A climber's guide to the South of Sinai

You will have to find out for yourself, but what attracted me to come here 6 years ago was the famous windsurfing spots and a sense of adventure - I had the feeling that there must be more behind those shorelines I saw on the prospects and promotional videos about Dahab. What made me come back and stay here all this time was the huge rock climbing and bouldering potential with a remote feel to each of the areas. And of course the people - it is hard not to be charmed and motivated by their unwavering optimism and confidence in the opportunity at hand. Offering an intriguing mix of Bedouin heritage, jagged landscapes as well as mild winter-time climate the South Sinai is an exceptional place and my personal favourite.

This beach-town 1h from the airport of Sharm El Sheikh should be any climber’s first stop on the way into the Sinai wilderness. Unless you already know exactly where you are going, you will find here everything you need. There are plenty of other climbers hanging out at places like Sindbad Camp or Coffee Wheel. You can do your shopping here for anything from groceries to gas-stoves and headlamps. And of course you can do other fun activities besides climbing, Dahab is known for these ones in particular:

• It is THE spot for freedivers from all over the planet (check out Dahab Freedivers)

• There is really good spots for kite-surfing and for windsurfing(check out Dahab Stars)The blue lagoon established by the local Bedouin kitesurfers was a mythical and mostly unknown spot until a few years ago but since then it has gained massive popularity on social-media (see Shoky's famous video flying a kite into the stratosphere)

• Warm waters >20 degrees throughout the year and an abundance of fish and corals make the region a prime spot for scuba-divers

• Camel Trekking through the desert and around St. Catherine with Bedouin guides from the 8 different tribes (see e.g. our local partner Rabia Barakat)

• It’s probably the Hippie/Alternative capital of the middle east, find here anything from crystal healing, cupping, russian bone-breaking massages, desert-sweat-lodges to even the most questionable and transcendent practices, there is truly no limitations to what you may find in regards to these topics in Dahab.

Getting to Dahab seems like a big step for many people that have never been to the Arab world. However it is much more simple than you may think and many things that seem complicated turn out to be super straight forward. Generally keep in mind these 6 Tips for moving smoothly into and around Egypt:

• You’re a Tourist in a country that loves Tourists, relies on them for income and there is no problem that can’t be solved with patience and asking around long enough in a friendly way or paying a small fine

• Buy a SIM card at the airport, before you exit into the parking lot area. They will set it up for you, equip you with a cheap Data plan and you're connected and ready to tackle the little everyday problems with the help of your smartphone.

• Bring some cash in Euro or USD. Exchanging is easier and faster than withdrawing, any Egyptian will direct you gladly to the nearest Exchange point but if you really need there will be always an ATM around if you are patient enough to search for a bit

• If you stay longer than 14 days or plan to leave Sharm and Dahab to explore the country you have to buy the Visa for 25USD before passing the passport control point at the airport and hand it over to the officer together with your arrival card.

• If you are known for a sensitive belly, let your hosts know, so they will prepare you entirely cooked meals and by all means avoid street food, juices and salads, as well as maintain a strict hygiene

• And lastly for the climbers: Bring your own climbing gear - no reputable business will rent you their ropes without their supervision and there is currently no import of climbing gear happening in Egypt. Purely a small second hand market provides the local scene with their gear so consider selling yours at the end of the trip

Flying in is really the only convenient option to reach Egypt (entering over land from Israel is not recommended since climbing gear might be confiscated). Only 4-5 hours by plane from Most places in Europe make Dahab a compelling destination for a quick and easy getaway during the cold season. Plenty of flights are available, mostly via Istanbul, made up of 2 short legs of 2-3h of flight. There are at the moment also direct flights from

• Germany

• Italy

• the UK

• Switzerland

I will keep updating this, as after Covid the opening process for direct flights is still ongoing. Indirect flights are available from anywhere in the world.

Dahab is a small place with not too many distances that require a car, most errands can be done by bicycle or even by foot. Taxis -  Pickup trucks or old Jeeps take you anywhere in town for between 1-5 Euros, including the dusty roads to Laguna. Here are the different areas with their benefits:

Assala is a fascinating mix of Carribean Beach, turquoise water and small buildings encroaching onto the shoreline, leaving in between a few metres of compacted soil, palm trees and beach for cars to ride or people to walk. Everything you need in Dahab you can get on a short stroll from here:

• Supermarkets are well stocked at Assala Square

• Countless Cafes and Restaurants offer Egyptian cuisine as well as the occasional Asian or Italian

• Shops for anything from clothes to hardware

• Camps and Hotels to upgrade your accommodation or to find cheap dorm rooms

Lighthouse is the main bay of Dahab. It is a meeting point for travellers where you can hang out at one of the abundant Cafes, meet new people and possible companions. Here you can find the scuba diving and kitesurfing shops and also places to get SIM cards. Also it is a major diving and freediving site due to the easy access from the beach and its protected setting from the wind.

Laguna Beach is located in the so-called Medina part of Dahab, simply translating to town, where the governmental institutions of Dahab are located and closer to the beach you can find higher-tier accommodation and fancy hotels directly on the private slots of sand.

Mashraba is an area with slightly cheaper mid-tier accommodation since it is a little off the hip quarters of Assala and away from the top surf-spot of Laguna. It is still located quite centrally with less than half an hour to walk to Assala Square, it is an option for a more budget-friendly holiday.

In 2023 the it is quite simple to find climbing partners in Dahab if you know how:

• many climbers are based in Dahab each winter for months at a time and hang out at spots like lighthouse, Sindbad Camp, Coffee Wheel and probably soon too at the home wall in Assala

• a facebook group called “Climbing in Sinai” helps climbers with equipment find their partners

• Not only a few but by now a lot of the Bedouin guides climb and belay very decently, observe safety procedures, go bouldering themselves and embrace the budding climbing scene in Dahab like they did with kitesurfing

• detailed information is available online on this website with almost 600 documented Routes covered to date

• A few certified guides are offering their services for guided and self-guided climbing tours, workshops and Safaris on which you will often meet other climbers, feel free to contact them through this website!

We have a whole page dedicated to the Bouldering in Dahab and a few amazing little films have been shot here in recent years, head over to our Bouldering section. When it comes to bouldering, Dahab is a world-class destination already, despite being a bit unknown. Just an easy hike through the canyon floor reveals the most amazing boulder problems, up to 8b at the moment. The bouldering area is located inside Wadi Gnai and is at the same location of Bedouin Garden, so it is even possible to go bouldering here with your sports climbing friends.

The climbing areas of South Sinai, which are the only climbing areas in Egypt to date can be divided into these major sites from biggest to smallest. There is still plenty of other areas left to explore of course, one may easily get lost here 40 years without getting bored.

1. St. Catherine the trad-climbing centre of the Sinai with over 300 routes recorded and many more variations and unrecorded ascents. This area is true wilderness and only suited for the experienced climber.

2. Wadi Gnai the most popular crag in Egypt, birthplace to it's nascent climbing community and offering varied climbing on granite - over 100 routes to date

3. Wadi Hamam discovered for it's climbing potential in the early 2010s and heavily upgraded in recent years, this is a real gem close to Dahab - do not miss your chance to spend at least a day here!

4. Wadi Shellal is the newly opened crag, halfway between Cairo and Dahab, deep in the western outcrops of the South Sinai granite mountains, opened by Bedouins of the local Aleqat tribe and us, we're biased enough to tell you it's the most amazing spot in Sinai ;)

5. Jebel Milehis is always an adventure. Already the approach will make you sweat (in a good way) and reaching the summit changed many of us into advocates for Sinai, try to resist, you won't be able to!

6. Wadi Kid, W Wadi Wishwashy and the south-west of Sinai as well as many other spots even reaching the Red Sea Mountains are not ready to be on this list yet, but we hope to see more development there in the near future, maybe by explorers like yourself.

Being the traditional inhabitants of the land, the Bedouin stand out as much as they are outnumbered in the Sinai. This place is their home and we, whether from Europe, America, Israel or Cairo are their welcome guests, a warm but polite hospitality seems to come natural to them. Dahab and Sharm el Sheikh traditionally lie in the tribal land of the Muzeina tribe and together with the other 7 tribes of the Towara (translating to “mountain people'') they inhabit the south of Sinai. They govern its natural resources in a sustainable way with many traditional rules; some tribes’ presence and customs date back many centuries into pre-islamic time. They share common cultural aspects with Bedouin across the region spanning the Arab Peninsula as well as Egypt, Jordan and Israel and of course the entirety of arab-speaking countries. To this day they remain deeply religious and anchored in their traditions. Perhaps in future posts we will get to know a few of them personally, for now let's leave it at acknowledging that noone knows and cares for this harsh but delicate environment of the south Sinai better than them. Among the Bedouin of these eight tribes I found good companions and even friends during my time here and so will you.

When heading into the desert of South Sinai, pretty much whenever you leave the main asphalt or dirt roads it is required by Bedouin law to have a guide from the local tribe responsible for you. Booking these guides is simple, can be done through any of the local tour operators and they are a real asset. They are the most proficient drivers on the sandy desert tracks, and they know how to fix almost any issue their car might have in the jagged and rocky canyons. Bedouin guides in the Sinai are professional enough to independently take care of anything ranging from permits to knowing who to call in case of emergency and they do make that special tea with herbs from the Wadis. Please respect these rules dating back many hundreds of years. They leave you any amount of privacy you want during the trip, if you ask it of them you won’t even notice they are in the same valley until you need their help.

My first time in Dahab, when went down to the sea in Assala I was blown away. Nothing compares to the feeling you get seeing that crystal clear blue water over the reef, glittering in all shades of turquoise and blue. Many visitors from all over choose Dahab as their home each winter, from Expats and digital Nomads over extreme sports addicts to hippie travellers making their compulsory stop here. You will find people from all social classes and cultures mingling here in a peaceful way, which is one of the interesting aspects of Dahab. But I can't explain it better than the footage oft his beautiful video that Kai Branss made about Dahab. If you have some time, it will give you the best impression of the place!

Here’s a few recommendations for places to stay, mostly it is best to contact them directly over their website or contact address on the search engines. In small Dahab a promise is a promise and each one of them is a respectable business in Dahab. For prices, generally speaking in Dahab prices are fair and you get what you bargain for so don’t expect comfort at the low end but in the mid tier you can already find real gems!

For the low to mid budget try out one of these great camps and hostels, while quite basic you can find a great community around them:

• Sindbad camp right at the lighthouse for the dirtbags and beach bums, for anyone searching for cheap rooms this is the address right on the beach, you will surely find climbers here all throughout the winter season!

• Marine garden camp right next door from Sindbad this camp offers a bit higher tier rooms and is another great option for climbers with private rooms

For the mid budget we can not recommend these hotels and lodges enough!

• The Windfarm led by an amazing Team and with a private beach, this place is simply beautiful and an experience itself, with garden rooms surrounded by an actual farm or very neat rooms inside the building.

• Alf Leila is a tiny boutique hotel near the lighthouse, conveniently located and with a great Breakfast Cafe inside as well as very cosy rooms

For the high-end options try out these places, their fact sheet online will speak for itself, not that I’ve ever been inside but I heard only good things and know that their food is amazing!

• Le Meridien Resort and Ecotel are both on the way to Wadi Gnai and while a little off the map for most climbers it is convenient to hop onto the climbing trips’ cars from there.

• Sheikh Ali Hotel is a bedouin-owned hotel and delivers highest quality accommodation in a central location at the head of Mashraba.