During my 3-month stint in Egypt in late 2008/early 2009, I travelled extensively throughout the country and eventually found myself in Sinai, where I was particularly looking forward to an early morning ascent of Mt Sinai. Little did I know that I would run into a group of mountaineers from my native Croatia, atop Mt Sinai, awaiting the spectacular sunrise.

An early morning start, around 3 am, saw us departing from St. Catherine’s Monastery and competing with donkeys and camels for the narrow winding path up Mt Sinai. Being extremely dark, there were a few occasions when they would get a bit too close for comfort and prior warnings that they do bite were on my mind. Dodging camel droppings wasn’t fun, either. It wasn’t until later that I learned that the path we took was in fact called ‘the camel path’. Clearly, I was on their turf.

Nevertheless, I pressed on and found the hike not a particularly challenging one, reaching the summit in about an hour and a half, where a small chapel dedicated to the Holy Trinity was perched. A sizable crowd had gathered by this point, awaiting the first rays of the sun to make their appearance.

It wasn’t long, and boy was the sight a spectacular one. Within minutes, however, the clouds had moved in, covering the vast rocky landscape surrounding us.

Just as I prepared to start my descent, I heard some familiar words being spoken in my native tongue, Croatian. Up to that point, I had not run into a single soul from Croatia throughout my travels in Egypt, so to say I was pleasantly surprised would be superfluous.

It turned out to be a group of mountaineers on a hiking trip. After some pleasantries, which also included handing out the Croatian version of the Ten Commandments that according to the Old Testament Moses received from God, and obligatory photos with the Croatian flag, I learned that they were to ascend Mount Catherine, the tallest peak in Egypt, the following day. The tour leader, Milan, had already secured the necessary permits and they were happy to have me tag along.

The following day, we began the ascent early, and it immediately proved to be a more challenging experience than Mt Sinai. This was a proper hike, although nothing too difficult. Trekking poles, however, would have been a nice accessory. My fellow countrymen were particularly keen on learning about my experiences in Egypt, and the fact that they came across an Egyptologist that originally hails from Croatia was met with wonder. This is one profession in Croatia that no more than a handful of individuals are involved in.

Similar to Mt Sinai, a small chapel was perched on the summit, where we were rewarded with spectacular 360-degree views from its peak elevation of ~2620 metres. Whilst the early morning ascent of Mt Sinai was a well worthwhile effort, notwithstanding the religious significance, Mount Catherine is recommended for those looking for a less congested experience, offering an opportunity for reflection and prayer without competing with large-ish crowds, as well as cranky camels.

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