FAQs
How do I organise a hike?
Guides, camels and 4x4s can be organised through Bedouin camps in St Katherine and safari organisations in other parts of the Sinai. Guides can also be arranged by emailing the Seven Summits Sinai team. We will provide the most trusted, highly trained Bedouin guides who helped develop the challenge & who have climbed each of the summits multiple times.
What is the Seven Summits Trail?
A 180km, 16 day hiking route connecting every one of the Seven Summits, allowing hikers to walk between them & complete all in a single journey. It begins in Wadi Feiran and ends north of Sharm el Sheikh, crossing the territories of four Bedouin tribes. This trail traverses some of the great mountain scenery in the world & can be done without ascending any of the Seven Summits.
Is there bad weather?
Torrential rain, blizzards, electrical, sand & dust storms, can all be experienced in the Sinai. Generally, weather is stable but periods of instability arrive every year. Weather of this kind is most common between October and May. It can still arrive in other times too including summer months. Check weather forecasts before a trip & know how to deal with typical natural hazards e.g. flash floods.
Is there a mobile signal?
A mobile signal is only found in a few areas. A telephone signal is found on top of most of the Seven Summits, but it is unreliable & can go down long periods. Typically, it is just a telephone signal. Internet does not work. If you need to stay in touch with home, some GPS units & spot devices can send international messages without a phone signal. These are the best way to keep in touch.
What if I've never hiked?
Build your experience up gradually. Attempt each summit when you have the required experience to do it. If you have never hiked before try Mount Sinai & Jebel Abbas Basha at the beginning. Afterwards start the Seven Summits with Jebel Katherina and Jebel Tarbush. Keep on building the experience you need after this to attempt harder summits.
Why do I need a guide?
Before hikers, pilgrims, merchants, explorers and travellers all walked with Bedouin guides. Guiding is one of the few ways the Bedouin have been able to make a living in the desert. Bedouin guides know the Sinai & how to survive in it better than anybody & will help keep hikers safe beginning to end. Guides have been mandatory for centuries.
Is there mountain rescue?
No, the Sinai has no dedicated mountain rescue unit. When rescues are needed, the Bedouin usually handle them. Makeshift stretchers, camels & donkeys are more likely to arrive than helicopters. Every hiker must know & accept this before starting. Check weather forecasts, go properly equipped, tell people your itinerary, use the best guides & have a backup plan.
Is Sinai safe for travel?
Most unrest has been focused in North Sinai, in a small pocket near the Gaza border. The interior, Bedouin parts of South Sinai have never seen a terrorist attack on tourists. They have been tightly controlled by the Bedouin & Egyptian army. Nevertheless there are no guarantees. Everything can change & everybody must do their own research & decide whether to visit or not.