Quick answer
The Coloured Canyon is a narrow sandstone slot canyon inland from Nuweiba in South Sinai, its walls banded in red, orange, yellow and purple. It is reached by road and 4WD track with a Bedouin guide, usually as a half- or full-day trip from Dahab, and the walk through it takes about one to two hours.
What is the Coloured Canyon?
It is a slot canyon cut into Nubian sandstone by flash floods, so narrow in places that you can touch both walls, with rock layered in shades from deep red to cream and purple. The colours come from iron and manganese minerals in the sandstone, and they glow when sunlight reflects down the walls.
Look closely and you will see swirls, stripes and honeycomb weathering where wind and water have picked out softer layers, and in the narrowest sections the walls have been polished smooth by floodwater carrying sand. Because it is a dry wadi most of the year, the canyon floor is soft sand and fallen boulders rather than water.
The canyon lies in the mountains between Nuweiba and the interior, an area of wide sandy wadis and sandstone plateaus that looks quite unlike the granite peaks around Mount Sinai. It is one of the most popular half-day adventures from Dahab.
What is the hike like?
The walk itself is short, about one to two hours, and mostly on sandy ground, but it includes a few short scrambles over rocks and squeezes between the walls. In places the canyon narrows to shoulder width, and some steps need a hand or a shove from your guide. It is not technical, but it does require reasonable mobility.
- Who it suits: anyone of normal fitness, including active children of about 8 and over.
- Who should think twice: travellers with knee problems or claustrophobia.
- Where it ends: most walks climb out of the canyon at the top and loop back across the plateau to the vehicles.
A typical half-day trip
Most trips leave Dahab at about 7am and are back by early afternoon, spending a little over an hour in the canyon itself.
- 7am: leave Dahab by road towards Nuweiba, with a passport check on the way.
- 8.15am: transfer to a 4WD (if you are not already in one) and drive across the wadi to the canyon rim.
- 8.45am: walk down into the canyon with your guide while the light is still soft on the walls.
- 10.30am: climb out and return across the plateau, then tea at a Bedouin camp.
- 12.30–1pm: back in Dahab for a late lunch and an afternoon swim.
Timings vary with your guide's route and road checks. Photographers may prefer an afternoon trip for warmer light, though the canyon falls into shade earlier than the open desert.
How do you get there?
From Dahab, allow about 1.5–2 hours: around an hour up the coast road towards Nuweiba, then inland by road and 4WD across a sandy wadi to the trailhead. A 4WD and a local Bedouin guide are essential, as the tracks are unmarked and flash floods change them.
Tours usually leave Dahab in the early morning, with a stop for tea at a Bedouin camp, and return by mid-afternoon. From Sharm el-Sheikh it is a long day of about 3 hours each way. Checkpoints on the road require your passport. Our hiking in Sinai guide covers longer walks in the region.
Combining it with the White Canyon and Ain Khudra
A full-day trip can add the White Canyon and the palm oasis of Ain Khudra, inland from Nuweiba on the way towards St Catherine. The White Canyon is a pale sandstone gorge that descends to Ain Khudra, a small spring oasis with Bedouin gardens. Some itineraries continue to St Catherine for an overnight stay before the Mount Sinai climb, which saves backtracking to Dahab.
Ask us to check which combination works on your dates; distances in Sinai are longer than they look on a map.
When to go and what to bring
Visit from October to April, in the morning or late afternoon, when the light paints the walls and the heat is bearable. In summer the wadis are very hot by late morning. Never enter the canyon if rain is forecast anywhere in the mountains, since flash floods are the force that carved it.
- At least 1.5 litres of water per person, and sun protection.
- Closed shoes with grip, and clothes you do not mind scuffing on sandstone.
- A small daypack you can pass through narrow sections.
- Cash for the guide and the tea stop.
Travel advice and respect
Travel advice for Sinai differs between coastal resorts and the interior, and can change, so check Smartraveller or SafeTravel and confirm your travel insurance covers the trip. Do not scratch names in the rock, a sadly common sight in the canyon, and take all rubbish with you. Hiring local Bedouin guides directly supports the communities who know this landscape best; our Bedouin culture guide has more.
Coloured Canyon: FAQs
How long does the Coloured Canyon hike take?
About one to two hours of walking, but allow a half to full day including the drive from Dahab.
Is the Coloured Canyon hard?
No, but it has short scrambles and tight squeezes, so it needs reasonable mobility.
Can you visit without a guide?
Not realistically. The access is by unmarked 4WD tracks, and a local Bedouin guide is expected.
Where is the Coloured Canyon?
Inland from Nuweiba in South Sinai, about 1.5–2 hours from Dahab and about 3 hours from Sharm el-Sheikh.