St Catherine's & Petra

The short distance across the Red Sea between Jordan and Sinai makes it possible to combine in one week visits to two magnificent sites: the fabled ‘rose-red’ city of Petra and St. Catherine’s monastery in Sinai. For extra comfort and convenience a private cruise has now been arranged from Aqaba to Taba with a homeward return flight from Sharm el-Sheikh which avoids the necessity of retracing the journey to Aqaba (and the further opportunity of extending your stay at this popular Red Sea resort). Petra, once the stronghold of the Nabataeans from the 3rd century BC until its conquest by Rome in 106 AD, was gradually abandoned and after the 14th century completely lost to the world after a change in the well-established trading routes. After being re-discovered in 1812 by the Swiss explorer Johann Ludwig Burckhardt Petra, ‘half as old as time’ has been a magnet for generations of travellers. An expedition is also suggested into the incredible desert landscape of Wadi Rum.

St. Catherine’s monastery has attracted pilgrims since AD 337 when the Empress Helena, mother of Constantine, ordered the building of a sanctuary around the site where Moses is reputed to have encountered the Burning Bush. We visit the richly adorned church, ‘Burning Bush’ chapel, the library and Moses’ Well. Of particular note are some of the world’s best-preserved and priceless ancient manuscripts and icons due in part to the isolation, secure walls and the dry climate of the region. The monastery and the surrounding area is little changed since ancient times and the spectacular setting adds to the solitude and mystery of the site.