Friday 02/January/2026 – 11:47 AM
The city of St. Catherine in South Sinai Governorate is witnessing a noticeable tourism revival with the beginning of the new year 2026, amid a large demand from foreign tourists and Egyptian visitors, who flocked to the city to climb Mount Moses and watch the sunrise from the top of the mountain peak, and visit St. Catherine’s Monastery, historical sites, colorful valleys, and St. Catherine’s Reserve, in addition to visiting the rest house of the late President Mohamed Anwar Sadat, despite the harsh winter weather and low temperatures at night.
Ibrahim Abdel Halim, Director General of Public Relations and Media in the City of St. Catherine, said in statements to Cairo 24 that the city received today, Friday, the second day of the New Year, tourist delegations from several countries of different nationalities, following New Year’s celebrations, as the visitors were keen to climb Mount Moses to watch the sunrise and enjoy the unique spiritual atmosphere, in addition to visiting the Monastery of St. Catherine and its religious sanctities, and colorful valleys with a picturesque nature.
973 tourists and visitors in one day
Abdel Halim explained that the city of St. Catherine received 973 tourists and visitors today, including 334 Egyptian visitors and 639 foreign tourists of multiple nationalities, including England, France, Nigeria, Poland, Germany, Russia, Lebanon, the Netherlands, Israel, Lithuania, and Macedonia.
He pointed out that the total number of tourists who climbed Mount Moses reached 634 people, including 295 Egyptians, while the number of visitors to St. Catherine Monastery reached 339 visitors, including 39 Egyptians.
The Director of Public Relations and Media added that tourists flock to the city every day after midnight, preparing to begin the trip to climb Mount Moses to watch the sunrise, and upon completion, they head to the Monastery of St. Catherine to visit the religious and historical sanctities, perform prayers, and visit the church and the monastery’s library and museum, which includes hundreds of rare manuscripts, every day except Sunday, which is designated for the monastery’s holiday and performing prayers for its monks.
Extreme cold and increasing demand
Abdel Halim revealed that the city is witnessing a noticeable drop in temperatures, as it recorded 11 degrees Celsius today, while at night it drops to the point of frost, reaching only 2 degrees Celsius. Despite this, the number of tourists and visitors is increasing, and everyone is racing to have the experience of climbing the mountain and enjoying sunrise trips, whether on foot or by riding a camel.
He stressed that the city of St. Catherine is preparing in the coming days for the Christmas celebrations of St. Catherine Monastery, corresponding to January 7, noting that the city is witnessing an expected tourism boom during the coming period, especially after the return of tourism from some countries that for years stopped sending tourists to the cities of South Sinai, coinciding with the start of the winter tourist season.
Colorful valleys and the Bedouin experience
Abdel Halim explained that after finishing climbing Mount Moses, watching the sunrise, practicing yoga exercises, and eating breakfast, tourists go to visit the colorful valleys and St. Catherine Reserve, and visit the rest house of the late President Anwar Sadat to learn about his residence, in addition to visiting Bedouin camping areas, and taking shopping tours to buy medicinal herbs and Sinai and Bedouin crafts, in a tourist experience that combines spirituality, nature, and heritage.
