After yet another amazing 6 day hike through the breathtaking scenery of the South Sinai desert, I feel compelled to reveal this secret gem to you, as well as the intangible benefits of hiking in the Sinai desert. All you keen hikers out there need to experience it, you don’t know what you are missing! The Sinai desert is still very much undiscovered by mass tourism, so the time to hike it is NOW…add it to your bucket list and start planning a trip!

As we crossed the desert with our Bedouin guides and camels, not seeing another soul, I thought to myself that the hiking is world-class, still very much undiscovered, and well, just a shame that there aren’t a just few more people having this mindblowing experience. It is so much more than a hike – it is also a cultural and somewhat of a spiritual experience. The vast and amazingly colourful, striped and patterned sand and rocks makes it a place that by default clears your mind from the clutter and overload of the modern world. It’s a fantastic escape from life. This is probably one of the best places in the world to disconnect, enjoy the simple life and have a digital detox. Let me list some of the benefits here:

SIMPLE LIFE

A hiking / walking trip into the Sinai desert is the perfect place to reflect on life. In the desert you get to change down a couple of gears and live life in the slow lane. It is a good break for your mind, body and soul. All your cares will peel off you the deeper you walk into the vast spaces. There is no internet connection, so you get to spend hours a day contemplating things you wouldn’t normally think about because your head is clear. You live very much in the moment. This clarity of mind leads to better sleep and sweet dreams. That’s if you can take your eyes off that massive blanket of stars twinkling over your head, while ruminating over that big ole universe. Sleeping outside (no tent) is the best way to go – you feel so close to nature, and although the silence at night is deafening, the gentle breeze will whisper sweet nothings in your ear and you might hear the tiny crunch crunch as the odd insect walks past. Things you don’t usually have time to notice…

You will no doubt be humbled by the Bedouin who see no need to carry an array of paraphernalia as a type of insurance for every situation. Your daypack will be filled with first aid, spare clothes, snacks, drinks etc. You will be wearing brand names on all of your equipment, because the marketing was effective and you believed it, and they made you think you really NEED it. Walking beside you is a Bedouin wearing a thin cotton dress and pants, and some cheap sandals, carrying nothing. A tin can can be used as a teapot. Reality check. And your dinner will be cooked on a fire in the sand – there are no fancy cookers or equipment here. At lunchtime, your Bedouin guide makes fresh bread cooked in the coals and ashes of the fire. I always laugh to myself when people stand there gasping with amazement at this relatively simple bread baking process, whilst holding a highly complex piece of technology (phone). You will envy their detachment to material things that tie us down mentally, physically and financially.

CULTURAL TRIP

“Relax, nothing is under control!” Bedouins are fatalists, and they accept that your day pretty much just rolls out in front of you and you take the twists and turns as they come. Time is fluid. Europeans like logic and organization, and need an itinerary/plan. But things don’t always go to plan, and you learn to embrace change and have faith that everything will be just fine and you will have an amazing trip. You’ll get into the swing of that vibe! Your fears or distrust will turn into trust and faith. The Bedouins will look after you. Relax. How you deal with any unexpected changes will be a mirror of your inner self. Most people develop a fascination for the Bedouin way of life. They have developed a culture that survives and thrives in the heat of the desert. They will show you things like how they care for water sources, point out the amazing array medicinal plants that are scattered across the desert, and cope with the heat of the day. At night around the fire they might tell you a few interesting ghost stories too!

WHAT THE DESERT LOOKS LIKE – These ancient Biblical lands were crossed for thousands of years by travelers, traders, pilgrims, smugglers, and tourists. When people think of the desert, they often picture rocks and sand. Which is about right, except that the rocks and sand change colours, they are striped, full of mind-boggling patterns and are really something you have to see to believe. It’s otherwordly! There are also desert mountains begging to be climbed for their amazing views over the expanses, and alluring oases inviting you to come and enjoy the shade of their date palms, or possibly a wash/swim (no showers or loos in the desert!). You may also come across ancient rock art and inscriptions, Nabatean ruins, strange ancient tombs (“nawamis”), Christian inscriptions (for pilgrims going to Mt Sinai or Jerusalem)…there’s just so much to be discovered.

HOW IT ALL WORKS: your Bedouin guides wake up early and get the fire going so that fresh tea and coffee will be ready for you. After breakfast, you set off on your way, passing through, up and over different rocky/sandy desert landscapes. Your guide will find a spot for lunch that has some shade, and after lunch it is usually “nap time” for an hour or two during the heat of the day. Then you hike for another couple of hours to get to the camping spot your guide has in mind. Usually the cameleers will have gone ahead and there will be tea ready for your arrival. You find yourself a nice spot to sleep for the night, and then dinner is cooked on the fire. After dinner you retire to your spot in your million star “bedroom” – sweet dreams are sure to be had!

If this is something you might like to experience, then get a group together (minimum 4 people), and get in touch. with us! Besides having my own travel company and organising trips worldwide, I live in South Sinai part of the year to keep up my Arabic, and organize hiking trips with the Bedouin. You can say I am the “cultural bridge” – I do all the stuff they don’t do – marketing, emails, booking hotels before the hike etc, and they take care of everything on the hike – organizing camels, food, guides etc. Before and during the hike I will explain any cultural differences that we come across too. Previously I worked for the Sinai Trail organizing trips for them. Now I work independently for private groups. You can find more amazing pictures to tickle your travel tastebuds here: https://www.facebook.com/sinaibedouinadventures/

So what are you waiting for? Join us for an unforgettable adventure hiking the Sinai desert!

Just email me venusadventures@gmail.com

Testimonial from a Danish hiker: “6 days of hiking Sinai desert with Bedouins has come to an end… we have slept on a rug in the sand, under the stars and light of the full moon . A life awakening journey of inner wisdom, presence and beauty. We have been shown how the simple life is the greatest gift of freedom. Taught how choosing trust above fear enables life to beautifully unfold – trust in our feet, trust in the rocks, sand, each other and trust in our new Bedouin family. How nothing …in a moment can become everything you need. How the greatest virtue we can aspire to… is leaving no trace letting nature generously provide for all …if we dare to let go of control The strong energy surrounded by rocks, sand and greatness of the desert has been vitalizing – we feel more alive, humble and grateful than ever! Letting go… returning to the rapid materialistic pulse of the life we normally live seems absurd… yet the deeper lesson learnt will be forever life changing“