Bab el Dunya
(Detour along the walk to Galt el Azraq)

At the point where wadi Gebal makes a sharp turn leading to Marufia and Farsh Romana, there is a garden with a lot of reeds. Behind this garden a track leads up to Naqb Mishaikhal (the unpleasant pass). This is one of the traditional, ancient routes of monks traveling to El Tor. On top of the pass you have a marvelous view over Gebel Umm Shomar, the Gulf of Suez, and on clear days the mainland of Egypt. From Naqb Mishaikhal descending into a small open area, a track leads to the right climbing up and out into Wadi Za'tar (wadi of oregano). There is not much oregano nowadays. There is an orchard of Sheikh Mohammed with his "castle" (Qasr el Za'tar), a dwelling built into a hollowed out rock. Past his gardens a left fork leads to a rocky area with a large amount of water: Ein Negila (grass spring). Here you are at the foot of Bab el Dunya (the gateway to the world). On the way up you pass the ruins of an old byzantine monastery. The climb up is short but almost vertical. From Bab el Dunya you have a view over Gebel Madsus and Wadi Kabriin. Returning to Ein Nagila and Qasr el Za'tar, turn left into wadi Bahariya (wadi of the sea, as it looks down into Farsh Romana with its plentiful waters) which is a rocky, steep descent into Farsh Romana.