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Sinai - The Trekking Guide

Sinai - The Trekking Guide

Excerpt:
Introduction


Contents | Introduction | Planning your trek | When to go | Route options | Sharm el Sheikh | High Mountain Region | Sample trek: Jebel Berqa | Sinai desert trekking routes map


 

 Introduction

The Sinai is the jagged tooth of wilderness between Africa and Asia; a frontier of rugged mountains and wild, windswept deserts whose epic Biblical legends have echoed through the ages. Humans walked out of Africa through here and civilisations from the Pharaohs to the Nabataeans and Ottomans have followed since, making journeys that shaped the history of the Middle East; even the history of the world.
    There’s nowhere on earth like the Sinai: it grew at a great continental crossroads under a unique set of influences, developing as a land unto itself. It’s an extraordinary place to walk but its troubled politics have long kept it off the mainstream map. That’s beginning to change now and trekking is getting ever easier. But there’s still some way to go — which is perhaps why it’s so exciting.
    This isn’t a destination of neat trails, signposted paths and easy conveniences. It’s a vast terra incognita of wild wadis, unclimbed peaks and hidden ruins; a brooding Bedouin wilderness whose severity strips away the excess in landscapes and people. The opportunities for exploration and discovery are still rich but, above all, there’s adventure. Great, epic adventure to remember for a lifetime.
    The Sinai can be trekked at any time of year. There are daily flights from Europe and you can get by on very little. There are coral reefs, shipwrecks and beaches, and Egypt’s pyramids and temples are a short hop over the Gulf. Tourism has been hit hard by the revolution but it’ll recover in time; Egypt always does. If anything, now is the best time to visit. It’s cheaper and even quieter on the trails and the fabled Arab hospitality is extra warm.

 


 
About this book
This book is about South Sinai. The north is yet to be developed for any real sort of trekking or adventure travel.
    There’s practical information on planning every aspect of your trip. There are full reviews of the gateway towns (including town plans) and trekking bases, plus detailed route descriptions, 74 large-scale maps and hundreds of GPS points. In addition there’s background on history, culture and the environment, along with tips on riding camels, speaking Arabic, and more.
    This is the most comprehensive trekking guide to the Sinai yet published and is an all-in-one travel guide for the peninsula; it’s the only book you will need.

Sinai - The Trekking Guide

Excerpts:

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