Next Journey to Sinai
The next journey to Sinai is being organised by Helen, and is scheduled for October 2024. The journey will enable participants to trek though beautiful landscapes, experience the wisdom of the Bedouin, visit the ancient monastery of St Katherine’s and explore the mountain and desert environments of Egypt.
The Sinai is home to a remarkable people. Here the tradition is nomadic, though the tide is toward settling. For most of us, our tradition is that of the settler, but maybe the tide for us is toward the nomadic. Here is an opportunity for a meeting of the two traditions, here in the clear light of the desert, where so many meetings have taken place before—between East and West, between Africa and Asia, between ancient and modern, and, not least, between people and their spiritual needs. This meeting place is a spectacular and dramatic landscape, alive with astonishing colour and sensuous form, a landscape in which remarkable stories have taken place. This is the land of the Burning Bush, the Exodus, the Tablets of Stone—from the ‘wilderness’ of Sinai and the surrounding region the prophets of three major world religions have emerged. It is a land of miracles and a place of personal discovery. It is a land of struggles and a place of spiritual journeys. Silver sand and golden rock, pink granite mountains and green oasis gardens—a wind-carved wilderness, yet rich in human history.
Journey Details
We will start the journey with a relaxing overnight stay at Umbi Diving Camp at Sharks Bay on the Red Sea Coast. There will be time to swim in the sea and rest before the minibus drive to St Katherine’s where we will stay for the second night. The following day we will visit St Katherine’s Monastery first, then trek up into the mountains to the orchard gardens stay for the next 4 nights. During the day we will be working alongside the Bedouin building a small dam. The next stage of the trip is to tread in pilgrims footsteps up Mt Sinai from where we will have amazing views over the whole of South Sinai. After descending back to the town of St Katherine’s, a mini bus will take us out to the desert to spend several days exploring and enjoying the silence. A minibus will then take us the airport for the flight home.
The Jebeliya tribe of Sinai Bedouin have been living in the mountains around St Katherine’s monastery since the 6th century AD. Generations have survived by creating and cultivating hundreds of gardens in the surrounding mountain wadis (valleys), partly to supply the Monastery with fresh food. In recent years, in part due to climate change, rainfall has decreased dramatically, the water table has dropped and many gardens have been abandoned, their trees dead from lack of water. This has left their owners bereft of their spiritual connection to their land, their ancestors, and without means of supporting their families. In spite of the difficulties the Jebeliya are determined to restore their gardens and their livelihoods once they have access to water. The Makhad Trust has been able to help the garden owners by providing the means to deepen the garden wells, to build birkas to store precious water and to build small dams to trap the small amount of rain that now falls. We will be contributing to this regeneration of Bedouin culture.
This is a journey in the world of the nomad, of someone who moves in response to the environment, who is connected to the natural world, whose spirit is nurtured and nourished by the earth, the sky, the landscape. Come and join us.
Journey Highlights
- Trekking through the majestic Sinai mountains
- Climb Mt Sinai
- Working with Bedouin to provide water for their families
- Sleeping under the desert stars
- Explore the desert
- Warm Bedouin hospitality
- Delicious Food
The Dates
5 to 15 October 2024. We fly from London to Sharm El Sheikh, please check with Helen for advice before you book your flight, as it is important that everyone arrives at the same time.
The Practicalities
You will be sleeping under the stars first in the Bedouin gardens. You will need to bring a warm sleeping bag. You will be sent a packing list on receipt of your booking with Makhad Journeys.
The journey costs £900 each, which includes all local transport, accommodation, food, and tipping (there are no additional costs) Camel rides are an optional extra. Flights not included.
Testimonials
What previous participants have said…
‘The full moon over the desert, the bright stars in the night sky. The soft sand of the mountainous dunes….”A voyage into the soul” may sound a bit of an intimidating phrase and yet it was an effortless, beautiful and vital journey’ Bella Merlin. Musician
‘What an extraordinary opportunity to learn about the nature of being, rhythms of life and the tenderness of the natural environment. It was a unique privilege, an experience that lives on inside me and will, I’m sure, continue to bear fruit every day.’ Tania Coke October 2008
The bible abounds in references to the desert and the wilderness. Encounters with God, both directly and through prophetic voices, took place in scenes of desolation. God spoke on an empty stage, knowing how easily the sound of rivers diverted human attention.
– Yi-Fu Tuan
For further information please contact:
Helen Cranston Tel: 01453 755483 Email: helencranston@sinaijourneys.org
Helen Cranston 
Wow Helen, this sounds like an utterly wonderful opportunity, and just this page feeds me. This year I am not in a position to, but one day I would like to participate.
Hope you’re well, Elgiva
Thank you for this Elgiva. People have described the Sinai journeys as life changing and ‘A journey of a lifetime’. They are certainly extraordinary and I feel extremely privileged to be a part of them. We don’t run many journeys each year, and this one is rather different and special in that it combines the working aspect with a retreat. It would be lovely to have you as a participant on one some day – maybe next year? Hope all is well with you too.