Explore Egypt On The Country’s First Long-Distance Hiking Trail
Egypt took out one of the top spots on our list of the best places to travel to in 2019, and now there’s even more reason to book a trip. Adventure-lovers take note! The Red Sea Mountain Trail is Egypt’s first long-distance hiking trail through a part of the country that, until now, tourists almost never got to see.
The Red Sea Mountain Trail is a 10-day 170km hiking trail that runs just west of the beachside resort town of Hurghada. That’s as touristy as it gets, though – it travels through some of Egypt’s most remote wilderness, taking some of the routes that the local Bedouin tribes use for trade and hunting and plunging adventurers deep into a largely unseen part of Egypt.
[related_articles]66291,65975,64358[/related_articles]Travellers will be treated to gorgeous vistas of vast desert plains, deep gorges and rugged mountain summits, as well as historic sites like crumbling Roman towns, prehistoric rock art and ancient chapels, all with a Bedouin guide leading the hike.
FYI, it’s not an easy hike. It takes 10 days to complete on average, and even though you’ll only be walking for about 15 to 20km a day, it climbs up and down some pretty harsh mountains and across damaged paths.
There are easier alternatives for every stage of the hike though, and you can choose which path to take at the beginning of each section, so you’re never locked into anything that’s too hard (or not hard enough, you madman).
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If 170km isn’t enough hiking for you, there are also six hubs along the main trail that branch off into smaller, self-contained treks of nearby areas. One of these takes you up Jebel Shayib, the highest peak in mainland Egypt.
[related_articles]64818,66456,32601[/related_articles]For more information about the trail and upcoming hikes, visit the Red Sea Mountain Trail website.
[qantas_widget code=CAI]Check out Qantas flights to Cairo to begin your next adventure.[/qantas_widget](All images: Red Sea Mountain Trail)
