out "Travels with Sephie."

Egypt Budget Travel Blog - Changing Our Plans - Dahab to Luxor by Bus

It was a hard start to the day. Josh woke up early and was plagued with thoughts of everything that we have to do upon our arrival back home. The shower drains were all plugged up, so we couldn't shower. Then, when coming back to the room, he hit his head (for the hundredth time) on the very low doorway. From there we decided to go get breakfast at shells, where we have been for a while now because they have a special, but arrived too early. They were not yet open. We went back to our room for a bit and tried to soothe ourselves with thoughts of our return to the Blue Hole to snorkel later in the morning.

We were finally able to get breakfast, get our things and head out. It was another still day and we wondered if the cooling breeze would ever return to Dahab. We were excited to be going back to the Blue Hole and shortly after we arrived and got settled, we dove in and became a part of that dazzling underwater world. We found the great spot that we had found the first time and spent a bit of time there watching the fish and admiring the rainbow colored coral. We saw so many different kinds of fish. It was amazing! There were all different colors and patterns, shapes and sizes. This has to be the best place, by far, that we have ever snorkeled and I wish we could go back again and again!

The day was much improving. We had planned on just spending the day there since we had already decided that we would be spending a few more days in Dahab before heading over to Cairo on the 27^th. We had wanted to go to Luxor, but it is further and we figured that it would be an expensive hassle. Especially with still not feeling very well.

One of the guys that worked at the restaurant area that we were hanging out in came up and was quite chatty. He was very surprised for some reason that we did not speak Hebrew. After talking for a bit he asked, “You are Jewish, right?” We laughed and said that perhaps we were, that our families come from all over and that it is a possibility. He said that we must be part Jewish because he could always tell. It's funny because, even though that is the first time that I have been asked, Josh has been asked a few times if he is Jewish. Who knows? What was funny was that they man kept saying that it was ok, like we would be offended to find out from a stranger that we were in fact Jewish. We talked about our trip and some other things. He asked us if we were planning on staying in Dahab for the 30^th. We asked what the significance was of that date and he said, “Oh, it's going to be a big revolution on that day. You probably don't want to be in Cairo. They are going to shut down the tunnel that goes under the Suez Canal, so you will have to fly out of Sinai to get back.” We looked at each other. This was quite news to us. We had to change our plans then and there. We were very glad that he mentioned it to us because otherwise this all would have probably taken us quite by surprise. He checked with a friend who worked with the canal or something and came back to let us know that the plan was to close the tunnel on the night of the 27^th. So much for our plans. We didn't want to be in Cairo for the rest of the week, since it is hot, loud, and makes our allergies go crazy, so we decided very quickly to make the trip to Luxor afterall.

We went out to snorkel one last time since we were having to cut our day short in order to get back and get our bus tickets. (We also ended up finally buying three bracelets from three different girls. They are quite pretty and were 5LE each.) Josh had also decided that he did want to take a camel ride afterall, so we enjoyed what time we could spare and then headed back in to town. We bought our tickets through the safari company that we have been going through for our outings while here and also booked a sunset camel ride to the lagoon. The man gave us a good deal and we were excited, and a little nervous for the upcoming ride. We had just enough time to return to our room, get ready, grab a snack and head back out.

We were met with a young man who was to lead us to the camels and be our guide for the two hour jaunt. The safari outfits here offer different camel safaris that can last up to a couple days, but we wanted to play it safe and keep our riding time to a minimum, knowing that we would have to pay for it later with sore backsides. This trip was about two hours, and was really quite long enough. Once camel was white and one was tan. The white one was bigger and looked like it could be a bit of a handful. It met us with quite a noise when we arrived. Josh decided to take that one, for my sake. Getting on the camels wasn't difficult as they lay down while you mount. However, staying on while the camel climbs back up is another story. With one hand I held on to the back ridge and with another I held on to the front horn of the saddle. We both made it and were on our way! The guide had the Josh's camel tied to mine by a rope and led mine by another rope.

The ride was a bit different than I had expected. We had to take the main road part of the way to the lagoon

and it was very interesting to be riding a camel with cars driving around us. The camels didn't really seem to mind, however, and we went on our way. After we got about two thirds through our trip we turned off onto a dirt road and that was much better. At that point the guide handed me the camels rope! I didn't really know what to expect. Luckly, the camels were old hats when it came to the route and did fine on it's own. I was literally just along for the ride.

I came to the realization that camels are very curious. They like to look all around and see what is going on. They also get distracted by what and who they see and have to be brought back around by the clicking noises of the guide. I've also concluded that camels are day dreamers. As they look around they seem to get lost in their own little worlds. They get kind of a lost day dreamer look in their eyes and slow down as they walk. Again, the guide's clicks and tap would bring them back down to Earth.

There were a few times when the camels thought that it would be a good idea to grab a snack on the run. There were a few trees that must have looks extra tasty, for nothing could deter them from making a little sidetrip to grab a mouthful. This really wasn't too much of a problem for me, but Josh ended up in the trees a few times since he is tall and so is his camel. As soon as I looked back and was assured that he was fine, I couldn't help but burst out in laughter. It really was the funniest thing to see.

We stayed at the lagoon for about fifteen minutes and then headed back. Our backsides were in fact already beginning to complain. We had already decided on having dinner at a Thai restaurant called “Blue House,” on the way back and so asked to be let off at the bridge instead of going all the way back to the safari office. The guide was fine with that and after giving him a tip, he wished us a good night, climbed up on the camel that I had been riding and off he went. We, meanwhile, limped across the road and made our way to get some dinner. Unfortunately, we found that the restaurant is closed on Mondays. We were disappointed as we had this dinner planned since the night before. One the walk back up we were stopped by someone at another of the restaurants on the corniche and offered a 30% with their card as well as a free starter. It looked like a nice place and the menu looked good, so we decided to eat there.

The restaurant was called “Green Garden,” and the set up was quite nice. We were given a table right on the water to watch the sunset over Saudi Arabia. The service was great and the food was good. There was only a couple problems. Firstly, the waiter misunderstood Josh's order and instead of bringing him oven potatoes, we was brought apple moussaka. It wouldn't have been a problem if the moussaka wasn't actually mostly onions. He said that it was ok, but I felt bad and so asked about it. The waiter was quick to make the correction, but we finally guessed that they did not actually have the potatoes that night since has brought was appeared to be a potato moussaka. He liked it quite a bit, but was getting full of the starter and the sides by then. Also, it was very had to eat because he had a demon cat tormenting him. This thing started out all nice and loving, but once the food was brought, kept climbing into his lap and securing itself by its claws to his legs whenever I tried to move it down. While there it kept trying to steal food from his plate and yowling at us. It was quite scary. I did my best to keep moving it, but mostly Josh had to get it to move by throwing his french fries under the table. That only kept it away for a minute however and he was back again. When Josh had enough of that as he could take and was quite full, we decided to save time and go up to the counter to pay our bill. Right as we left the table, that demon cat jumped up and started eating out of his dish. It was too funny, but still a bit annoying. When we went to pay the waiter begged us to stay and have some complimentary Bedouin tea, so we went ahead and accepted. Once the food was gone so was the cat and we were able to enjoy our tea as we watched the full moon rise huge and orange over the water. It was very beautiful and, after everything, a very nice end to a very full day.

Review of Sindbad Camp in Dahab, Egypt - Cheap Accommodation in the Bohemian Seaside City of Dahab

Website: www.sindbaddahab.com

A short video that shows the grounds of Sindbad Camp:



Sindbad Camp is one of the most well regarded budget accommodations in Dahab, Egypt.  It is easy to see why.  First, it is very hard to beat Sindbad's location, which is right along the corniche of Dahab and a short walk to the central tourist area of Dahab.   Sindbad's prices are hard to beat as well.  The prices listed on the sign out front were discounted while we were there due to there not being many tourists in Egypt.

Sindbad Camp price list

There are a few different types of rooms at Sindbad.  There are a couple of rooms with bathrooms inside.  These are located across from the restaurant and are facing the water.  These rooms are more expensive than the other rooms, which share facilities.  There are quite a few rooms that face the sea, and some smaller rooms that do not face the sea.   The rooms themselves either have two twin beds or a double bed.  Most of the rooms have mosquito nets, a table, lamp (ours did not have a bulb).  Some rooms have some additional shelves.  You may want to take a look at a few of the rooms when you check in.  Some have a window and others have light that comes in through openings in the walls above.  Each room is painted differently and has its unique character.  Keep in mind that this is an old beach camp and is not supposed to be fancy.  If you come with that in mind, you may just find Sindbad Camp charming.

Sindbad camp is very laid back.  We were not bothered with offers for tours while staying.  There is a room with cushions and pillows for relaxing in.   There are also a pair of hammocks out in front of the sea view rooms.   Sindbad has bikes for rent as well for those who want to ride around and see what Dahab truly has to offer.  There is a small library area with books (mostly in German) as well as games (Chess and Dominoes).  There is also a minibar area with Coke and water for sale for 5 LE each.  A block away, however, you can get soda for 3 LE and water for less. 

In front of the sea view rooms.

The common area at Sindbad camp.

Sindbad Camp, Dahab, Egypt.

There is a small restaurant at Sindbad with prices that are cheaper than the prices at the waterfront restaurants in Dahab along the beach.  However, there are still better values to be found, especially if you wander off the main strip and visit the small Egyptian style restaurants that are around the city.  Portion sizes at Sindbad Camp are large and the food is comparable in quality to what you find along the waterfront. 

A typical room at Sindbad Camp

The only negatives are that Sindbad Camp is starting to show its age, but this hardly matters if you are looking for a cheap place to stay.  The rooms are no frills rooms.  There is neither a TV, air conditioner, nor is there room service.  However, there is wireless internet and hot water in the showers.  With that said, the showers can be iffy at times.  In the week and a half we spent at Sindbad, there were some pipe problems that caused minor flooding in the showers.  This was taken care of rather quickly.  In fact, we noticed that the cleaning service constantly is mopping and cleaning the restrooms and common areas and Sindbad is, overall, clean as a result.

Overall, Sindbad camp is a good deal and worth checking out if you are in Dahab.  As said on the website: "it is not the most luxurious place," nor does it try to be.  The prices are some of the lowest you will find in the area, and you will find that those who run the camp are friendly, honest, and helpful.   If you want a place to stay that is located right on the waterfront, is cheap, and is right in the middle of the action of Dahab, then you have come to the right place.

How to get to Sindbad Camp:  If you are arriving by bus, take a taxi from the bus station (this should cost you 5 to 10 LE.  You may have to haggle somewhat) to either the camp (if the driver knows where it is), or to the lighthouse, which is next to Sindbad Camp.  There are signs from here that will point you the way.

Looking out toward the sea

Spending time in Dahab - What to do while in Dahab - Hippie Egypt - Egypt Budget Guide

The days here in Dahab have passed by quickly.  Sometimes I feel lazy here, not doing much with my time.  Perhaps that is why I have not posted too much since getting to Dahab.  But, we will soon be leaving, and with that, we are both very sad.

At first, I did not know what to think of Dahab.  It seemed more developed and commercial than other places we had been to.  Furthermore, there was more hassle going on here than in Siwa or St. Catherine's.  Walking down the waterfront one is bombarded with offers to enter a restaurant and/or shop in one of the stores.  In fact, we have found that prices in Dahab are higher than other areas of Egypt, and the prices for souvenirs is much higher than in Siwa.

But, perhaps the reality is that Dahab is not hurting as bad as other areas of Egypt are.  Tourism is very much present here, even if it is not as high as before the revolution.  Prices here are higher because the people who do come have money.  Many will not venture to the African part of Egypt.  Many visitors to Dahab, we have found, are repeat visitors.  They come back year after year, as flights to this area of the world are cheap from places in Europe.  How much is a flight to this part of the world from the United States?  $850 and up, especially if you are flying from the west coast.



Although I was not found of Dahab at first, the reality is that it has grown on me.  I do not want to leave.  I have found a liking for this dry stretch of beach, full of vendors and loud waiters who try to lure me into their establishments.  I will miss seeing the sun rising over the water every morning as I make my way to the shower.  I will miss looking up at the stars and at the moon every night, or having ice cream as we walk along the moonlit water.  I will miss seeing Saudi Arabia in the distance and hearing the sounds coming from the mosques throughout the day.

Dahab is unlike any other place I have been.  It is like a Bedouin Cancun.  It's a place where girls will stop at nothing until you buy their bracelets, and if you don't, you will be labeled a liar.  It is a place where the food is as diverse as the people.  A place where people who pretend to be hippies and hippies pretend to be people.  I like it like that though.

This may be our final night in Dahab.  We may head to Luxor.  Or we may stay here.  We are not sure yet.  We would love to have more time to decide, yet time is something that we are running out of.  The bus from Dahab to Luxor is 125 EGP we have been told.

On an unrelated note, my Puerto Rico blog hit 10,000 views.

Girls selling bracelets in Dahab

Bedouin "bracelet girls" on the back of a truck.

You will see them everywhere.  From the restaurant where you eat, to the sidewalks leading along the waterfront.  They are also at popular sites, such as the Blue Hole.  These girls sell their colorful bracelets to the tourists that oftentimes buy one.  Their tactics are sometimes questionable; sometimes they are beyond pushy.  And if you say no, they will make sure you "promise" to buy one later.

I was immediately curious as to what these girls are really peddling.  Are the bracelets really made by machine, or are they a front for something insidious?  Perhaps these girls are being forced to work by an all powerful merchant headmaster?  I did not know.  I have heard stories of children being forced to beg for money in some areas of the world, and immediately I felt uneasy at the idea of supporting child labor and possible slavery.

I looked around online, and found nothing that stated that these girls were anything but sellers of handmade bracelets.  Perhaps they are working for their parents, but I realize that one can not blame their parents.  The income level in Egypt is much lower than we are used to.  Survival for many is not as easy as many of us tourists are used to.  Therefore, I could come up with no reason to not support them, even if their sales tactics leave a bad taste in one's mouth.

Case in point, immediately after arriving in Dahab, I found my arm being quickly wrapped by a bracelet by a young girl.  I had yet to see these sales people and had no idea what was going on.  Beverly was able to unwrap me and we gave the the girl a "no thanks" and let her be on her way.

Later, a girl came up to us and asked us to buy.  We said "no thanks" and she kept saying "maybe later?"  We said "maybe" and she left.  A while back she came back and said "buy a bracelet" and we said, "not right now."  She was a little pushier than most, yet we were firm.  Eventually, as we made our way into a tourist agency building, she said what I thought was "later."  I said "yep" and Beverly told me that she didn't say later, but instead said "liar."  I guess I am a liar, even though I said "maybe later" not "I will buy from you later."

In all honesty, the girls add a little flavor to this part of Egypt, and they are fun to watch.  They will sneak into restaurants and try to sell to those who are eating.  Sometimes the waiters will try to chase them out.  Some of the waiters are nice than others about doing so.  Sadly, they these girls are seen as pests to many, but they are just trying to make a living.

Many people buy a bracelet and they usually charge 5 to 10 EGP for one.  The girls themselves usually travel in packs, and work from the morning hours to late in the evening.  They are hard workers, working more than many adults in the United States or Europe work.

For a little more information on this aspect of Dahab, please visit this site which talks about one of the bracelet selling girls.

The Red Sea's "Blue Hole"

The Blue Hole

The Blue Hole is a very popular diving and snorkeling site about 10-15 minutes by jeep north of Dahab.  We had actually originally read about the Blue Hole a year or two before planning our visit to Egypt, and we were intrigued by it.  There are a few so-called "Blue Holes" in the world, one of which is in Belize, and another is in Australia.  When we found out that we had the opportunity to see the one in Egypt in person, we knew it was not to be missed.

Many tour agencies have specials in Dahab where they will take you out to the Blue Hole for a day and let you snorkel for as long as you want before returning.  Sadly, we waited towards the end of our stay in Dahab to do this and really wish we would have done it sooner, as we would have went back a couple times.

Right now, the special is 25 EGP per person for a trip by jeep to the Blue Hole, with snorkeling gear included.  We were not sure what to expect as far as changing rooms or restrooms, but thought a couple of hours at the Blue Hole would be good.  So we purchased a trip from King Safari Dahab, the same agency that booked our trip to Israel with.



It was about 10 am when we left by Jeep from Dahab.  The driver picked us up and took us north, through the town where herds of goats walked the streets, and further north where the sea meets the desert.  We drove along the rocky shores and saw many camels sitting and others carrying tourists towards the popular diving areas that line the coast.  Before reaching the Blue Hole, there is a diving area called "The Canyons" where there are some canyons made out of coral.  Just a bit further is the Blue Hole, which is surrounded by many small restaurants and shops.  In fact, it is worth noting that the area around the Blue Hole is like a small village of its own.  I don't believe that anyone lives there, but there is a lot going on, and the restaurant areas provide a nice open air place to sit and relax while not in the water.

We were brought to a place called Sinbad's.  The person who was running the shop was very nice, and gave us an area in which we could sit on some pillows and mattresses, as is the custom here, and he set us up with some snorkeling equipment and fins.  He told us a little about the Blue Hole and said that there was another site up north he would show us, called "The Bells."  We set our things aside and got our gear and went out into the water.

A short video of the Blue Hole:



The water was somewhat cold, but it was comfortable enough.  The Blue Hole itself is quite large, but not huge.  It is very deep, however, and other than at the sides, you can not see the bottom.  The area was quite busy with people, but there was enough room to be alone.  After about half an hour of snorkeling, we got out.  Our masks were not fitting quite right, so we decided to get replacements, which were both much better.  We rested and ate some fries, and then went back into the water.  We expected the prices to be much higher, but they were comparable to places in Dahab.

Sinbad's Restaurant

When we got back into the water, Beverly showed me an area that is to the south east, towards where the Blue Hole meets the sea.  Here there were hundreds of small fish and a few larger ones.  The coral here is also very pretty with many types of plant life.  We spent a while looking at it and enjoying the scenery before we went back to the restaurant area to enjoy the view and rest for a while.  Overall, we spent about five hours at the Blue Hole and are considering going back one more time before leaving.  I would recommend everyone who visits and who is interested to go to the Blue Hole as soon as possible when they get to Dahab.  It is a very nice place to spend a day, and there is nothing as refreshing as the cool water when the heat gets unbearable.

Also, worth mentioning: The same girls who sell bracelets all over town make their way to the Blue Hole and will try to sell them there as well.  They get around by jumping on the backs of trucks and jeeps and making their way from place to place.  I will probably write a post about these girls in the future, as they are everywhere here.

Also, it should be noted that The Blue Hole is notorious as being one of the most dangerous diving sites in the world.  According to Wikipedia:

The Blue Hole is notorious for the number of diving fatalities which have occurred there, earning it the sobriquet "World's Most Dangerous Dive Site" and the nickname "Diver's Cemetery". The site is signposted by a sign that says "Blue hole: Easy entry". Accidents are frequently caused when divers attempt to find the tunnel through the reef (known as "The Arch") connecting the Blue Hole and open water at about 52 m depth. This is beyond the PADI maximum advanced recreational diving limit of 40 metres and the effect of nitrogen narcosis is significant at this depth. Divers who miss the tunnel sometimes continue descending, hoping to find the tunnel farther down and become increasingly narcosed.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS Re: Blue Hole and Dahab.

How do you get to the Blue Hole From Dahab?

To reach Egypt's Blue Hole from Dahab, travel north from Dahab along the coast.  You will pass by a couple of hotels along the water before the road becomes gravel.  There is a checkpoint on the way, so, if traveling on your own, bring your passport. 

You can also reach the Blue Hole via tour from Dahab or Sharm el sheikh.  Many tour companies in Dahab are currently offering cheap excursions to the Blue Hole.  Some can be found as little as 25 LE.  These often include snorkeling gear.  Many allow you spend as much time as you like at the Blue Hole.

Are there bathrooms and changing rooms at the Blue Hole in Dahab?

Yes.  There are bathrooms at the far north of the restaurants at the end of the road right in front of the Blue Hole.  There are also showers here as well.  The cost to use the restrooms is 2 LE.

Is the Blue Hole in Dahab worth visiting?

The Blue Hole is a very popular dive site and is considered one of the best areas to snorkel in around Dahab.  Even if you do not snorkel or dive, you can swim around the Blue Hole.  The hole itself is very deep, and if you are snorkeling, you will not be able to see the bottom.  I recommend visiting the area, as the swimming here is far better than in downtown Dahab. 

Can you rent a life jacket or wet suit at the Blue Hole in Dahab?

Yes, restaurants that rent snorkeling gear, such as Sinbads, right in front of the Blue Hole, rent life jackets and wetsuits.

How warm is the water near Dahab and the Blue Hole?

The water is not as warm as tropical areas of the world, but in the summer, the water is pleasant (sometimes a bit on the cool side).  With that being said, it will be a lot cooler in the winter and spring and you may need a wetsuit to swim.

Onward to Dahab and the Red Sea Coast

It was bittersweet leaving the town of St. Catherine's.  We had a very relaxing time at the Desert Fox Camp, but we were ready to check out a new area of the country, and we had been looking forward to going to Dahab for quite a while now.  We had read various accounts of the city.  Some articles said it is a laid back hippy enclave that is akin to Ko Samui in Thailand, Playa del Carmen in Mexico (both of which we have visited), or Goa in India (which we will be visiting in the future).  Although we found Ko Samui to be somewhat overrated, we thought that Dahab would be a fun place to visit.  Seaside "riviera-style" towns are often fun places to visit and at least spend a while.  Therefore, we figured we would have to spend a little while in Dahab.

The Sinai Wilderness

Our host at Desert Fox prepared a bus for us, the Bedouin bus, which arrived at our hotel to pick us up and take us straight to our next lodging in Dahab, known as the Sindbad Camp.  The ride cost us each 50 EGP and it was an incredible ride.  We made our way through the desert and mountain valleys of Sinai, through the deep wilderness areas, and across a massive valley of dunes and sand that spilled over the sides of huge hills.  The rocks and ground areas went from deep brownish reds to pitch black in areas.  Some of the areas looked charred and desolate.  Overall, there was much to see and film on the way, and we hope to get it up on Youtube soon.  It was much more interesting than I thought it would be, and I really see why so many people who come to Sinai come back year after year.

When we arrived in Dahab, we checked into the Sindbad Camp.  We had read about this place beforehand and it got some really good reviews.  While I will review it later, I will say that I like it.  Our room costs 60 EGP a night.

Dahab is a little more expensive than the other areas of Egypt.  Things are a bit more fancy here as far as food goes.  There are many international food options, such as Indian, Thai, and the like.  In fact, I was craving Indian when we arrived and we were excited to see an Indian restaurant right on the water (Nirvana).  It was somewhat expensive (108 EGP for two curries and a shared Chai tea), but it really hit the spot.  Also, the meals were quite large and overall worth the price.



Dahab is said to be laid back, but it's not Siwa nor is it St. Catherine's.  In other words, we have found that there is still a lot of hassling that goes on here.  For example, along the walkway that goes along the water and the shops, many salesmen will come out and try to bring you into their stores.  This is similar to Ko Samui (which was one reason I was not as fond of it as much as Phuket, Ko Phi Phi, or Chiang Mai).  However, there are a lot of really nice people here and it is quite pretty.  From the shore we can see the mountains of Saudi Arabia which is actually quite close.

Also, I should mention that there are many tourists here, especially compared to Cairo, Siwa, and Alexandria.  While it may not be as full as always, this is a huge difference and we no longer feel alone.  Costs of tours to places like the Blue Hole, a popular and dangerous diving and snorkeling site, Petra, and Jerusalem/Dead Sea are much cheaper now than advertised, and that might be due to the downturn in tourism.  Or it may be due to the fact that the brochures have artificially inflated prices.

We were told that most of the tourists here are from Russia and eastern Europe which we found to be interesting.  Indeed, much of the stores here feature Russian writing and many tours are geared towards Russians.  One person said it is as much as 90% of the tourists, but that is hard to say.  Either way, most of the tourists in this area are from Europe and Asia or are other Egyptians and it is somewhat rare to see an American here at this time.  As our host at Desert Fox stated: "most people are scared to travel now."  He is right, and the reality is that there should be no reason to be afraid to visit this place or any of the other areas of Egypt that we have traveled to.  Such things confirm my belief that the media often distorts reality to the detriment of those who buy into it.

On another note, we were told by our host at Desert Fox that Dahab was hot, and while it is hot, it is still nowhere near as hot as Siwa, Alexandria or Cairo.  In fact, where we are staying, at the Sindbad Camp, there seems to always be a light breeze which keeps things pleasant.

Sunset over the sea, with Saudi Arabia in the distance (right).

We have yet to swim here, but we are considering buying a tour to the world-famous Blue Hole (described above) which costs 25 EGP.  It is said to be an amazing place to snorkel and we would like to do some of that while we are here.  We had a great time snorkeling in Puerto Rico a few months back and are ready to see some more sea life. 

The Village and Monastery of St. Catherine's

The village of St. Catherine's, Egypt

I was not sure what to expect with the town of St. Catherine's.  In fact, when I arrived, I was kind of in a hurry to get to Dahab.  Now, as I write this, on the shores of the Red Sea in Dahab, I find myself missing St. Catherine's.  Everything about St. Catherine's was laid back and calm.  The landscape was rugged and wild. I now know why it was called "the wilderness" in The Bible.

As mentioned before, we stayed at "Desert Fox Camp" which is very close to Mt. Sinai and the village of St. Catherine's.  It is also a close (20 minute) walk to the monastery.  In total, we spent about 4 days in St. Catherine's, and the days went quickly.  The hosts at the Desert Fox Camp were incredibly helpful, and of all the places we have stayed so far, the Desert Fox Camp has been the best.  I will write a review of it later; but for now, let me just say that we highly recommend it.

We spent most of our days relaxing at the Desert Fox Camp, other than the day we went to climb Mt. Sinai and the day we walked to the monastery.  Since I already wrote about climbing "Mount Moses" as the locals call it, I will write about the day we went to see the site of the Golden Calf and the monastery.

Nothing left to worship...

It was the morning after our climb of Mt. Sinai when we went to see the monastery.  We have read that the burning bush that God spoke to Moses through was in the monastery (I am not sure if I believe that it is the same one) and we wanted to see it.  Also, we have heard that the monastery itself is quite beautiful and one of the oldest monasteries in the world.  So, we went out in the morning hours and walked towards it.


On our way we saw the site of where the Golden Calf was worshiped when Moses came down from the Mountain with the Ten Commandments.  All that is left is a big round wall and a sign that says "Golden Calf."  We did not expect to see this, and it was very interesting to come upon it.  Nearby was the Manna Field where the Israelites were fed Manna.

About ten minutes from this spot was the gates to the Monastery.  There was a small boy here who asked money for school and then said "chocolate."  We did not have any small bills and we were not sure if we should be paying for an education in unhealthy eating, so we abstained from giving.  He told us the monastery was closed, and we did not believe him at first (when people say something is closed, it is usually not).  We headed into the area which was full of tour buses and souvenir shops selling everything from t-shirts to giant stuffed camels.  We came upon a gate with police and were told by an officer that the monastery was indeed closed, and he took us in and showed us a list of holidays that the church observes.  One of these dates is June 13th.   He then told us we were welcome to go see the outside of the building though, and we thanked him.

The walled garden of the monastery

We made our way up to the monastery, which was a little further up a dirt road.  There were a few taxis that wanted to take us up, but there was no sense in it with how close we were.  When we got there, we spent some time looking at the outside of the complex, which was quite large.  There were walled gardens lined with trees.  Inside were a few goats as well.  Near the monastery, there were many tourists taking pictures of the camels that were kept in a nearby pen (to ride towards the top of Mt. Sinai) as well as the mountain itself.

After spending some time taking pictures, we headed back towards Fox Camp.  On our way back we saw the same "chocolate boy" who was chasing a tourist onto a bus trying to get money and seeming quite upset. We were asked a few times about a taxi back, but we said we were not interested.  Someone tried to get us to go back up the mountain, and we told him that we were already up there.  He wanted us to go again, and although that would have been interesting, once in two days is enough.

I wish we would have been able to see the burning bush and the inside of the old monastery, but we did not get to.  That's a shame, but it was nice to see the building and all the sites that we were able to.  I am sure the bush is really impressive, but I do doubt that it's the same one that God spoke through at this point.  

Climbing Mt. Sinai

One of the highlights of our trip has been the climb up Mt. Sinai.  We had planned this for a while, and after talking to our host at Desert Fox Camp, we were asked if we would prefer to be on the mountain for sunset or sunrise.  We originally decided on sunrise, as we would leave in the middle of the night and hike up the mountain when it was cool.  However, I later read that much of the hike is done in the shadow of the mountain during the time in which the sun is about to set, and that it wasn't too hot.  We asked our host what he preferred and he said the sunset hike was his favorite, as there are fewer people on the mountain.  We figured we would get back to the hotel and be able to get a full night's rest versus being exhausted the next day due to climbing down the mountain in the morning hours.  Therefore, we went on the sunset hike, and we are glad we did. When we reached the top we had the mountain to ourselves for about two hours with only one other visitor arriving as we were leaving.  We had heard that, even lately, there has been up to 200-300 people on the mountain for the sunrise.





Our hike began around 2:15 p.m. when our Bedouin guide came to meet us. It was still quite hot that afternoon.  We walked from the desert fox camp to the beginning of the trail.  This took about 20-30 minutes.  Usually, hikers will begin at St. Catherine's monastery, but we began at the opposite side of the mountain, taking a completely different trail. We passed by a few people on camels as we made our way to a rock where it is said that Moses met an angel.  After doing some research later on, we found that this is believed to be the rock where Moses was told to get water for the people.

Our guide and a Bedouin with camels.

We then walked for about 10 more minutes until we came to a rest stop with some water.  We had brought our own water, but our guide got some at this stop.  There were also some kids who tried to sell us some bags and other items.  We did not buy anything, and, after a short a rest, continued up to where the actual climb began.

The climb was not too challenging at first, but it was still tiresome.  Overall however, I will say that the climb is nothing to fear and it was very enjoyable to see the mountain scenery that was around us.  The landscape is rugged and wild, and the views are amazing as you rise into the hills.  

After an hour or so we came to the first of many rest stops on the mountain.  These rest areas sell things such as water, soda, handicrafts, and other goods.

Elijah's Hollow

As we rose up the mountain, we came to other rest stops.  In fact, there were far more of these than I expected to see.  Some sell more goods than others.  One had a place for people to sit and drink tea in a covered area.  As we climbed, we reached Elijah's hollow, which is a nice little garden courtyard area that is near the top of the mountain. This is where people believe that Elijah escaped to when he was fleeing from Jezebel. This is where he was fed by ravens from God.  It is at this point where one begins taking the stairs of repentance up to the top.  If you begin at the monastery, you can take stairs (all 3,750 of them) the whole way, but that was not possible with the route we took.  Anyway, the stairs were somewhat challenging and the wind was quite rough.  There are some big drops next to the stairs and no handrails, so it's scary at times.  We had to rest three times on the way up, as the climb is somewhat challenging and takes about 15 minutes or so.  I think there's around 700 stairs in total from Elijah's Hollow to the top of Mt. Sinai.

Finally, after a few hours climbing, we reached the top and the views were incredible.  I had been doing videos during various parts of the climb, which will be posted here in the future as well as on my Youtube page.

The Top of "Mount Moses"

One of the rest stops

Our guide left us alone at the top, as he wanted to go down and drink some tea at a shop that was near the summit.  We spent at least an hour up at top taking in the incredible views and enjoying having the area to ourselves.  There is a mosque up there that we took a look inside of (there was nobody there) and a church, which was locked up.  You could, however, peek through a hole on the door and get an idea of what it was like in there.  It is really incredible that they built buildings up on the top.  The top of the mountain is actually quite large and there is a good amount of room for many people.  There are places that rent blankets and sleeping pads for those who want to spend the night.  The wind is something else though, and temperatures can get down to freezing.  Even in the summer it gets quite cold up there.

We waited for sunset and watched it over the mountains.  We could see far into the distance, but not to the red sea or Saudi Arabia, which we are told can be seen from the nearby mountain, Mount Catherine, which is taller.  The sky was a bit hazy and the sunset was not quite as red as on other nights.  Later we were greeted by a man from Scotland.  He mentioned that he took the stairs all the way up from St. Catherine's Monastery.   That is a quicker route, which only takes about an hour and a half, we were told, but it's quite tough.  Also, some of the steps are said to be around a meter high.


After spending a while on the top and watching the sunset, we headed back down the mountain and met our guide.  He took us back down as night approached.  We made it past the stairs as darkness came, which was good, as we did not want to go down them in the dark.  Then we hiked down the mountain, which took about half the time as going up. It was killer on the knees though. When we reached the first rest area near the place where Moses hit the rock to get water, we rested and looked at the stars.  Then we made our way back to Fox Camp.  We were exhausted, but it was worth it.

The Shadow of Mount Sinai.

We had some tea and then headed off to bed.  The guide's services cost us 120 EGP, which was worth it. (We also gave him an extra 10 EGP since he was so nice.)  While it is possible to do it without a guide, it is technically illegal and it is easy to get lost in some spots.  As far as the climb, I recommend wearing enough sunscreen and take plenty of water.  Although there are places to purchase water, the truth is that the prices of the shops at the top are quite high, and they are said to rise as the elevation does.

If you do not stay in St. Catherine's, there are excursions to the town and the mountain from Dahab and Sharm, and they are not too expensive.  However, we found it worth it to stay in the town, as it is quite beautiful and quiet.  The land is rugged and dry, but it's like no where we had ever been before.  Hearing the sounds of the call to prayer echo through the mountains in the evening as the sun sets is beautiful and haunting.  Overall, a trip to Mt. Sinai is something that one should consider, even if one is not religious.  It is something we will not forget.

Bus ride from Siwa to Sinai.

On the night on Sunday, June 9^th, we boarded the bus back to Cairo. We had hopes of catching another bus onwards to Sinai from there the next day. As we've come to expect, we were the only tourists on the bus. It was pretty full otherwise. I learned my lesson on the last bus trip and so took a Dramamine shortly before we started.

The beginning of the ride was very pretty as the very last light was disappearing over the desert. We saw a few of the stars come out and then my medicine hit me like a ton of bricks. I was out until the next morning. 

Unfortunately, I was still aware of the very uncomfortable seats. I kept having to change positions in order to find one that didn't hurt so much. I did away with caring what others thought and, keeping my abaya modestly in place, curled up in a fetal position in my seat next to the window. That helped for a while, until body parts started to fall asleep. I was vaguely aware of stopping at a few places during night. Some people got off the bus and other got on. There was a longer stop where people got some food, but I was still way to sleepy to even consider getting up to find a bathroom.

The very bright morning sun woke me before five the next day. Josh was trying to sleep again. I noticed that we were still a ways outside of Cairo, so I watched the road for a bit and then went back to sleep. Josh woke me as we were arriving in the city. The bus dropped us off in a familiar place in Tahrir Square. From there it was pretty easy walk to the Cairo Gateway bus station. A taxi driver actually gave us directions after we told him we would walk instead of ride. We thought that was really nice of him.

We did arrive in Cairo at about six in the morning. We bought our bus tickets to St. Katherine's and found an ATM. The bus didn't leave until 11:00 that morning, however, and so we had time to kill. We sat at a cafe area in the bus station and got some mango juice and some snacks while we were there. Mostly, we tried not to fall asleep.

Our bus arrived a few minutes late and at first it seemed like it was going to be a full bus. It turned out that most people were waiting for a different bus that would be arriving at nearly the same time. Again, we were the only tourists on board. The bus took a very round about way out of Cairo and stopped at three other bus stations in the city. It was unexpected, but gave us a good tour of more of the city, mostly parts that we hadn't seen yet. We went through Heliopolis, which is a richer suburb/connected city to the north. It took a bit over an hour to get out of the city and begin the trip in earnest. At this point I think I fell asleep.

Suez, Egypt.

I woke up as we were entering what looked to be Suez. It was strange because there were many apartment type buildings that looked like they were empty. Some were finished and some were in varying states of being built. As we got further in, however, it appeared that more people were living in the buildings. There were many apartment buildings on that side of the city, and not much else. We made a stop there in town to refuel and a few people jumped off to smoke and grab some chips. We got to see a bit of the Suez Canal on our way out and figured that we would be driving over it. Imagine our surprise, however, when instead we went through a very long tunnel. From the other side we could see the huge container ships traveling through the canal. It was strange because we could barely see the water and it looked like there were ships stuck in the sand.

Looking out towards the Red Sea/Gulf of Suez.

Josh pointed out that we were now technically in Asia. I thought that was interesting. I guess it is also considered to be the Middle East. It's funny how you can travel to a different continent so easily sometimes. We continued down Sinai and made our way along the coast of the Red Sea. It was very pretty and very blue. Another strange sight however, were tons of huge resorts that seemed to be deserted. They looked like ghost towns and were completely closed off with nobody around. It was rather eerie looking. I wonder if it is because of the drop in foreign tourists or if the revolution affected the local tourism there. There were a couple people that did get off at one of the resorts that was still in operation. It looked pretty nice.

Later in the afternoon we turned and headed inland. The views of the mountains were spectacular, even if the winding road was starting to make me queasy. The terrain is so much different from anything else that we have seen. It is quite beautiful and fascinating. The mountains are all rocky and of different sizes. We also passed by a few oases with palm trees and houses. It was interesting to see the different varieties of ecosystems in such a short distance.  

We arrived in the village of St. Katherine (St. Catherine or Sant Katrene) around seven in the evening. It was still light out for a little while. I was glad because we got to see so much of Sinai. We had decided to stay at a place called Desert Fox Camp that is about a kilometer out of town. We weren't sure which way it was so I asked the driver. He told me to take the taxi, so I asked how much it would cost. He said 20 EGP. This seemed like a lot to go a distance that we could easily walk, especially since it was cooling off for the evening. I said that we were okay walking and he said that he would help us out and take us for free. I have never heard of a taxi driver doing that before! I didn't want to take advantage, so when we arrived, Josh gave him 10 EGP, which was very fair really.

Desert Fox Camp, Sinai, Egypt.

Upon arriving at desert fox camp we were wholeheartedly welcomed by Hamdi, who made us feel like we were home visiting family. He made us tea and gave us some tiny and tasty apricots that they grow here. We asked about food and so he made us some spaghetti for dinner. It was really good and especially so since we had not eaten real food since the previous afternoon for fear of being sick on the bus. While we ate we had the company of the resident felines who were quite entertaining. After eating we were very tired and so we settled down for the night in our little room made of stone.  The room itself was very dark and outside the sounds of crickets could be heard in the distance.  The air was actually quite cool and dare we say cold as darkness set.  We were told that it actually snows here in the winter months.  We enjoyed sleeping in a real bed after traveling across Egypt on a bus ride that took about 24 hours.