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M T. S I N A IMount Sinai is a site of religious significance to Jews, Muslims and Catholics alike. It is the peak where Moses received the Ten Commandments. It is also where Mohammed's horse, Boraq, ascended to heaven. The 3,750 stone steps leading up this 7,497-foot mountain were formed by the monks of St. Catherine's Monastery, also situated on Mount Sinai. These steps as well as another path up the mountain lead to the "Seven Elders of Israel" amphitheater and the Chapel of the Holy Trinity, originally built in A.D. 363 and rebuilt in 1934. To enter Egypt you'll need a valid passport and a current visa. Visas can be obtained in advance from your nearest Egyptian consulate. There's a $15 fee and an extra passport photo is required. Processing takes approximately two weeks. Visitors must be registered within seven days of arrival in Egypt (48 hours in Cairo). Most hotels offer this service. It's necessary to re-register with each city you visit. If you've been to an area known or suspected to be infected with yellow fever or cholera six days prior to arrival, immunizations are required. Proof in the form of an International Certificate of Vaccination issued by the World Health Organization will be required. This can be obtained from most doctors in most countries. Without proper documentation you could be subject to a 36-hour quarantine at Cairo Airport. The closest airport to Mount Sinai is at Sharm el Shaykh on the Sinai peninsula, though Cairo is Egypt's most frequented airport. Non-stop flights to Cairo are available from most major cities in Europe, Asia and Africa. If you are planning to enter Egypt from Israel, there are regular buses from Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. Keep in mind that private vehicles from Israel are not permitted across the border; they can enter Egypt from any other nearby region, but the hefty paperwork involved might make anyone think twice about driving. Private vehicles must have a triptyque or carnet de passage en douane or face a hefty customs fee. The permits, which allow the car to remain in the country for three months, can be obtained from an automobile club in the driver's home country. Emergency triptyques are available at the port of entry via the Automobile and Touring Club of Egypt. Bi-weekly ferries leave from Sudan to the region. And don't forget to obtain an international driver's license. If you are without a car or all the requirements seem intimidating, Egypt has plenty of public buses, trains and taxis to meet your transportation needs getting into the country and to the Mount Sinai region. Some legal and cultural notes to keep in mind: Pornographic material is forbidden and will be confiscated. Also, proselytizing is against the law, so if you're seeking to convert anyone to Christianity while there, expect to be expelled from the country. Tipping is considered offensive, and female travelers might be subjected to segregated lines at train stations and other centers of activity.
For more information, contact: Ministry of Tourism Headquarters:
A general note about travel information: A wealth of travel-related information is available online from a variety of sources -- guidebook publishers, database "travel agents," government-sponsored tourist information and private sites. You can access such information by doing a destination-based word search -- e.g., Egypt, Sinai -- using any of the standard search engines. The information above is meant to provide the essentials you need to know before planning a trip. It is not meant to replace a Web search. We strongly encourage you to explore the extraordinary resources of the Internet to find the information best suited to you. And don't forget our Table Talk area -- another great source of detailed advice! |
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