East
The area east of St. Katherine is a very diverse region, with rocky mountain wadis, sandy desert plains, sand dunes, sandstone rock formations and secluded oases. The area is home to the Muzeina Bedouin, the biggest South Sinai tribe. Here there is no tribal system and you can choose your operator, guide and camels freely. The exceptions are Arada Canyon and the White Canyon where taking a guide is required, unless your trek is part of a longer one and you already have a Bedouin guide. Several places are quite popular and many companies and individuals offer treks, but to have a good experience make sure you are going with a Bedouin-run operator or one that works closely with them. Along the main St. Katherine to Nuweiba/Dahab road there are cafeterias and camel stations from where you can get a guide and camels straight from the community.
Coming from St. Katherine, the first is at Wadi Arada, then there is a new camel station at the Nawamis settlement, a bit further down is Cafeteria Joma, and, after the UN outpost at Ras Ghazala, is Sheikh Hemeid and a few independent cafeterias. It is possible to walk from St. Katherine all the way to the sea, although the first and last stretches of the trek might not be as spectacular as some other places. The main routes are going either north or south of the asphalt road and if you want to see all the best places you will have to criss-cross it a number of times. Wadi Zagra and Wadi Nasb would take you straight to Dahab but the more interesting locations are a bit further away.
An interesting route would be to start at Faranja or Shegera some 20-30 kms after St. Katherine, visiting the Guna plateau and the canyons at its base, then the ancient Nawamis site and the magical fine sand desert dotted with sandstone formations and dunes further east. You could finish at the hidden oasis of Ein Khudra, or go on from here to the Ras Abu Gallum protectorate located just north of Dahab on the coast; or, you could carry on to the territories of the Tarabin tribe to the north and reach the coast around Nuweiba and Taba via another spectacular way.
Gebel Guna
A long, flat mountain range separating two main wadis, from which gullies descend to all directions.
Zigzag Canyon
A narrow sandstone canyon zigzags between vertical sandstone walls, at the foot of the Gunna range.
Naqb Arada (Wadi Arada)
A wadi running from the Gunna range and leading to a settlement and camel station along the main road.
Arada Canyon
There are actually two canyons, branching off from the same entrance and connected via a small plateau,
Bier Safra
A well, with clean water, in the desert at the crossing of main routes connecting many sights.
Nawamis Site
Mysterious prehistoric stone buildings, dating back to the Copper Stone Age (4000-3150 BC),
Gebel Matamir
A group of elongated sandstone hills, rising from a sandy plain and separated by wadis.
Gebel Barqa – Gebel Maharum
The popular sandstone formation of Gebel Maharum, with a hole cutting through it, is only one of the many curious rock
Haduda Sand Dune
The high sand plateau around Gebel Barqa suddenly comes to an end at Haduda Sand Dune,
Wadi Rum
The bigger stretch of the wadi, located between the Nawamis site and Wadi Khudra, is wide, long and sandy, with many interesting outcrops.
Ein Khudra
Ein Khudra, meaning Green Spring, is a picturesque oasis with gardens and date palms, encircled by steep mountain ranges and vertical cliffs.
Wadi Khudra – Closed Canyon – Mushroom Rock
A long and sandy wadi leading to Ein Khudra, the way for 4WDs coming from Ras Ghazala or Nuweiba,
Gebel Mileihis – Wadi Disco
Gebel Mileihis is a flat sandstone mountain towering over the desert, with views as far as the sea at Nuweiba.
Ras Ghazala
A sandstone hill with camel stations and cafeterias along the main road, shortly before the Nuweiba and Dahab fork
Wadi Risasa – Bier Uqda – Ras Abu Gallum
A long wadi with a spectacular ending at the sea at the national park of Ras Abu Galum.
