The desire to climb the Gebel Musa,otherwise called the Moses’ Mountain, in the Sinai Peninsula was characterised by different motives.

For some, it is mandatory, even though they do not know why they should undertake the daunting exercise. Another group believes that since Moses was once or twice on the mountain to receive the tablets of the Ten Commandment from God, they too can do it. And yet another set of pilgrims see it as a life time opportunity that they must not miss a private moment with God.

This writer, who was driven by the journalistic instinct to discover and get first hand facts and figures on the spirituality and journey of Moses from Egypt via the Red sea, Mount Sinai to the promise land (Israel), embarked on the adventure to see historical places, sites and relics of things, which the Holy Bible symbolically recorded.

The Moses’ Mountain (Gebel Musa), somewhat isolated to the south of the Monastery of St Catherine, rises with its 2285 metres, it is the one tradition identified with the Mount Horeb in the Bible, where the God of Israel reportedly gave Moses the tablets of laws containing the Ten Commandments.

Considered sacred by the monolithic religions; Hebrew, Christian and Islam, Gebel Musa is reached after an ascent of about three hours. Several paths lead to the summit, the most well-known of which is the “skiket Sayidna Musa”, or path of our Lord Moses, which begins immediately after the monastery.

Halfway up, it was claimed that there is a spring named Mayet Musa or Moses water, where it is said that the prophet watered his flock. This, the Nigerian group did not see, maybe because of the hour of the day (night) that they embarked on the expedition.

Also, the so-called “Moses’ stairway” is composed of 300 granite steps, which legend claims were arranged by a single monk in order to fulfil a vow.

At a point, the pilgrims arrived at the “door of confessions”, where it was said that pilgrims confessed themselves to a hermit who always lived in the place.

Only after the absolution could the faithful continue their climb towards the summit and reach the “door of the faith” where pilgrims will leave their shoes and, barefoot like Moses before God, arrive the top. All these rituals were not taken into consideration at the time the Nigerian group climbed the mountain.

At the top, the pilgrims were told that the legendary Justinian had had a small chapel erected, which was destroyed several times and over the ruins of the last chapel, in 1934, a church seen present at the top was built.

The remains of the second edifice are those of Omar mosque; this is a place in which, as the Bedouins say, Naabi Seleh was supposedly taken up to heaven.

Uniquely, most religious tourists to the peak of the Mount Sinai, prefer to await the dawn (where they witness the rising of the sun). Up there, the first rays of the sun illuminate all of the surrounding rocks and penetrate to the south until they light up the Gulf of Aqaba.

Unlike the Gebel Musa, the St Catherine or Gebel Kathrina with its 2642 metres is the highest mountain of the entire Sinai Peninsula. It owes its name to the fact that, as is handed down by legend, the angels reportedly transported here the body of the saint who had been martyred in Alexandria.

Investigation by the reporter revealed those five hours are needed in order to ascend to the peak of Mount Catherine. Along the way, the Monastery of the 40 Martyres (Deir al Arbain) can be seen. It recalls the Monk was killed by the Blemmi tribe.

Also the report gathered that on the summit of Gebel Kathrina is located the chapel dedicated to St Catherine, built by Monk Callisto; a drapery indicates the place in which the body of St Catherine was reported found.

According to findings, two rooms are set up adjacent to the chapel in order to give refuge to the pilgrims and tourists who spend the night there.

Amazingly, it was gathered from an account that when the day is clear, the view that can be enjoyed from the summit of Gebel Katherine is incomparable, as it give a panoramic view of almost the entire Sinai Peninsula, where it spread out like an enormous fan of stone and rocks, to religious tourists from the Gulf of Suez to the Gulf of Aqaba, as far as the African mountains to the west and the mountains of the Arab Peninsula to the east.         

However, before the pilgrims set out for the spiritual adventure to the Land of Pharaoh (Egypt), an official guild from Immanuel Tour company, in Israel gave specific warnings and important advice to pilgrims on what they should know and what they are likely to encounter on the way to Mount Sinai, thereby giving them the option of staying behind. But as the saying goes that curiosity kills the cat, among the 64 pilgrims that formed the federal delegate (from the federal Official and civil aviation groups) only 29 dared and were “ready” but did they really get to the peak of the mountain?

Subsequently, as adventure to Mount Sinai commenced on the January 25. The writer and others intending to be Moses of their time even when they knew that they were not from Israel but from Nigeria continued without envisaging or having a premonition of what the significant of the day of month (25th) really meant or what it would come out to be.

Precisely 250 meters to the border of Israel, a drama of fear of the unknown set in; two of the pilgrims, of their own volition, retreated from the adventure and returned to the Golden Crown Hotel in Eilat.

Once again, Moses, the private tour guild, drummed it to the ears of the pilgrims: “Praise the Lord, and the pilgrims responded Halleluiah! Then the tour guild continued, “My dear pilgrims, the tour to the Mount Sinai is tough, strenuous and needs people that have faith, backed up by their survive instinct and fitness to make it to the top.”

Again the tour guild reminded the pilgrims of the harshness of the weather at the top, asking the 27 adventurers left to equip themselves with head warmer, cold proof body wear, shoes that had grips, hand gloves and other essential things that would keep their body warm.

“These are the prerequisites if you think you can make it to the mountain. It is a good thing if you have the drive and are fit to climb it. However, it is not compulsory because Moses is no more there. But some significant historical relics, which are still evident attract people to strive to climb, Mushe added.  

Then followed a little formality at the Israeli border and the tight security border scrutiny at the Egyptian side, which almost ran into an hour before the pilgrims trolled into Egypt territory, though the topography did not change because it was the same hills and water in Israel that ran cross to the land of pharaoh but the culture and style of life, architectural designs and fashion essence among others made the difference.

After entering the Egyptian border, the pilgrims were handed over to an Egyptian tour guild who took the group to ....hotel to refresh and wait for the adventure to Mount Sinai (Moses’ mountain or Gebel Musa), as the climbing was scheduled for 1:00am.

At the appointed time, the pilgrims were conveyed in a bus, equipped with the necessary kits to embark on the journey and when they all got to the bus park at the entrance to the foot of the mountain, the tour guild once more gave the adventurers the last orientation and precautionary measures on how to make a successful climb to the peak of Mount Sinai.

 At this point, the 27 pilgrims that signified their intention to climb Gebel Musa, even with the threat of the height of the mountain which was hidden by the dim of the night, were optimistic that they can make it.

Meanwhile, at the gate that led to the foot of the mountain, there is a tourist shop where a free cup of tea is given to everyone in anticipation of the harsh weather, which is between 16 and 23 degree Celsius at the foot of the mountain while at the peak, it falls between 5 and 10 degree Celsius depending on the intensity.

Immediately the pilgrims concluded their final shopping at the tourist shop, the journey of faith began. It was not only a journey of faith but also survival of the fittest, where it is everyone for himself and God for all.

As the tour guilds handed the pilgrims to some bird winds (people who were considered as experts in climbing the Moses Mountain because of their geographical location and adaptive nature), the journey along the path to the foot of the mountain began with the 27 pilgrims praying for strength and just before one could say Amen, one of the adventurers retreated after a hundred metres walk, confessing that she was sick, reducing the number to 26 people.

Surprisingly, 250 meters after the first pilgrim retreated, another person, this time a man, who spoke in tongue at every marvel at the holy land said he did not think he could make it.

In his words: “Ha, I did not know that the weather will be this harsh. I thought it is something I can withstand, this weather can kill.”

“This action caused a little ripple among the group as the said that it was not only wasting the time to make it up but also instilling fears in the minds of the 25 people, who, despite the unprecedented they may likely face, decided to move on. Courage in disguise you will say?

After the second person pulled out from the journey to become the Moses of our time, (there would be no burning bush for one to listen to the voice of God or any tablet of ten commandment to collect), the spirituality and the hope that at least, a prayer from such a symbolic point of intercession, where the Holy Bible gave a vivid account of God’s contact with Moses, would be a life changing experience, kept the rest of the pilgrims going.

The more the pilgrim ascend the rough, rocky path that zigzag ups and downs to the different stops on the way up the more tougher the journey became, those that boost of being fit and sporty were already dragging their feet before the group got to the first coffee, snacks and drinks shop, which marks the first quarter of the entire distance (2285m) from the bottom to the top.

At that point, no one could even make mockery of any other because of the level of tiredness. Energy was being preserved to continue and those were being controlled by their legs after being exhausted put up a pitiful look, tired and panting. At a stage, some sat on rocks to regain their strength while those who still good-to-go rested a bit and staggered on like a toddler, who is learning his first step.

 All the same, as the group all got and assembled at the first top, it was all thanks to God. At that point, all broke into laugher, recalling their ordeal. While they made jest of one another, some were busy rejuvenating, with drinks and chops at the shop. And those who felt going back would be dangerous and moving ahead was not easy decided to pay transportation fare of 20 dollars to ride a Carmel to the at least three quarter distance where it then took them not less than 40 minutes to get to the peak.

Even with the carmel ride, some terminated their climbing expedition at the first coffee shop, which is regarded as the foot of the mountains and for those willing to continue, managed to move ahead.

Considering the level of fatigue most of the members of Nigerian group suffered in their quest to dare the height of Gebel Musa, some wanted to give up but for the courage from different groups from other countries, who started earlier and got there before them and also two little children in the age bracket of 10 and 12 years gave hope and courage to continue.

However, lo and behold, the 25 Nigerian pilgrims from the Federal and Aviation, who started their expedition on January 25, 2012, got to the peak of the Moses’ Mountain, yelled EURAKA, one by one in different expressions of praise as they made it to the summit.