There are high mountains, deep canyons, desert gorges, massive sand dunes and of course the multicolored wadis that twist and turn their way through the rocky terrain.
So take time out, give your divemaster a break and enjoy the land, even if it ends up being the last day of your holiday and you can’t dive before you fly. If you haven’t ridden a camel before – now’s your chance! If you have – ride a horse!
Let a Bedouin cook you dinner over a fire whilst you gaze at the stars, or join a quad bike trip into one of the wadis outside town. If you have more time, take a day or overnight trip and realize why the Bedouin head to the desert when they need to clear their heads. Peace guaranteed!
Apart from the many places of historical interest in the Sinai, for example St Catherine’s Monastery to mention just one, the Sinai desert has much to offer.
The diversity of the landscape is breathtaking; one minute you can be walking through a narrow wadi and the next minute you come out into a vast desert plain awash with wild flowers that perfume the unpolluted air.
The Monastery of St Katherine at the foot of Mount Sinai is always a hit – the drive alone takes you through some spectacular desert landscapes.
And don’t forget the power of retail therapy – go shopping! If you are staying in a self catering villa (such as Villa Bombay) you will find supermarkets, fruit stalls, fish shops and butchers dotted around the town. But the souvenir shopping will get all visitors. How can you go home without a pyramid, a papyrus, a tea towel, belly dancing outfit or your very own shisha water pipe? You just can’t!
Exhausted with all of these options? Regain some energy by joining a yoga class one evening, or relax with a massage.
It is impossible to give an accurate description of the beauty and the immense feeling of freedom and tranquility that the desert inspires.The only way to really appreciate the landscape is to spend some time and star-filled nights out there with nature. So, hop on a camel or put your walking shoes on and join Red Sea tribe safari trips, we absolutely guarantee that you will not be disappointed!
Coloured Canyon, Oasis of Ein Hudra and White Canyon
Coloured Canyon.
Taking its name from the rainbow hues of the sandstone, the Colored Canyon is one of the most spectacular valleys in the Sinai. It was carved by water erosion, and has walls that rise up to 25ft, with the valley itself narrowing in places to just one meter.
The Oasis of Ein Hudra
Surrounded by white sandstone mountains, the lush Oasis of Ein Hudra is an ideal location for pausing to rest and recuperate. Close by you’ll find the Rock of Inscriptions, where Nabateans, Greeks, Romans, Byzantines and Crusaders have all left their mark.
White Canyon
One of the most beautiful canyons in Sinai, the White Canyon is a water-carved sandstone chute with dramatic cliffs rising up to 25m high. There are panoramic views of the oasis of Ein Hudra from the end of the canyon.
Trip Itinerary:
Morning: the trip starts at 8am and our first stop will be at an observation point above Nuweiba, with panoramic views of El Mezzina village and the Gulf of Aqaba. We then take the tarmac road through Wadi Watir and to the entrance to Wadi el Nikheil. We drive off-road to a stunning viewpoint overlooking the Coloured Canyon. We continue on foot, hiking down a steep trail into the valley. After an exhilarating hike through the canyon we take a steep trail back up to where our jeep will be waiting.
Lunch: after a short break we drive though Wadi el Nikheil and Wadi Hudra to reach the Oasis of Ein Hudra, where we stop for lunch.
Afternoon: after lunch we will hike through the White Canyon, before meeting our jeep and returning to Dahab in time for dinner.