Region
Sinai
Base on the east coast (Dahab or Sharm); treat the interior and the north as guided trips or skip them.
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Key facts · Egypt
- Best months
- Mar–May, Sep–Nov
- Currency
- Egyptian pound
- Language
- Arabic
- Plugs
- C · F · 220 V
- Time zone
- UTC+2
Rules in force · 8Nine African countries on this site have no trip line bec…
- Africa ↗When a route touches a yellow-fever country — even a transit of 12 hours or more — keep the original yellow card (ICVP) in your hand luggage; health desks and airlines can refuse boarding or entry without it.
- Africa ↗Nine African countries on this site have no trip line because governments advise against travel; several others have no-go regions. Read your government's advice for every country on the route before paying deposits.
- North Africa ↗Plan links between North African countries by air or by ferry via Europe; the only regularly usable land borders for visitors are Tunisia–Algeria and Morocco–Mauritania via Western Sahara.
- North Africa ↗Book Saharan nights (dunes, desert camps, oasis tours) between October and April; from May to September desert day temperatures regularly exceed 40 °C and many tours stop.
- Egypt ↗Check visa rules for your passport on the official Egypt e-visa portal before flying; visa on arrival availability depends on nationality and can change.
- Egypt ↗Drones need prior permission and are routinely confiscated on arrival; leave them at home.
- Egypt ↗Do not photograph military sites, police, bridges or government buildings; some museums and tombs charge for or ban photography.
- Egypt ↗During Ramadan, avoid eating, drinking or smoking in public in daylight; hotels and tourist restaurants still serve.
Sinai is Egypt's Asian half: a hot desert wedge between the Gulfs of Suez and Aqaba, with almost everything a visitor wants packed onto the east coast strip from Sharm el-Sheikh up to Taba. The coast is the diving and the beds; the interior is Mount Sinai and St Catherine's; the north around Arish is a different, restricted trip. Pick one coast base, add a Mount Sinai night, and do the rest as day trips.
Where to sleep
Sleep base
- Sharm el-SheikhCity guide
Airport, all price brackets, reef diving, resort strip.
Best Mar–May, Sep–Nov
JFMAMJJASOND - DahabCity guide
Budget to mid-range, relaxed, Blue Hole and dive courses, Mount Sinai access.
Best Mar–May, Sep–Nov
JFMAMJJASOND
Day trip
Also here
- ArishCity guide
North Sinai regional centre; most Western governments advise against all travel to the province.
Plan the nights
How to split the nights, day-trips and what to do with your bags
Open Plan the nightsClose Plan the nights3 partsNights · Day-trips · Bags
Night sequences
- 4 nights
- Dahab 3 + one Mount Sinai night
- 6 nights
- Dahab 3 + Sharm el-Sheikh 2 + Mount Sinai night
- 7 nights
- Sharm el-Sheikh 3 + Dahab 3 + Mount Sinai night
- Most Western governments advise against all travel to North Sinai province, and against travel north of the St Catherine–Nuweiba road in South Sinai. Check your own government's current advice before booking anything inland.
- The east coast resort strip is heavily secured and is the part most visitors use.
- Local taxis outside the resorts quote high; agree the price before getting in, or have your hotel arrange the car.
- Summer heat inland is severe; Mount Sinai is cold at night in winter, averaging around 2 °C (36 °F) lows in January and February.Summer heat inland is severe; Mount Sinai is cold at night in winter, averaging around 36 °F (2 °C) lows in January and February.
Day-trips door to door
| To | From | Door-to-door p50 | Last return | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mount Sinai and St Catherine's Monastery | Dahab | 120 min | unknown | Night ascent for sunrise, or a day visit to the monastery; go with a guide or hotel trip. |
| Ras Abu Galum | Dahab | 60 min | unknown | Reef and beach between Dahab and Nuweiba; usually reached by jeep or camel from Dahab. |
| Nuweiba | Dahab | 75 min | unknown | Beach camps and the ferry port for Aqaba, Jordan. |
| Coloured Canyon and Wadi Ulrada | Dahab | 150 min | unknown | Interior desert trip; 4x4 and guide needed, no public transport. |
Bags between cities
No luggage forwarding here; move between coast towns by bus, minibus or a hotel-arranged car.
When to go
Months and weather
Open When to goClose When to go2 partsSeasons · Climate
Seasons at a glance
Pick a month to see where to go.
Show all 12 months, country by countryHide the 12-month table
| Country | JJan | FFeb | MMar | AApr | MMay | JJun | JJul | AAug | SSep | OOct | NNov | DDec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sharm el-Sheikh | × | × | go | go | go | × | × | × | go | go | go | ok |
| Dahab | ok | ok | go | go | go | × | × | × | go | go | go | ok |
| Nuweiba | go | go | go | go | ok | × | × | × | × | go | go | go |
| Taba Heights | go | go | go | go | ok | × | × | × | ok | go | go | go |
| Taba | go | go | go | go | ok | × | × | × | × | go | go | go |
| Egypt (country-wide) | go | go | go | go | ok | ok | × | × | ok | go | go | go |
Computed from each country’s own data; hover a country name for the source. Advisory countries are left out.
Climate strip
| Zone | J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Red Sea coast (Sharm, Dahab, Nuweiba, Taba)east coast strip | ok | ok | best | best | best | hot | hot | hot | best | best | best | ok |
| Interior mountains (St Catherine, Mount Sinai)central South Sinai | cool | cool | ok | best | best | hot | hot | hot | best | best | ok | cool |
- Red Sea coast (Sharm, Dahab, Nuweiba, Taba)
- Sea swimming and diving work year-round; July–August air temperatures are punishing on land. Spring and autumn are the comfortable peaks.
- Interior mountains (St Catherine, Mount Sinai)
- High elevation: January–February lows average about 2 °C (36 °F), and summer days are hotter than the coast.High elevation: January–February lows average about 36 °F (2 °C), and summer days are hotter than the coast.
Coastal water stays diveable in winter; the trade-off is cold nights inland and wind on exposed boat days.
Getting in and passes
Arrival times and regional passes
Open Getting in and passesClose Getting in and passes1 partGet in
Get in
| From | To | How | p50 | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sharm el-Sheikh Airport (SSH) | Sharm el-Sheikh resorts | taxi or hotel transfer | ~15–30 min | The main international gateway to Sinai, with year-round flights from Europe, the UK and Russia. |
| Sharm el-Sheikh Airport (SSH) | Dahab | hotel-arranged car or bus | ~1 h 30 by road | Coordinate ground transport through your hotel; the coast road is a good divided highway. |
| Cairo | Sharm el-Sheikh or Dahab | East Delta coach | long day | At least daily coaches; schedules change often, so confirm at the bus station rather than trusting a hotel's version. |
| Aqaba, Jordan | Nuweiba or Taba Heights | ferry | crossing varies | Bypasses Israel; you can get a Jordan visa on arrival in Aqaba. Check current sailings before planning around it. |
| Taba (Israel land border) | Taba Heights and the coast | taxi or hotel transfer | short | No visa facilities at this border; there is an Israeli exit fee and an Egyptian entry fee, with duty-free zone exemptions. |
Eat and move on
Regional food and where to go next
Open Eat and move onClose Eat and move on2 partsFood · Go next
Regional food
| Dish | Where | Timing / trap |
|---|---|---|
| Arab-style tea | Everywhere on the coast | The default pick-me-up; order it while you wait for a bus or a dive boat. |
| Fresh reef fish and grilled seafood | Dahab and Sharm el-Sheikh waterfronts | Priced by weight; ask the price before it goes on the grill. |
| Bedouin-style camp meals | Nuweiba beach camps, desert trips | Simple bread, beans and grilled meat cooked over fire; part of the overnight safari package. |
| Alcohol | Coast strip hotels and bars | Readily available along the resort strip; be wary of cheap local imitations of Western spirits. |
Go next
Cairo and Giza
bus or flight from Sharm el-Sheikh
Pyramids and the Grand Egyptian Museum; the natural second block of an Egypt trip.
Cairo
bus or flight from Sharm el-Sheikh
Islamic Cairo and the museums; coaches run at least daily.
Western Desert
plannedvia Cairo, then overland
Siwa and the oases; a separate block, not a Sinai add-on.
Red Sea Coast
plannedvia Cairo or a flight
Hurghada and Marsa Alam; the mainland dive coast.
Lower Egypt
plannedvia Cairo
Alexandria and the Delta; pairs with a Cairo stop.
Planning aids
Built from this guide's own data
Open Planning aidsClose Planning aids2 partsIn numbers · Going in…
Region in numbers
- Where to sleep
- 2 bases
- Day trips
- 4, 1 h to 2 h 30
- Nights suggested
- 4–7 nights
- Ways in
- 5 listed
- Best months
- Apr, May, Sep, Oct (all zones)
Going in…
Pick a month for the weather in each zone of the region, plus the country-wide rating and holidays.
Pick a month.
Deep dive
Photos, reading and every source
Open Deep diveClose Deep dive1 partSources
Ask about Sinai
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