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Sharm El Sheikh is situated right on the
southern tip of the Sinai Peninsula, and marks the point where the Red
Sea splits into the gulfs of Suez and Aqaba.
|
 Sharm is a location of
international
diving interest, is directly located on the eastern Red Sea coasts.
It's famous for its transparent and mild water, for the abundance of
colors. Thanks to the presence of many different kinds of coral and to
the incredible variety of sea species.
This is also one of the best liked place for divers thanks to the many
diving sites reachable in few minutes with comfortable and convenient
boats that offer the opportunities to have meals on board.
The temperature of the water is good all year round and this makes
diving and snorkelling possible every time.
In the depths is very easy to find a number of wrecks even if the most
interesting one is the THISTLEGORM wreck that we warmly advise. In
these waters besides all the bentonic species is very easy to meet big
pelagic, tiny fishes, barracudas and sharks. |
| Sinai
Peninsula |
|
Red Sea |
 Sinai Peninsula is a land of rocky,
mountainous desert, made up by sedimentary rock in the north and
granite in the southern part. The granite is frequently mixed with
long, hard intrusions of basalt. Over time the granite has eroded
faster than the basalt creating amazing formations or ridges in the
mountains cape resembling back bones of colossal animals.
During a visit to the desert one can experience many fascinating types
of rock when it comes to shape and colour. There are green, red,
yellow, purple and even blue rocks. Let your imagination fly and you'll
easily pick out human and animal faces on the mountain sides. Travel
north and see the unbelievable mixtures of coloured layers in the
mountains. Notably in the Coloured Canyon.
Sinai is also known for being a crossroad of myths, religions and
historical happenings thus offering now a great choice of excursions
and trips. |
 Red Sea was formed about 25 million
years ago when the African and Asian continental plates started to move
apart. It continues to widen at a rate of about 1-2 cm per year.
The Red Sea contains more than 1,000 species of fish and has over 2,000
kilometres of fringing reef, making it one of the most bio-diverse seas
in the world. Extreme heat in this region results in a very rapid rate
of evaporation which results in a high concentration of salt. This
makes the Red Sea among the saltiest bodies of water on Earth.
 The Egyptian Red Sea
has always been known as one of the most coloured sea of the world. The
geological movements of the past created a unique condition that
permitted marine life to grow in a fantastic variety of corals and reef
fishes resulting in the widest possible range of colours. |
| Mount Sinai |
|
St.
Catherine's Monastery |
 Mount Sinai, also know as Jebel Musa, or
Mount Moses, is both the name of a collection of peaks, sometimes
referred to as the Holy Mountains, and the biblical name of the peek on
which Moses received the Ten Commandments. Among all the stupendous
works of Nature, not a place can be selected more fitting for the
exhibition of Almighty power. The 7,497 foot mountain has 3,750 steps
hewn out of stone by monks of St. Catherine's Monastery, which is
located just to the North. The peak is accessible by the steps, or by a
gentler path east of the monastery. Both lead to an amphitheater known
as the "Seven Elders of Israel". From there, one must ascend the
remaining 750 steps to reach the summit where the Chapel of the Holy
Trinity was built in 1934 and affords a truly breathtaking view. This
peak has religious significance to Islam as the place where Mohammed's
horse, Boraq, ascended to heaven. It is recommended that you take the
steps down, as they will lead you past the fountain of Moses, a small
chapel of the Virgin, and two arches, the Gate of St. Stephen and the
Gate of the Law. |
 Before climbing Mount Moses, at the foot lies St.
Catherine's
Monastery, was constructed by order of the Emperor Justinian
between 527 and 565. It is thought to be Moses' Burning Bush, which has
a chapel built atop it. It is a spectacular natural setting for
priceless works of art, including Arab mosaics, Greek and Russian
icons, Western oil paintings, paintings on wax, fine sacerdotal
ornaments, marbles, enamels, chalices, reliquaries, including one
donated by Czar Alexander II in the 19th century, and another by
Empress Catherine of Russia in the 17th century. But of perhaps even
greater significance is that it is the second largest collection of
illuminated manuscripts (The Vatican has the largest). The Monastery
even has a small 10th or 11th century mosque which was probably built
to appease the Islamic authorities of the time. There is also a small
chapel (the Chapel of St. Triphone, also known as the Skull House)
which houses the skulls of deceased monks.
 St. Catherine's has a rich history, it is a sparkling
example of an
undiscovered Jewell of travel. It has been called the oldest working
Christian monastery, though St. Anthony's predates it, and the smallest
diocese in the world. St. Catherine’s relics, whose body was reportedly
carried away by angels, are stored in a marble reliquary in the
Basilica. St. Catherine's is also a formidable fortification, with
granite walls 40 to 200 feet tall, surrounded by gardens and cypresses.
Prior to probably the twentieth century, the only entrance to St.
Catherine's was a small door 30 feet high, where provisions and people
were lifted with a system of pulleys, and where food was often lowered
to nomads. It has withstood numerous attacks over its 14 hundred year
existence thus protecting a rich store of art, and today, while it is
one of the oldest monasteries in the world, its original, preserved
state is unmatched. Though established and patronized most of its
history by the Russian Orthodox Church, it is now under the auspices of
the Greek Orthodox Church. Most of its monks are also of Greek origin. |
| Ras Mohammed |
|
 The peninsula of Ras
Mohammed is located at the southern end of Sinai, about 20 kilometers
from Sharm El-Sheikh (8 miles by sea). It is an unspoiled place of
extraordinary beauty and great naturalistic interest, which was,
declared a National Park in 1983. There are several different routes to
follow inside the Park, which enable visitors to discover all its
beauties; each route is marked with different colors. Those who wish to
explore the fascinating seabeds will find many beautiful dive sites;
among them are the very famous Shark Reef and Yolanda Reef. In the
second half of August tens of thousands of storks (Ciconia Ciconia) and
other migratory birds stop off at Ras Mohammed during their long,
annual journey from northern Europe to southern Africa. The Park is
open from dawn to sunset.
 The entry ticket
costs 5 USD per person; there is an extra charge of 5 USD for cars. It
is possible to camp in designated areas after informing the ticket
office or one of the Park offices. There is a cafeteria at the Visitors
Center, although it is not always open. To enter Ras Mohammed you have
to show your passport at the Egyptian check-point on your way out of
Sharm El-Sheikh. |
| Serabit
el-Khadem |
 The temple of El-Khadem is one of the most
fascinating and important
archaeological sites in Sinai. You can get there either by covering the
easy track beginning from Abu Zenima (4WD is not necessary) or by going
up the Wadi Mukkatab, whose name mean "Valley of the inscriptions"
owing to several Nyzantine and Nabatean graffiti carved on its walls.
The Wadi Mukkatab starts in the 'southern part of the wadi Fairan; a
cross-country vehicle is necessary.
 The temple is at a height of 850 metres on a
plateau which ends with a
mighty rocy rampart. You can reach it by following the steep path that
goes up the mountainside. In this zone there are the large copper and
turquoise mines that were exploited intensively during the Pharaonic
age. They are concentrated in a circular area having a diameter of 1.2
kilometers, to the southwest of the temple. Some of their galleries,
well and tunnels with inscription mostly dating back to the Middle
Kingdom (2056-1750B.C) are still visible today. The temple was built
during the IX Dynasty 91955-1750 BC) by people –probably semi-nomadic
Semites – who worked in the nerdy mines. Originally, at the time of the
XII Dynasty, it consisted of a stone chapel dedicated to Hathor, "Lady
of Turquoise". Then other rooms were added; they were dedicated to the
God Sopdu, "Lord of Foreign Lands". New extension work was then
undertaken during the XVIII Dynasty (1550-1292 BC) when the long series
of rooms which gave the temple of Serabit el-Khadem its current
appearance were built. The last two rooms, the western-most ones, were
added during the Ramesside time. The last king mentioned in the temple
is in fact, a pharaoh of the XX Dynasty (1295-1188B.C) (Ramse) VI. |
| The
Blue Desert and the Wadi Feiran |
 About ten kilometers from the Monastery
of St.
Catherine is a unique
place in Sinai the remarkable Blue Desert, or Blue Valley. You can
reach
it by car (a 4WD is not necessary) along the track which starts near
the tomb of Sheikh Nabi Sala (a Muslim saint whose true identity is not
entirely clear), near the crossing between the road leading to the
monastery and that which takes to the Wadi Feiran. The Blue Desert owes
its name to the numerous rocks scattered across an area of nearly 15
square kilometers- that the Belgian artist Jean Vera Me painted blue in
1980. This was done to commemorate the end of the conflict between
Egypt and Israel. A good 10 tons of paint were needed to complete the
work. The asphalt road that goes down into the Wadi Feiran leads to the
largest and most magnificent Wadi ("valley") in the Sinai Peninsula.
After a long stretch it opens out onto the coast of the Gulf of Suez.
This was the ancient route covered by pilgrims on their way to Saint
Catherine and which, according to tradition, had been covered by Mosa
himself. In the Wadi Feiran you can see the largest palm grove in the
Sinai Peninsula. Besides, you can also visit a small nunnery and an
archaeological site that is situated nearby. Excavations have revealed
the ruins of several churches, which date back to the IV-VII centuries
AD, and that demonstrate the importance of this place in ancient times.
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